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Best states for a delivery driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for delivery drivers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for delivery driver jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.In fact, our research shows that Illinois is the best state for delivery drivers in America. The best city in America for delivery drivers with the highest pay is Boston, MA.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for delivery drivers.We found that Illinois is the best state for delivery driver jobs, whereas Idaho is the worst.
10 best states for delivery drivers in 2025
1. Illinois
Total delivery driver jobs: 19,795 Average annual salary: $44,148 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.57
2. Minnesota
Total delivery driver jobs: 6,888 Average annual salary: $44,858 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
3. North Dakota
Total delivery driver jobs: 452 Average annual salary: $49,322 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 0.46
4. Vermont
Total delivery driver jobs: 603 Average annual salary: $44,104 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
5. Maryland
Total delivery driver jobs: 7,036 Average annual salary: $45,342 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
6. Pennsylvania
Total delivery driver jobs: 15,457 Average annual salary: $40,117 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
7. Rhode Island
Total delivery driver jobs: 776 Average annual salary: $44,151 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 0.6
8. Delaware
Total delivery driver jobs: 1,492 Average annual salary: $42,366 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
9. Alaska
Total delivery driver jobs: 232 Average annual salary: $50,374 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 0.26
10. Massachusetts
Total delivery driver jobs: 3,395 Average annual salary: $46,021 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 0.35
Delivery driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a delivery driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a delivery driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $44,148 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 19,795 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $44,858 | $29,000 | 5,576,606 | 6,888 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $49,322 | $33,000 | 755,393 | 452 |
| 4 | Vermont | $44,104 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 603 |
| 5 | Maryland | $45,342 | $29,000 | 6,052,177 | 7,036 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $40,117 | $26,000 | 12,805,537 | 15,457 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $44,151 | $29,000 | 1,059,639 | 776 |
| 8 | Delaware | $42,366 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 1,492 |
| 9 | Alaska | $50,374 | $40,000 | 739,795 | 232 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $46,021 | $31,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,395 |
| 11 | Michigan | $40,608 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 8,306 |
| 12 | Ohio | $38,451 | $24,000 | 11,658,609 | 18,230 |
| 13 | Indiana | $38,323 | $24,000 | 6,666,818 | 12,210 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $41,980 | $28,000 | 869,666 | 681 |
| 15 | Virginia | $42,581 | $27,000 | 8,470,020 | 10,363 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $44,696 | $29,000 | 9,005,644 | 4,574 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $37,952 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 6,972 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $38,945 | $25,000 | 5,795,483 | 6,909 |
| 19 | California | $42,498 | $28,000 | 39,536,653 | 35,986 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $41,578 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 960 |
| 21 | Kansas | $37,021 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 4,194 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $46,919 | $29,000 | 693,972 | 336 |
| 23 | New York | $42,560 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 8,846 |
| 24 | Nevada | $39,297 | $26,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,577 |
| 25 | Washington | $41,652 | $29,000 | 7,405,743 | 4,605 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $35,238 | $22,000 | 1,815,857 | 4,026 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $41,164 | $27,000 | 3,588,184 | 2,120 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $36,747 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 6,944 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $36,750 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 2,569 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $37,831 | $25,000 | 1,920,076 | 1,775 |
| 31 | Arizona | $38,042 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 5,488 |
| 32 | Maine | $39,041 | $26,000 | 1,335,907 | 822 |
| 33 | Oregon | $39,178 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 3,669 |
| 34 | Iowa | $36,206 | $23,000 | 3,145,711 | 4,447 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $35,505 | $25,000 | 579,315 | 720 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $34,573 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 3,945 |
| 37 | Colorado | $38,570 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 4,317 |
| 38 | Missouri | $36,121 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 7,262 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $42,391 | $31,000 | 1,427,538 | 360 |
| 40 | Utah | $36,254 | $25,000 | 3,101,833 | 2,559 |
| 41 | Georgia | $35,534 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 12,221 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $35,418 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 9,126 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $34,355 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 3,887 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $33,997 | $22,000 | 5,024,369 | 7,048 |
| 45 | Texas | $36,190 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 14,126 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $33,441 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 4,338 |
| 47 | Alabama | $31,069 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 6,306 |
| 48 | Montana | $34,180 | $24,000 | 1,050,493 | 992 |
| 49 | Florida | $34,201 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 8,760 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $29,921 | $20,000 | 3,004,279 | 2,895 |
| 51 | Idaho | $32,623 | $23,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,096 |
Highest paying states for delivery drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Delivery Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $44,148 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $44,858 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $49,322 |
| 4 | Vermont | $44,104 |
| 5 | Maryland | $45,342 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $40,117 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $44,151 |
| 8 | Delaware | $42,366 |
| 9 | Alaska | $50,374 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $46,021 |
| 11 | Michigan | $40,608 |
| 12 | Ohio | $38,451 |
| 13 | Indiana | $38,323 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $41,980 |
| 15 | Virginia | $42,581 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $44,696 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $37,952 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $38,945 |
| 19 | California | $42,498 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $41,578 |
| 21 | Kansas | $37,021 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $46,919 |
| 23 | New York | $42,560 |
| 24 | Nevada | $39,297 |
| 25 | Washington | $41,652 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $35,238 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $41,164 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $36,747 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $36,750 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $37,831 |
| 31 | Arizona | $38,042 |
| 32 | Maine | $39,041 |
| 33 | Oregon | $39,178 |
| 34 | Iowa | $36,206 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $35,505 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $34,573 |
| 37 | Colorado | $38,570 |
| 38 | Missouri | $36,121 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $42,391 |
| 40 | Utah | $36,254 |
| 41 | Georgia | $35,534 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $35,418 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $34,355 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $33,997 |
| 45 | Texas | $36,190 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $33,441 |
| 47 | Alabama | $31,069 |
| 48 | Montana | $34,180 |
| 49 | Florida | $34,201 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $29,921 |
| 51 | Idaho | $32,623 |
Expert opinions on the best states for delivery drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for delivery 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.
Delivery driver best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025