Updated April 6, 2023

CDL Driver Salary Estimate

$63,112

$30.34 hourly

Entry level Salary
$41,000 yearly

How much does a CDL Driver make?

The average salary for a cdl driver in the United States is $63,112. Cdl driver salaries typically range between $41,000 and $96,000 a year. The average hourly rate for cdl drivers is $30.34 per hour.

Location, education, and experience impacts how much a cdl driver can expect to make. Cdl drivers make the most in Wyoming, Nevada, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and Kansas.

Research Summary.
  • The average salary for a cdl driver is $63,112 in the US.
  • The average cdl driver salary ranges between $41,000 and $96,000 in the US.
  • Hourly rates for cdl drivers in the US typically range between $19 and $46 an hour.
  • The average cdl driver salary is $73,856 in Wyoming, $69,353 in Nevada, and $67,855 in Oklahoma. These are the three highest-paying states for cdl drivers in the US.
  • GCP Applied Technologies has the highest average salary for cdl drivers.
  • Retail is the highest-paying industry for cdl drivers in the US.

Highest Paying States For CDL Drivers

While a cdl driver can average a salary of $63,112 per year, or $30.34 per hour, there are many opportunities for cdl drivers to make more. For example, in Washington, DC you might make $72,415 per year. Other high-paying locations include Oklahoma City, OK, Kansas City, KS and Salt Lake City, UT. If you're in an entry-level position, your best bet is to move to Washington, DC where the average starting salary is $47,000. The highest paying states for cdl drivers include Wyoming, Nevada and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Maine, California, and Oregon offer the lowest salaries.
  • State View
  • County View
Average Salary:

CDL Driver average salary by State

RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1North Dakota$67,750$32.575,697
2Oklahoma$67,855$32.6212,115
3Kansas$67,477$32.4413,392
4Wyoming$73,856$35.511,169
5Nebraska$66,636$32.048,132
6Kentucky$65,012$31.2612,522
7South Dakota$64,319$30.925,485
8Missouri$66,014$31.7419,465
9Arkansas$64,128$30.8311,685
10Nevada$69,353$33.341,455
11Tennessee$64,436$30.9815,106
12New Mexico$65,105$31.304,892
13Utah$67,164$32.294,190
14Indiana$64,558$31.0414,591
15Wisconsin$64,571$31.0412,554
16Illinois$66,496$31.9723,511
17Mississippi$63,731$30.644,835
18Georgia$64,358$30.9425,496
19Iowa$63,505$30.5311,508
20Louisiana$63,386$30.4710,509
21Delaware$65,585$31.531,822
22West Virginia$62,783$30.184,758
23North Carolina$63,359$30.4617,397
24District of Columbia$72,370$34.79260
25Alabama$62,306$29.9515,051
26Montana$65,576$31.53821
27Ohio$62,548$30.0721,445
28Vermont$64,496$31.01603
29Rhode Island$63,907$30.72705
30Michigan$62,419$30.0113,627
31Arizona$64,021$30.784,779
32Idaho$61,982$29.804,215
33Connecticut$64,227$30.882,020
34Colorado$63,940$30.747,096
35New Hampshire$63,734$30.64818
36Pennsylvania$62,678$30.1318,296
37Maryland$64,356$30.946,363
38Minnesota$63,374$30.4714,471
39South Carolina$61,578$29.6013,060
40Texas$62,320$29.9641,396
41Virginia$62,409$30.0014,334
42New York$63,051$30.3113,381
43New Jersey$63,220$30.394,062
44Massachusetts$62,640$30.122,721
45Alaska$57,187$27.49151
46Washington$60,488$29.088,211
47Oregon$58,789$28.266,844
48Maine$60,395$29.04777
49California$59,751$28.7330,118
50Hawaii$54,637$26.27181
51Florida$56,087$26.966,478

Highest Paying Cities For CDL Drivers

RankCityAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1Washington, DC$72,415$34.8123
2Oklahoma City, OK$67,825$32.6195
3Kansas City, KS$67,365$32.3978
4Salt Lake City, UT$67,255$32.33112
5Omaha, NE$66,507$31.97104
6Chicago, IL$66,452$31.95148
7Kansas City, MO$66,263$31.8678
8Newark, DE$65,661$31.5729
9Bowling Green, KY$65,224$31.3680
10Columbus, IN$64,700$31.1128
11Memphis, TN$64,611$31.06133
12Milwaukee, WI$64,597$31.0671
13Atlanta, GA$64,579$31.05166
14Columbia, MD$64,400$30.9630
15Jacksonville, AR$64,150$30.8414

Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:

  1. Washington, DC
  2. Oklahoma City, OK
  3. Kansas City, KS
  4. Salt Lake City, UT
  5. Omaha, NE

CDL Driver Salary by Years of Experience

The salary for a cdl driver can vary depending on the years of experience that a person has, from entry level to senior level. An accountant with 0-2 years of experience earns an average salary of $50,001, a mid-career professional with 3-6 years of experience makes $63,112 a year on average, and a senior level accountant with 7-12 years of experience enjoys an average annual salary of $77,841. Data on how experience level affects total compensation is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as part of their National Compensation Survey, which is based on factors such as knowledge, complexity, contacts, and environment.

CDL Drivers Salary Details

Average CDL Driver Salary Graph
Average CDL Driver Salary Graph, Trends, and Summary

What is a CDL Driver's Salary?

PercentileAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly Rate
90th Percentile$96,000$8,000$46
75th Percentile$78,000$6,500$38
Average$63,112$5,259$30
25th Percentile$50,000$4,167$24
10th Percentile$41,000$3,417$20

Highest Paying Types of CDL Drivers

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
Truck Driver-Over-The-Road$69,158$5,763$33.25689,630
Tractor-Trailer Driver$58,498$4,875$28.12690,787
Truck Driver Class A$63,270$5,272$30.42709,900
Over The Road Driver$62,119$5,177$29.86711,143
Commercial Truck Driver$64,512$5,376$31.02719,069
Haul Truck Driver$60,932$5,078$29.29704,286

Here are the five companies hiring the most now:

  1. Walmart Jobs (799)
  2. Sysco Jobs (878)
  3. Crete Carrier Jobs (868)
  4. C.R. England Jobs (745)
  5. McLane Jobs (779)

Which Companies Pay CDL Drivers The Most?

The highest paying companies for cdl drivers are GCP Applied Technologies and Jordan Company according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, companies like Hobby Lobby and Univar report highly competitive wages for cdl drivers.

How Much Do CDL Drivers Make In Different Industries?

Cdl driver salaries can vary depending on the industry. In fact, our data shows that the retail, transportation, and manufacturing industries tend to offer much higher salaries for cdl drivers. For example, cdl drivers make a whopping average salary of $63,457 while working in the retail industry. Meanwhile, other people in this field are making $62,373 in the transportation industry and $61,455 in the manufacturing industry.

Cdl drivers may want to avoid working in the education industry as it offers the lowest average salary of $49,386.

Highest Paying Industries For CDL Drivers

RankIndustryAverage SalaryHourly Rate
1Retail$63,457$30.51
2Transportation$62,373$29.99
3Manufacturing$61,455$29.55
4Hospitality$55,799$26.83
5Education$49,386$23.74

High Paying CDL Driver Jobs

CDL Driver Pay Trends

Average CDL Driver Salary Over Time

Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

    CDL Driver Salary By Year

    YearAvg. SalaryHourly Rate% Change
    2023$63,100$30.34+4.0%
    2022$60,600$29.14+3.5%
    2021$58,500$28.12+2.7%
    2020$56,900$27.35+2.7%
    2019$55,400$26.61+2.6%

    Recently Added CDL Driver Salaries

    CompanyJobLocationDate AddedSalary
    Avis Budget GroupCourtesy Bus Driver-CDL RequiredAirport, CA05/04/2023$40,697
    HD SupplyNon-Cdl DriverGresham, OR05/04/2023$49,045
    Werner EnterprisesCdl-A Dedicated Truck DriverFremont, NE05/04/2023$92,500
    Ace HardwareCDL A DriverLoxley, AL05/04/2023$76,000
    Ace HardwareCDL A DriverLebanon, PA05/04/2023$80,000
    Lansing Building ProductsCDL DriverLouisville, KY05/04/2023$45,914
    State of OhioSummer Seasonal CDL Driver/Highway Technician 1-District 8 Odot-Butler, ClermontCincinnati, OH05/04/2023$39,966
    CRST, The Transportation SolutionTeam Cdl-A Truck DriverErie, PA05/04/2023$85,000
    PMG VegetationClass A CDL DriverRock Springs, WY05/04/2023$52,175
    Willscot Mobile MiniLocal Cdl-A Truck DriverPelham, NH05/04/2023$75,132

    CDL Driver Salaries FAQs

    What State Pays Cdl Drivers The Most?

    Wyoming pays CDL Drivers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $73,856 per year, or $35.51 per hour.

    How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Cdl Driver?

    You know if you are being paid fairly as a CDL Driver if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in District of Columbia you should be paid close to $72,370 per year.

    Do Truckers Make Good Money?

    Yes, truckers make good money. While there is a great deal of variability in earning depending on the type of truck driver and whether you own your own trucking driving company.

    For example, the average salary for a truck driver is $68,000 per year but can range from anywhere from $25,740 per year up to $100,000 per year. A truck driver who owns his own truck can even earn upwards of $150,000 a year.

    How Much Do Cdl Drivers Make Per Mile?

    CDL drivers make between $0.48 to $0.75 per mile. While a company solo truck driver might earn around $0.40 to $0.68 per mile, an owner-operated driver earns between $0.94 to $1.79 per mile.

    How Much Do Cdl Drivers Make Starting Out?

    CDL drivers make $52,154 a year starting out. A CDL driver's salary has the potential to range from as high as $78,500 a year and as low as $23,500 a year. For example, the top 90% earn around $72,500 a year, while the bottom 10% earn around $27,000.

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