Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a heavy truck driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for heavy truck drivers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for heavy truck 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.As heavy truck drivers are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for heavy truck drivers. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a heavy truck driver, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
The median salary for heavy truck drivers in Wyoming is $63,876. Compare that to the median salary in Florida of $43,769, which ranked worst for heavy truck drivers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Northeast is best for heavy truck drivers, and the Midwest is the worst. Bakersfield, CA is the best city in the country for heavy truck driver jobs, where as Wyoming is the best state in the country.
10 best states for heavy truck drivers in 2025
1. Wyoming
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 525 Average annual salary: $63,876 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
2. Montana
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 598 Average annual salary: $63,125 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 0.61
3. Arizona
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 3,410 Average annual salary: $60,587 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 0.68
4. Pennsylvania
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 13,083 Average annual salary: $56,824 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
5. California
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 20,889 Average annual salary: $68,287 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
6. Nebraska
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 2,326 Average annual salary: $55,732 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
7. Minnesota
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 4,352 Average annual salary: $59,574 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
8. Nevada
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 1,090 Average annual salary: $58,306 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 0.61
9. Delaware
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 1,440 Average annual salary: $57,262 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
10. Kentucky
Total heavy truck driver jobs: 6,154 Average annual salary: $52,906 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.95
Heavy truck driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a heavy truck driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a heavy truck driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $63,876 | $47,000 | 579,315 | 525 |
| 2 | Montana | $63,125 | $47,000 | 1,050,493 | 598 |
| 3 | Arizona | $60,587 | $42,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,410 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $56,824 | $40,000 | 12,805,537 | 13,083 |
| 5 | California | $68,287 | $46,000 | 39,536,653 | 20,889 |
| 6 | Nebraska | $55,732 | $41,000 | 1,920,076 | 2,326 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $59,574 | $45,000 | 5,576,606 | 4,352 |
| 8 | Nevada | $58,306 | $40,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,090 |
| 9 | Delaware | $57,262 | $40,000 | 961,939 | 1,440 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $52,906 | $38,000 | 4,454,189 | 6,154 |
| 11 | Ohio | $52,898 | $39,000 | 11,658,609 | 14,300 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $54,621 | $41,000 | 5,795,483 | 5,062 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $55,843 | $42,000 | 869,666 | 494 |
| 14 | Washington | $61,194 | $44,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,856 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $59,063 | $41,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,754 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $53,488 | $38,000 | 3,930,864 | 4,017 |
| 17 | Kansas | $52,387 | $38,000 | 2,913,123 | 4,567 |
| 18 | Utah | $56,046 | $40,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,600 |
| 19 | Idaho | $55,104 | $40,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,182 |
| 20 | Illinois | $54,104 | $40,000 | 12,802,023 | 15,711 |
| 21 | Indiana | $52,185 | $38,000 | 6,666,818 | 9,030 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $50,922 | $37,000 | 1,815,857 | 3,021 |
| 23 | Michigan | $52,914 | $39,000 | 9,962,311 | 5,937 |
| 24 | Vermont | $54,675 | $40,000 | 623,657 | 477 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $54,657 | $42,000 | 755,393 | 332 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $58,468 | $41,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,205 |
| 27 | Maryland | $56,840 | $40,000 | 6,052,177 | 4,703 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $51,490 | $37,000 | 6,715,984 | 6,545 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $51,008 | $37,000 | 3,004,279 | 3,532 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $51,498 | $36,000 | 5,024,369 | 6,374 |
| 31 | Georgia | $51,182 | $36,000 | 10,429,379 | 14,273 |
| 32 | Oregon | $55,019 | $38,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,153 |
| 33 | Iowa | $50,083 | $37,000 | 3,145,711 | 4,950 |
| 34 | New York | $56,589 | $39,000 | 19,849,399 | 5,712 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $58,930 | $42,000 | 693,972 | 158 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $62,123 | $52,000 | 1,427,538 | 62 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $53,355 | $37,000 | 1,059,639 | 579 |
| 38 | Alaska | $57,094 | $50,000 | 739,795 | 105 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $50,897 | $36,000 | 10,273,419 | 7,446 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $47,590 | $34,000 | 2,984,100 | 3,068 |
| 41 | Colorado | $52,816 | $38,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,931 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $48,199 | $34,000 | 4,684,333 | 4,078 |
| 43 | Alabama | $46,155 | $33,000 | 4,874,747 | 6,001 |
| 44 | Missouri | $48,918 | $35,000 | 6,113,532 | 7,041 |
| 45 | Virginia | $50,621 | $36,000 | 8,470,020 | 6,839 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | $51,676 | $36,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,295 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $46,551 | $33,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,901 |
| 48 | Texas | $45,865 | $32,000 | 28,304,596 | 19,995 |
| 49 | New Hampshire | $47,451 | $33,000 | 1,342,795 | 626 |
| 50 | Maine | $45,957 | $33,000 | 1,335,907 | 670 |
| 51 | Florida | $43,769 | $30,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,934 |
Highest paying states for heavy truck drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Heavy Truck Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $63,876 |
| 2 | Montana | $63,125 |
| 3 | Arizona | $60,587 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $56,824 |
| 5 | California | $68,287 |
| 6 | Nebraska | $55,732 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $59,574 |
| 8 | Nevada | $58,306 |
| 9 | Delaware | $57,262 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $52,906 |
| 11 | Ohio | $52,898 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $54,621 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $55,843 |
| 14 | Washington | $61,194 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $59,063 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $53,488 |
| 17 | Kansas | $52,387 |
| 18 | Utah | $56,046 |
| 19 | Idaho | $55,104 |
| 20 | Illinois | $54,104 |
| 21 | Indiana | $52,185 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $50,922 |
| 23 | Michigan | $52,914 |
| 24 | Vermont | $54,675 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $54,657 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $58,468 |
| 27 | Maryland | $56,840 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $51,490 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $51,008 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $51,498 |
| 31 | Georgia | $51,182 |
| 32 | Oregon | $55,019 |
| 33 | Iowa | $50,083 |
| 34 | New York | $56,589 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $58,930 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $62,123 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $53,355 |
| 38 | Alaska | $57,094 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $50,897 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $47,590 |
| 41 | Colorado | $52,816 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $48,199 |
| 43 | Alabama | $46,155 |
| 44 | Missouri | $48,918 |
| 45 | Virginia | $50,621 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | $51,676 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $46,551 |
| 48 | Texas | $45,865 |
| 49 | New Hampshire | $47,451 |
| 50 | Maine | $45,957 |
| 51 | Florida | $43,769 |
Expert opinions on the best states for heavy truck drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for heavy 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.
Heavy truck driver best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common transportation questions.
Search for heavy truck driver jobs
Updated January 8, 2025