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Commercial driver salary
Average commercial driver salary
$46,852
Average Commercial Driver Salary
The average salary for a commercial driver stands at $46,852 annually, or approximately $23 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on experience, location, and specific job roles within the commercial driving sector.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level commercial drivers typically start at lower salaries, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $60,000 per year. Specialized roles, such as long-haul trucking or hazardous materials transport, often command higher wages.
Regional Salary Differences
Geographical factors play a crucial role in salary differences. For instance, commercial drivers in states like California and Texas often see higher compensation due to demand and cost of living. Understanding these regional variations can help drivers make informed career decisions.
Highest Paying Cities
Cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, and Chicago are known for offering competitive salaries for commercial drivers. Exploring job opportunities in these regions can lead to better salary prospects.
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Where can a Commercial Driver earn more?
Commercial driver salaries by experience level
Average commercial driver salary by state
The average commercial driver salary in Washington, North Dakota, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average commercial driver salary states are Louisiana, Alabama, and Idaho.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for commercial drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $52,355 | $25.17 |
| 2 | Ohio | $46,975 | $22.58 |
| 3 | Illinois | $48,306 | $23.22 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $49,032 | $23.57 |
| 5 | Nevada | $52,110 | $25.05 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $48,568 | $23.35 |
| 7 | Kentucky | $46,094 | $22.16 |
| 8 | Washington | $54,834 | $26.36 |
| 9 | Kansas | $45,957 | $22.09 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $46,434 | $22.32 |
| 11 | New York | $49,787 | $23.94 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $45,718 | $21.98 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $49,130 | $23.62 |
| 14 | Delaware | $48,017 | $23.09 |
| 15 | Iowa | $45,756 | $22.00 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $46,269 | $22.24 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $49,901 | $23.99 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $44,376 | $21.33 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $47,840 | $23.00 |
| 20 | Oregon | $48,698 | $23.41 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $44,379 | $21.34 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $49,028 | $23.57 |
| 23 | Alaska | $51,235 | $24.63 |
| 24 | Michigan | $45,240 | $21.75 |
| 25 | Vermont | $45,983 | $22.11 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $46,104 | $22.17 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $47,420 | $22.80 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $40,891 | $19.66 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $42,108 | $20.24 |
| 30 | California | $46,629 | $22.42 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $50,198 | $24.13 |
| 32 | Indiana | $38,981 | $18.74 |
| 33 | Georgia | $39,159 | $18.83 |
| 34 | Arizona | $43,654 | $20.99 |
| 35 | Virginia | $42,349 | $20.36 |
| 36 | Maryland | $44,967 | $21.62 |
| 37 | Missouri | $39,689 | $19.08 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $46,361 | $22.29 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $37,549 | $18.05 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $37,429 | $17.99 |
| 41 | Utah | $40,615 | $19.53 |
| 42 | Colorado | $42,294 | $20.33 |
| 43 | Montana | $39,991 | $19.23 |
| 44 | Texas | $37,985 | $18.26 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $38,005 | $18.27 |
| 46 | Alabama | $34,809 | $16.74 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $31,732 | $15.26 |
| 48 | Florida | $38,945 | $18.72 |
| 49 | Idaho | $34,633 | $16.65 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $33,861 | $16.28 |
| 51 | Maine | $33,314 | $16.02 |
Highest paying cities for commercial drivers
The highest-paying cities for commercial drivers are Auburn, WA, Rome, NY, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn, WA | $55,001 | $26.44 |
| 2 | Rome, NY | $49,905 | $23.99 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $48,672 | $23.40 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $48,457 | $23.30 |
| 5 | Cheyenne, WY | $48,196 | $23.17 |
| 6 | Sacramento, CA | $48,009 | $23.08 |
| 7 | Chicopee, MA | $47,518 | $22.85 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $45,164 | $21.71 |
| 9 | Memphis, TN | $44,232 | $21.27 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $43,678 | $21.00 |
| 11 | Fort Collins, CO | $42,500 | $20.43 |
| 12 | Fayetteville, AR | $41,014 | $19.72 |
| 13 | Kansas City, MO | $39,764 | $19.12 |
| 14 | Rome, GA | $39,380 | $18.93 |
| 15 | Lakeside, FL | $39,266 | $18.88 |
| 16 | Houston, TX | $37,914 | $18.23 |
| 17 | Birmingham, AL | $34,785 | $16.72 |
| 18 | Statesville, NC | $33,860 | $16.28 |
Commercial driver salary details
A commercial driver's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $62,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a commercial driver's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| Average | $46,852 | $3,904 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying commercial driver jobs
The highest paying types of commercial drivers are company driver, commercial truck driver, and cdl driver.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tractor-Trailer Driver | $58,498 | $4,875 | $28.12 | 690,787 |
| CDL Class A Driver | $52,203 | $4,350 | $25.10 | 696,903 |
| Driver | $34,771 | $2,898 | $16.72 | 1,017,998 |
| Haul Truck Driver | $60,932 | $5,078 | $29.29 | 704,286 |
| Tank Driver | $51,471 | $4,289 | $24.75 | 783,401 |
| Class B Driver | $44,233 | $3,686 | $21.27 | 703,020 |
Top companies hiring commercial drivers now:
Which companies pay commercial drivers the most?
Commercial driver salaries at Laramie County Community College and Inver Hills Community College are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average commercial driver salary at companies like Beacon Building Products and CarMax are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laramie County Community College | $54,474 | $26.19 |
| 2 | Inver Hills Community College | $52,661 | $25.32 |
| 3 | Beacon Building Products | $51,514 | $24.77 |
| 4 | CarMax | $51,005 | $24.52 |
| 5 | Darigold | $50,738 | $24.39 |
| 6 | WestRock | $50,342 | $24.20 |
| 7 | JELD-WEN | $49,721 | $23.90 |
| 8 | Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32 | $48,726 | $23.43 |
| 9 | PPG | $47,839 | $23.00 |
| 10 | Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc | $47,677 | $22.92 |
| 11 | Waste Management | $47,648 | $22.91 |
| 12 | Centerline Solutions | $47,562 | $22.87 |
| 13 | A & A Concrete | $47,558 | $22.86 |
| 14 | CB Richard Ellis Memphis LLC | $47,556 | $22.86 |
| 15 | Kerry Holding Co. | $47,556 | $22.86 |
| 16 | Bethel Farms | $47,556 | $22.86 |
| 17 | Veolia Water Tech | $47,552 | $22.86 |
| 18 | Associated Ready Mixed Concrete | $47,476 | $22.82 |
| 19 | Weber Logistics | $47,438 | $22.81 |
| 20 | Sysco | $47,190 | $22.69 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Commercial Driver salary by industry
The average commercial driver salary varies across industries:
- The average commercial driver salary in the transportation industry is $47,951, the highest of any industry.
- The average commercial driver salary in the finance industry is $46,731.
- Commercial drivers in the automotive industry earn an average salary of $40,760, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for commercial drivers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $47,951 | $23.05 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $46,731 | $22.47 |
| 3 | Utilities | $46,351 | $22.28 |
| 4 | Retail | $42,811 | $20.58 |
| 5 | Automotive | $40,760 | $19.60 |
High paying commercial driver jobs
Commercial driver salary trends
The average commercial driver salary has risen by $9,145 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average commercial driver earned $37,707 annually, but today, they earn $46,852 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for commercial drivers over the last decade.
Compare commercial driver salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average commercial driver salary over time
Compare commercial driver salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Commercial driver salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,900 | $22.53 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $45,000 | $21.63 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $43,400 | $20.88 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $42,200 | $20.30 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $41,100 | $19.76 | +2.6% |
Recently added commercial driver salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W M Holdings Inc. | Swing, Driver Commercial | Phoenix, AZ | 06/29/2025 | $63,654 |
| W M Holdings Inc. | Apprentice Commercial Driver | Montrose, CO | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Mountainland Technical College | Substitute Commercial Driver's License Instructor | Lehi, UT | 06/29/2025 | $56,349 |
| Waste Management | Apprentice Commercial Driver | Montrose, CO | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| University of Mississippi | Groundskeeper II/Commercial Driver | Oxford, MS | 06/26/2025 | $32,032 |
| Wm | Commercial Driver | Forest Grove, OR | 06/26/2025 | $69,915 |
| Mid Valley Disposal & Transfer | Commercial Driver | Kerman, CA | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Driving Academy | Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Instructor | Trenton, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $43,827 |
| Driveline Solutions & Compliance | TX, OK, AR, MS, LA, Western TN CDL A Driver | Shreveport, LA | 06/21/2025 | $26,088 |
| Leslie's Pool Supplies | Commercial Service Center Driver | Sacramento, CA | 06/21/2025 | $54,262 |
Commercial driver salary FAQs
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