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Best states for a professional truck driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
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Professional truck driver opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for professional truck drivers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for professional truck drivers.As professional truck drivers are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for professional truck drivers. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a professional truck driver, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
We figured that the best places for professional truck driver jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the West is best for professional truck drivers, and the Northeast is the worst. Boston, MA is the best city in the country for professional truck driver jobs, where as North Dakota is the best state in the country.
10 best states for professional truck drivers in 2026
1. North Dakota
Total professional truck driver jobs: 1,115 Average annual salary: $58,322 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
2. Oklahoma
Total professional truck driver jobs: 4,148 Average annual salary: $56,101 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.57
3. Rhode Island
Total professional truck driver jobs: 675 Average annual salary: $63,325 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 0.65
4. Ohio
Total professional truck driver jobs: 12,079 Average annual salary: $54,747 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
5. Montana
Total professional truck driver jobs: 635 Average annual salary: $62,783 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
6. Connecticut
Total professional truck driver jobs: 1,849 Average annual salary: $61,555 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 0.65
7. Kentucky
Total professional truck driver jobs: 6,270 Average annual salary: $53,421 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.99
8. Tennessee
Total professional truck driver jobs: 6,868 Average annual salary: $53,740 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
9. Wyoming
Total professional truck driver jobs: 579 Average annual salary: $55,445 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
10. Pennsylvania
Total professional truck driver jobs: 11,252 Average annual salary: $54,964 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
Professional truck driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a professional truck driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a professional truck driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $58,322 | $42,000 | 755,393 | 1,115 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | $56,101 | $39,000 | 3,930,864 | 4,148 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $63,325 | $43,000 | 1,059,639 | 675 |
| 4 | Ohio | $54,747 | $37,000 | 11,658,609 | 12,079 |
| 5 | Montana | $62,783 | $46,000 | 1,050,493 | 635 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $61,555 | $42,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,849 |
| 7 | Kentucky | $53,421 | $36,000 | 4,454,189 | 6,270 |
| 8 | Tennessee | $53,740 | $37,000 | 6,715,984 | 6,868 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $55,445 | $39,000 | 579,315 | 579 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $54,964 | $37,000 | 12,805,537 | 11,252 |
| 11 | Texas | $54,718 | $37,000 | 28,304,596 | 20,692 |
| 12 | Vermont | $56,005 | $39,000 | 623,657 | 542 |
| 13 | New York | $60,698 | $41,000 | 19,849,399 | 6,689 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $56,252 | $39,000 | 1,342,795 | 686 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $59,349 | $41,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,877 |
| 16 | Illinois | $54,593 | $38,000 | 12,802,023 | 12,894 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $53,289 | $37,000 | 5,795,483 | 5,400 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $52,430 | $37,000 | 869,666 | 1,218 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $59,615 | $41,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,676 |
| 20 | Maryland | $59,472 | $40,000 | 6,052,177 | 5,109 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $50,411 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 3,159 |
| 22 | Georgia | $53,564 | $37,000 | 10,429,379 | 8,922 |
| 23 | Indiana | $50,740 | $35,000 | 6,666,818 | 9,379 |
| 24 | Virginia | $56,089 | $38,000 | 8,470,020 | 7,194 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $52,904 | $36,000 | 10,273,419 | 7,868 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $63,792 | $43,000 | 693,972 | 222 |
| 27 | Delaware | $53,709 | $36,000 | 961,939 | 1,578 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $51,638 | $35,000 | 5,024,369 | 5,778 |
| 29 | Alabama | $50,440 | $34,000 | 4,874,747 | 6,291 |
| 30 | Iowa | $50,389 | $35,000 | 3,145,711 | 5,044 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $49,687 | $34,000 | 3,004,279 | 3,665 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $53,264 | $38,000 | 5,576,606 | 5,006 |
| 33 | Arizona | $52,771 | $37,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,644 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $51,060 | $35,000 | 4,684,333 | 4,119 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $49,513 | $34,000 | 2,984,100 | 3,204 |
| 36 | Washington | $55,978 | $41,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,164 |
| 37 | Kansas | $49,406 | $34,000 | 2,913,123 | 4,651 |
| 38 | Alaska | $56,518 | $48,000 | 739,795 | 141 |
| 39 | Missouri | $50,035 | $35,000 | 6,113,532 | 7,309 |
| 40 | California | $53,099 | $37,000 | 39,536,653 | 22,291 |
| 41 | Oregon | $52,537 | $38,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,326 |
| 42 | Michigan | $49,676 | $34,000 | 9,962,311 | 6,257 |
| 43 | Colorado | $53,059 | $37,000 | 5,607,154 | 3,245 |
| 44 | Utah | $50,912 | $36,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,750 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $57,519 | $48,000 | 1,427,538 | 116 |
| 46 | Idaho | $49,762 | $35,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,221 |
| 47 | Maine | $48,934 | $34,000 | 1,335,907 | 778 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $47,112 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 2,397 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $47,427 | $33,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,972 |
| 50 | Nevada | $48,626 | $34,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,182 |
| 51 | Florida | $46,370 | $32,000 | 20,984,400 | 5,115 |
Highest paying states for professional truck drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Professional Truck Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $58,322 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | $56,101 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $63,325 |
| 4 | Ohio | $54,747 |
| 5 | Montana | $62,783 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $61,555 |
| 7 | Kentucky | $53,421 |
| 8 | Tennessee | $53,740 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $55,445 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $54,964 |
| 11 | Texas | $54,718 |
| 12 | Vermont | $56,005 |
| 13 | New York | $60,698 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $56,252 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $59,349 |
| 16 | Illinois | $54,593 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $53,289 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $52,430 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $59,615 |
| 20 | Maryland | $59,472 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $50,411 |
| 22 | Georgia | $53,564 |
| 23 | Indiana | $50,740 |
| 24 | Virginia | $56,089 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $52,904 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $63,792 |
| 27 | Delaware | $53,709 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $51,638 |
| 29 | Alabama | $50,440 |
| 30 | Iowa | $50,389 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $49,687 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $53,264 |
| 33 | Arizona | $52,771 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $51,060 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $49,513 |
| 36 | Washington | $55,978 |
| 37 | Kansas | $49,406 |
| 38 | Alaska | $56,518 |
| 39 | Missouri | $50,035 |
| 40 | California | $53,099 |
| 41 | Oregon | $52,537 |
| 42 | Michigan | $49,676 |
| 43 | Colorado | $53,059 |
| 44 | Utah | $50,912 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $57,519 |
| 46 | Idaho | $49,762 |
| 47 | Maine | $48,934 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $47,112 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $47,427 |
| 50 | Nevada | $48,626 |
| 51 | Florida | $46,370 |
Expert opinions on the best states for professional truck drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for professional 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