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Best states for a class a driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
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Are you thinking of becoming a class a driver and really want to work at Ryder System? Turns out, your chances to become a class a driver are better in some states than others.Our research shows that Kentucky is the best state in the country for class a drivers.
In order to get you the best states for class a drivers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Kentucky is the best state, and Burlington is the city with the highest pay for class a drivers.
10 best states for class a drivers in 2025
1. Kentucky
Total class a driver jobs: 10,836 Average annual salary: $63,673 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 2.16
2. Pennsylvania
Total class a driver jobs: 15,171 Average annual salary: $66,774 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
3. Vermont
Total class a driver jobs: 501 Average annual salary: $70,221 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 0.48
4. New Hampshire
Total class a driver jobs: 666 Average annual salary: $69,027 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 0.28
5. Rhode Island
Total class a driver jobs: 587 Average annual salary: $68,240 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 0.35
6. Tennessee
Total class a driver jobs: 11,724 Average annual salary: $61,933 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
7. Wisconsin
Total class a driver jobs: 9,335 Average annual salary: $63,026 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
8. Louisiana
Total class a driver jobs: 8,519 Average annual salary: $62,418 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.96
9. Indiana
Total class a driver jobs: 12,652 Average annual salary: $61,663 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
10. Mississippi
Total class a driver jobs: 4,240 Average annual salary: $61,787 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.47
Class a driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a class a driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a class a driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky | $63,673 | $44,000 | 4,454,189 | 10,836 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $66,774 | $46,000 | 12,805,537 | 15,171 |
| 3 | Vermont | $70,221 | $49,000 | 623,657 | 501 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $69,027 | $48,000 | 1,342,795 | 666 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $68,240 | $47,000 | 1,059,639 | 587 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $61,933 | $43,000 | 6,715,984 | 11,724 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $63,026 | $44,000 | 5,795,483 | 9,335 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $62,418 | $43,000 | 4,684,333 | 8,519 |
| 9 | Indiana | $61,663 | $43,000 | 6,666,818 | 12,652 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $61,787 | $42,000 | 2,984,100 | 4,240 |
| 11 | Arkansas | $60,107 | $42,000 | 3,004,279 | 9,221 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $60,930 | $42,000 | 3,930,864 | 9,608 |
| 13 | Georgia | $63,104 | $43,000 | 10,429,379 | 19,565 |
| 14 | Ohio | $61,135 | $42,000 | 11,658,609 | 17,889 |
| 15 | Kansas | $60,370 | $42,000 | 2,913,123 | 10,454 |
| 16 | Illinois | $62,966 | $44,000 | 12,802,023 | 20,426 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $59,643 | $42,000 | 755,393 | 4,171 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $62,674 | $44,000 | 5,576,606 | 10,454 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $61,299 | $43,000 | 579,315 | 931 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $59,212 | $41,000 | 1,815,857 | 4,502 |
| 21 | Delaware | $63,809 | $44,000 | 961,939 | 1,444 |
| 22 | New York | $66,489 | $46,000 | 19,849,399 | 9,747 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $60,463 | $42,000 | 1,920,076 | 5,995 |
| 24 | Missouri | $60,529 | $42,000 | 6,113,532 | 15,636 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $65,655 | $45,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,717 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $61,127 | $42,000 | 10,273,419 | 13,791 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $59,044 | $41,000 | 869,666 | 3,956 |
| 28 | Michigan | $60,783 | $42,000 | 9,962,311 | 11,129 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $65,460 | $45,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,471 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $65,479 | $45,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,100 |
| 31 | Maryland | $63,809 | $44,000 | 6,052,177 | 4,885 |
| 32 | Alabama | $58,476 | $40,000 | 4,874,747 | 12,122 |
| 33 | Iowa | $58,519 | $41,000 | 3,145,711 | 8,967 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $66,374 | $45,000 | 693,972 | 160 |
| 35 | Virginia | $61,957 | $42,000 | 8,470,020 | 11,580 |
| 36 | Maine | $60,770 | $42,000 | 1,335,907 | 702 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $58,268 | $40,000 | 5,024,369 | 10,158 |
| 38 | Montana | $59,487 | $42,000 | 1,050,493 | 655 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $57,206 | $39,000 | 2,088,070 | 3,844 |
| 40 | Alaska | $57,916 | $47,000 | 739,795 | 98 |
| 41 | Texas | $56,632 | $39,000 | 28,304,596 | 30,855 |
| 42 | Nevada | $57,951 | $40,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,105 |
| 43 | Colorado | $57,990 | $40,000 | 5,607,154 | 5,337 |
| 44 | Arizona | $57,669 | $40,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,583 |
| 45 | Utah | $56,522 | $39,000 | 3,101,833 | 3,121 |
| 46 | Idaho | $52,239 | $36,000 | 1,716,943 | 3,207 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $55,254 | $45,000 | 1,427,538 | 70 |
| 48 | Washington | $55,365 | $39,000 | 7,405,743 | 6,204 |
| 49 | Oregon | $52,853 | $37,000 | 4,142,776 | 4,933 |
| 50 | California | $52,452 | $37,000 | 39,536,653 | 22,185 |
| 51 | Florida | $51,451 | $35,000 | 20,984,400 | 5,355 |
Highest paying states for class a drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Class A Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky | $63,673 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $66,774 |
| 3 | Vermont | $70,221 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $69,027 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $68,240 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $61,933 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $63,026 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $62,418 |
| 9 | Indiana | $61,663 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $61,787 |
| 11 | Arkansas | $60,107 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $60,930 |
| 13 | Georgia | $63,104 |
| 14 | Ohio | $61,135 |
| 15 | Kansas | $60,370 |
| 16 | Illinois | $62,966 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $59,643 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $62,674 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $61,299 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $59,212 |
| 21 | Delaware | $63,809 |
| 22 | New York | $66,489 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $60,463 |
| 24 | Missouri | $60,529 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $65,655 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $61,127 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $59,044 |
| 28 | Michigan | $60,783 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $65,460 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $65,479 |
| 31 | Maryland | $63,809 |
| 32 | Alabama | $58,476 |
| 33 | Iowa | $58,519 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $66,374 |
| 35 | Virginia | $61,957 |
| 36 | Maine | $60,770 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $58,268 |
| 38 | Montana | $59,487 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $57,206 |
| 40 | Alaska | $57,916 |
| 41 | Texas | $56,632 |
| 42 | Nevada | $57,951 |
| 43 | Colorado | $57,990 |
| 44 | Arizona | $57,669 |
| 45 | Utah | $56,522 |
| 46 | Idaho | $52,239 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $55,254 |
| 48 | Washington | $55,365 |
| 49 | Oregon | $52,853 |
| 50 | California | $52,452 |
| 51 | Florida | $51,451 |
Expert opinions on the best states for class a drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for class a drivers to find work opportunities?
Martin Garsee
Executive Director, NAPFTDS
Many over the road trucking companies will hire you from any location in the 48 contiguous states. Companies that have more set routes in a region of the country, will only hire in that region. Most companies, on their website, have a hiring area located. Where there is a dense population, there are more jobs available. Where there is a port, there are jobs that have to get the goods from the port to a warehouse for distribution, which may be local or hundreds of miles away. Where there is a concentration of manufacturing, raw material has to be brought in and completed products have to be shipped to their final destination.
In large cities there are a lot of delivery jobs to retail outlets.
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Updated January 8, 2025