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Best states for a haul truck driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
- Rank 1 - 10
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It seems like haul truck drivers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for haul truck drivers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. In order to help you decide which state is the best for haul truck drivers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for haul truck driver jobs.
Kentucky is the best state for jobs for haul truck drivers, and Florida is the worst. The most common pay in Kentucky is $69,783, while the median pay in Florida is $49,308.Kentucky is the best state, and Ardmore is the city with the highest pay for haul truck drivers.
10 best states for haul truck drivers in 2025
1. Kentucky
Total haul truck driver jobs: 6,133 Average annual salary: $69,783 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 1.79
2. Oklahoma
Total haul truck driver jobs: 4,017 Average annual salary: $72,072 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
3. Michigan
Total haul truck driver jobs: 9,850 Average annual salary: $66,184 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
4. Iowa
Total haul truck driver jobs: 4,795 Average annual salary: $65,630 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
5. Louisiana
Total haul truck driver jobs: 4,031 Average annual salary: $65,805 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
6. Rhode Island
Total haul truck driver jobs: 578 Average annual salary: $71,554 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 0.51
7. Illinois
Total haul truck driver jobs: 15,161 Average annual salary: $66,446 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
8. Nebraska
Total haul truck driver jobs: 2,304 Average annual salary: $65,272 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
9. Kansas
Total haul truck driver jobs: 4,488 Average annual salary: $63,373 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.6
10. Pennsylvania
Total haul truck driver jobs: 13,166 Average annual salary: $64,131 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
Haul truck driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a haul truck driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a haul truck driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky | $69,783 | $46,000 | 4,454,189 | 6,133 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | $72,072 | $48,000 | 3,930,864 | 4,017 |
| 3 | Michigan | $66,184 | $44,000 | 9,962,311 | 9,850 |
| 4 | Iowa | $65,630 | $44,000 | 3,145,711 | 4,795 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $65,805 | $43,000 | 4,684,333 | 4,031 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $71,554 | $47,000 | 1,059,639 | 578 |
| 7 | Illinois | $66,446 | $44,000 | 12,802,023 | 15,161 |
| 8 | Nebraska | $65,272 | $44,000 | 1,920,076 | 2,304 |
| 9 | Kansas | $63,373 | $42,000 | 2,913,123 | 4,488 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $64,131 | $42,000 | 12,805,537 | 13,166 |
| 11 | Ohio | $62,176 | $41,000 | 11,658,609 | 13,912 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $71,931 | $47,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,114 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $67,621 | $46,000 | 755,393 | 320 |
| 14 | Vermont | $67,038 | $44,000 | 623,657 | 472 |
| 15 | Texas | $62,693 | $41,000 | 28,304,596 | 28,363 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $69,468 | $45,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,673 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $65,325 | $44,000 | 869,666 | 493 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $63,680 | $43,000 | 579,315 | 518 |
| 19 | Missouri | $63,917 | $42,000 | 6,113,532 | 7,047 |
| 20 | Alabama | $61,729 | $40,000 | 4,874,747 | 5,965 |
| 21 | Nevada | $64,662 | $42,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,080 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $64,928 | $43,000 | 1,342,795 | 625 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $66,952 | $44,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,212 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $72,389 | $47,000 | 693,972 | 146 |
| 25 | Maryland | $65,450 | $43,000 | 6,052,177 | 4,783 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $57,887 | $38,000 | 1,815,857 | 3,706 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $60,342 | $40,000 | 6,715,984 | 6,517 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $59,445 | $39,000 | 2,984,100 | 3,793 |
| 29 | Washington | $63,823 | $42,000 | 7,405,743 | 5,820 |
| 30 | Montana | $62,997 | $43,000 | 1,050,493 | 571 |
| 31 | Utah | $60,989 | $40,000 | 3,101,833 | 2,917 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $57,043 | $38,000 | 3,004,279 | 3,535 |
| 33 | Arizona | $62,133 | $41,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,385 |
| 34 | Georgia | $60,967 | $40,000 | 10,429,379 | 8,561 |
| 35 | Oregon | $62,638 | $41,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,120 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $62,303 | $42,000 | 5,576,606 | 4,329 |
| 37 | Delaware | $60,874 | $39,000 | 961,939 | 1,461 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $60,427 | $39,000 | 10,273,419 | 7,450 |
| 39 | Indiana | $54,286 | $36,000 | 6,666,818 | 11,284 |
| 40 | Maine | $60,838 | $40,000 | 1,335,907 | 651 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $65,575 | $51,000 | 1,427,538 | 52 |
| 42 | Alaska | $59,375 | $51,000 | 739,795 | 85 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $56,531 | $38,000 | 5,795,483 | 4,956 |
| 44 | Idaho | $57,669 | $38,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,149 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $54,858 | $36,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,890 |
| 46 | New York | $58,198 | $38,000 | 19,849,399 | 9,192 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $50,271 | $33,000 | 5,024,369 | 5,406 |
| 48 | Colorado | $55,604 | $37,000 | 5,607,154 | 4,946 |
| 49 | Virginia | $50,346 | $33,000 | 8,470,020 | 10,449 |
| 50 | California | $54,909 | $35,000 | 39,536,653 | 20,907 |
| 51 | Florida | $49,308 | $32,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,442 |
Highest paying states for haul truck drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Haul Truck Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky | $69,783 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | $72,072 |
| 3 | Michigan | $66,184 |
| 4 | Iowa | $65,630 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $65,805 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $71,554 |
| 7 | Illinois | $66,446 |
| 8 | Nebraska | $65,272 |
| 9 | Kansas | $63,373 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $64,131 |
| 11 | Ohio | $62,176 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $71,931 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $67,621 |
| 14 | Vermont | $67,038 |
| 15 | Texas | $62,693 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $69,468 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $65,325 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $63,680 |
| 19 | Missouri | $63,917 |
| 20 | Alabama | $61,729 |
| 21 | Nevada | $64,662 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $64,928 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $66,952 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $72,389 |
| 25 | Maryland | $65,450 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $57,887 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $60,342 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $59,445 |
| 29 | Washington | $63,823 |
| 30 | Montana | $62,997 |
| 31 | Utah | $60,989 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $57,043 |
| 33 | Arizona | $62,133 |
| 34 | Georgia | $60,967 |
| 35 | Oregon | $62,638 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $62,303 |
| 37 | Delaware | $60,874 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $60,427 |
| 39 | Indiana | $54,286 |
| 40 | Maine | $60,838 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $65,575 |
| 42 | Alaska | $59,375 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $56,531 |
| 44 | Idaho | $57,669 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $54,858 |
| 46 | New York | $58,198 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $50,271 |
| 48 | Colorado | $55,604 |
| 49 | Virginia | $50,346 |
| 50 | California | $54,909 |
| 51 | Florida | $49,308 |
Expert opinions on the best states for haul truck drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for haul 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.
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Updated January 8, 2025