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Best states for a flatbed truck driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
- Rank 1 - 10
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It seems like flatbed truck drivers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for flatbed truck drivers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for flatbed truck driver jobs.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for flatbed truck drivers. North Dakota is the best state for flatbed truck drivers, where the median salary is $67,193.North Dakota is the best state, and Billings is the city with the highest pay for flatbed truck drivers.
10 best states for flatbed truck drivers in 2026
1. North Dakota
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 1,757 Average annual salary: $67,193 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.91
2. Kansas
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 5,857 Average annual salary: $65,823 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.96
3. Oklahoma
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 5,233 Average annual salary: $66,350 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.72
4. Wyoming
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 647 Average annual salary: $68,387 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
5. Montana
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 678 Average annual salary: $73,174 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 0.59
6. Rhode Island
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 660 Average annual salary: $68,627 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 0.55
7. South Dakota
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 1,847 Average annual salary: $63,403 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.74
8. Minnesota
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 6,111 Average annual salary: $67,779 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
9. Nebraska
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 3,207 Average annual salary: $64,489 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
10. Pennsylvania
Total flatbed truck driver jobs: 14,388 Average annual salary: $64,498 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
Flatbed truck driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a flatbed truck driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a flatbed truck driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $67,193 | $47,000 | 755,393 | 1,757 |
| 2 | Kansas | $65,823 | $45,000 | 2,913,123 | 5,857 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | $66,350 | $45,000 | 3,930,864 | 5,233 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $68,387 | $47,000 | 579,315 | 647 |
| 5 | Montana | $73,174 | $51,000 | 1,050,493 | 678 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $68,627 | $46,000 | 1,059,639 | 660 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $63,403 | $44,000 | 869,666 | 1,847 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $67,779 | $47,000 | 5,576,606 | 6,111 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $64,489 | $44,000 | 1,920,076 | 3,207 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $64,498 | $43,000 | 12,805,537 | 14,388 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $68,070 | $46,000 | 1,342,795 | 727 |
| 12 | Vermont | $67,584 | $46,000 | 623,657 | 576 |
| 13 | Iowa | $63,412 | $43,000 | 3,145,711 | 5,923 |
| 14 | Nevada | $67,042 | $44,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,190 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $69,259 | $46,000 | 3,588,184 | 2,004 |
| 16 | Delaware | $66,158 | $44,000 | 961,939 | 1,545 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $61,688 | $42,000 | 3,004,279 | 4,848 |
| 18 | Arizona | $66,407 | $44,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,789 |
| 19 | Washington | $68,125 | $46,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,910 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $61,950 | $42,000 | 6,715,984 | 8,131 |
| 21 | Indiana | $61,931 | $42,000 | 6,666,818 | 9,927 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $61,899 | $41,000 | 2,984,100 | 3,395 |
| 23 | Michigan | $62,655 | $43,000 | 9,962,311 | 7,454 |
| 24 | Texas | $62,782 | $42,000 | 28,304,596 | 23,022 |
| 25 | New York | $66,779 | $45,000 | 19,849,399 | 10,019 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $67,754 | $45,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,556 |
| 27 | Colorado | $66,726 | $45,000 | 5,607,154 | 3,713 |
| 28 | Utah | $63,973 | $43,000 | 3,101,833 | 2,086 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $67,972 | $45,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,870 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $60,372 | $41,000 | 4,454,189 | 7,235 |
| 31 | Maine | $64,465 | $44,000 | 1,335,907 | 735 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $68,879 | $46,000 | 693,972 | 153 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $62,102 | $42,000 | 5,795,483 | 6,449 |
| 34 | Missouri | $61,587 | $42,000 | 6,113,532 | 9,035 |
| 35 | Illinois | $62,938 | $43,000 | 12,802,023 | 13,539 |
| 36 | Ohio | $60,390 | $41,000 | 11,658,609 | 14,552 |
| 37 | Idaho | $61,699 | $41,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,699 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $60,133 | $40,000 | 4,684,333 | 5,252 |
| 39 | Alabama | $59,126 | $39,000 | 4,874,747 | 7,605 |
| 40 | Georgia | $61,279 | $41,000 | 10,429,379 | 10,178 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $54,944 | $37,000 | 1,815,857 | 3,867 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $60,227 | $40,000 | 2,088,070 | 2,273 |
| 43 | Alaska | $62,446 | $54,000 | 739,795 | 137 |
| 44 | Maryland | $61,217 | $41,000 | 6,052,177 | 5,174 |
| 45 | Oregon | $60,892 | $40,000 | 4,142,776 | 3,123 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $59,493 | $40,000 | 10,273,419 | 9,434 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $56,944 | $38,000 | 5,024,369 | 6,510 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $62,942 | $49,000 | 1,427,538 | 137 |
| 49 | Virginia | $60,329 | $40,000 | 8,470,020 | 8,338 |
| 50 | California | $59,606 | $39,000 | 39,536,653 | 22,852 |
| 51 | Florida | $56,486 | $37,000 | 20,984,400 | 5,479 |
Highest paying states for flatbed truck drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Flatbed Truck Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $67,193 |
| 2 | Kansas | $65,823 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | $66,350 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $68,387 |
| 5 | Montana | $73,174 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $68,627 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $63,403 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $67,779 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $64,489 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $64,498 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $68,070 |
| 12 | Vermont | $67,584 |
| 13 | Iowa | $63,412 |
| 14 | Nevada | $67,042 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $69,259 |
| 16 | Delaware | $66,158 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $61,688 |
| 18 | Arizona | $66,407 |
| 19 | Washington | $68,125 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $61,950 |
| 21 | Indiana | $61,931 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $61,899 |
| 23 | Michigan | $62,655 |
| 24 | Texas | $62,782 |
| 25 | New York | $66,779 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $67,754 |
| 27 | Colorado | $66,726 |
| 28 | Utah | $63,973 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $67,972 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $60,372 |
| 31 | Maine | $64,465 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $68,879 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $62,102 |
| 34 | Missouri | $61,587 |
| 35 | Illinois | $62,938 |
| 36 | Ohio | $60,390 |
| 37 | Idaho | $61,699 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $60,133 |
| 39 | Alabama | $59,126 |
| 40 | Georgia | $61,279 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $54,944 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $60,227 |
| 43 | Alaska | $62,446 |
| 44 | Maryland | $61,217 |
| 45 | Oregon | $60,892 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $59,493 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $56,944 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $62,942 |
| 49 | Virginia | $60,329 |
| 50 | California | $59,606 |
| 51 | Florida | $56,486 |
Expert opinions on the best states for flatbed truck drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for flatbed truck 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.
Flatbed truck driver best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025