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Loader/driver salary
Average loader/driver salary
$39,446
Understanding Loader/Driver Earnings
Loader/drivers play a vital role in transportation and logistics. The average salary for this position is $39,446 annually, or about $19 per hour. However, various factors can impact these figures. For instance, experience levels significantly affect salary, with seasoned professionals earning more than entry-level drivers. Additionally, geographic location plays a crucial role; states such as California and Texas often provide higher pay due to demand.
In terms of growth potential, loaders/drivers can advance to supervisory roles or specialized positions, which typically offer increased salaries. It's essential to consider the industry sector as well; those in sectors like construction may see different compensation patterns compared to those in retail. Understanding the salary landscape is key for anyone considering a career in this field.
Job Opportunities
For those seeking work as a loader/driver, numerous job boards and resources, like Zippia, can help connect you with potential employers. Tailoring your resume to highlight relevant skills and experience can enhance your job prospects. Whether you’re starting your career or looking to advance, the loader/driver profession offers diverse opportunities across various sectors.
Let Zippia find your next loader/driver job
Let Zippia find your next loader/driver job
Where can a Loader/Driver earn more?
Loader/driver salaries by experience level
Average loader/driver salary by state
The average loader/driver salary in New York, Alaska, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average loader/driver salary states are Arkansas, Alabama, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for loader/drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $51,845 | $24.93 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $53,190 | $25.57 |
| 3 | New York | $59,533 | $28.62 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $48,374 | $23.26 |
| 5 | Delaware | $48,405 | $23.27 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $48,140 | $23.14 |
| 7 | Maine | $50,402 | $24.23 |
| 8 | Iowa | $42,906 | $20.63 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $52,404 | $25.19 |
| 10 | Alaska | $58,222 | $27.99 |
| 11 | Oregon | $47,224 | $22.70 |
| 12 | Maryland | $47,647 | $22.91 |
| 13 | Ohio | $40,237 | $19.34 |
| 14 | Michigan | $41,508 | $19.96 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $45,056 | $21.66 |
| 16 | Texas | $44,441 | $21.37 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $39,509 | $18.99 |
| 18 | Illinois | $41,910 | $20.15 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $41,121 | $19.77 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $46,412 | $22.31 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $39,936 | $19.20 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $43,978 | $21.14 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $42,101 | $20.24 |
| 24 | Vermont | $42,160 | $20.27 |
| 25 | Nevada | $43,703 | $21.01 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $51,194 | $24.61 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $39,549 | $19.01 |
| 28 | Indiana | $39,076 | $18.79 |
| 29 | Utah | $41,857 | $20.12 |
| 30 | Arizona | $43,802 | $21.06 |
| 31 | Virginia | $43,657 | $20.99 |
| 32 | Idaho | $42,406 | $20.39 |
| 33 | Kansas | $38,682 | $18.60 |
| 34 | Missouri | $40,228 | $19.34 |
| 35 | Washington | $43,827 | $21.07 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $49,345 | $23.72 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $36,800 | $17.69 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $39,067 | $18.78 |
| 39 | California | $43,106 | $20.72 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $38,451 | $18.49 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $39,306 | $18.90 |
| 42 | Montana | $39,214 | $18.85 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $35,384 | $17.01 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $34,778 | $16.72 |
| 45 | Alabama | $35,084 | $16.87 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $34,502 | $16.59 |
| 47 | Colorado | $40,240 | $19.35 |
| 48 | Georgia | $33,739 | $16.22 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $36,933 | $17.76 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $34,359 | $16.52 |
| 51 | Florida | $37,082 | $17.83 |
Highest paying cities for loader/drivers
The highest-paying cities for loader/drivers are New York, NY, Jersey City, NJ, and Woburn, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $59,729 | $28.72 |
| 2 | Jersey City, NJ | $53,532 | $25.74 |
| 3 | Woburn, MA | $52,098 | $25.05 |
| 4 | Bethlehem, PA | $49,529 | $23.81 |
| 5 | Hagerstown, MD | $47,184 | $22.68 |
| 6 | Bridgeport, CT | $46,532 | $22.37 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $45,288 | $21.77 |
| 8 | Manassas, VA | $44,947 | $21.61 |
| 9 | South San Francisco, CA | $44,453 | $21.37 |
| 10 | Everett, WA | $44,252 | $21.27 |
| 11 | Waterloo, IA | $43,793 | $21.05 |
| 12 | Sioux Falls, SD | $41,236 | $19.82 |
| 13 | Green Bay, WI | $40,638 | $19.54 |
| 14 | Fort Collins, CO | $40,421 | $19.43 |
| 15 | Salisbury, NC | $38,105 | $18.32 |
| 16 | Omaha, NE | $37,152 | $17.86 |
| 17 | Ocala, FL | $37,098 | $17.84 |
| 18 | Cleveland, TN | $37,018 | $17.80 |
| 19 | North Charleston, SC | $34,670 | $16.67 |
Loader/driver salary details
A loader/driver's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $59,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a loader/driver's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| Average | $39,446 | $3,287 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying loader/driver jobs
The highest paying types of loader/drivers are cdl driver, truck driver, and tank driver.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse Machine Operator | $33,796 | $2,816 | $16.25 | 229,051 |
| Forklift Operator | $34,213 | $2,851 | $16.45 | 213,020 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Lift Operator | $32,309 | $2,692 | $15.53 | 72,445 |
| Driver/Warehouse Worker | $35,198 | $2,933 | $16.92 | 310,383 |
| Driver/Material Handler | $36,219 | $3,018 | $17.41 | 198,718 |
Top companies hiring loader/drivers now:
Which companies pay loader/drivers the most?
Loader/driver salaries at Bulkmatic Transport and Waste Management are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average loader/driver salary at companies like Waste Pro and Oil-Dri Corporation of America are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bulkmatic Transport | $53,998 | $25.96 |
| 2 | Waste Management | $51,000 | $24.52 |
| 3 | Waste Pro | $50,610 | $24.33 |
| 4 | Oil-Dri Corporation of America | $50,258 | $24.16 |
| 5 | Dairy Farmers of America | $49,714 | $23.90 |
| 6 | Kemps | $49,370 | $23.74 |
| 7 | Airgas | $48,946 | $23.53 |
| 8 | Usa Hauling & Recycling Inc | $46,726 | $22.46 |
| 9 | ADM | $45,553 | $21.90 |
| 10 | Waste Connections | $44,582 | $21.43 |
| 11 | Pacific Coast Building Products | $43,358 | $20.85 |
| 12 | Iron Mountain | $42,537 | $20.45 |
| 13 | ABARTA Coca-Cola Beverages | $40,739 | $19.59 |
| 14 | Medical Billing | $40,063 | $19.26 |
| 15 | Republic Services | $39,475 | $18.98 |
| 16 | Cedar Grove | $39,189 | $18.84 |
| 17 | CORT | $38,709 | $18.61 |
| 18 | Casella Waste Systems | $35,458 | $17.05 |
| 19 | American Red Cross | $35,274 | $16.96 |
| 20 | LKQ | $34,223 | $16.45 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Loader/Driver salary by industry
The average loader/driver salary varies across industries:
- The average loader/driver salary in the utilities industry is $44,581, the highest of any industry.
- The average loader/driver salary in the finance industry is $44,132.
- Loader/drivers in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $41,756, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for loader/drivers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utilities | $44,581 | $21.43 |
| 2 | Transportation | $44,132 | $21.22 |
| 3 | Retail | $43,242 | $20.79 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $41,756 | $20.07 |
High paying loader/driver jobs
Loader/driver salary trends
The average loader/driver salary has risen by $7,929 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average loader/driver earned $31,517 annually, but today, they earn $39,446 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for loader/drivers over the last decade.
Compare loader/driver salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average loader/driver salary over time
Compare loader/driver salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Loader/driver salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $39,400 | $18.96 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $38,000 | $18.28 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $36,500 | $17.55 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $35,300 | $16.98 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $34,100 | $16.39 | +1.1% |
Recently added loader/driver salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste Connections | Commercial Rear Load Drivers (Garbage Truck Drivers) | Miami, FL | 06/30/2025 | $52,175 |
| Aerotek | Oversized Load Driver | Cedar Rapids, IA | 06/19/2025 | $62,400 |
| Resicap Payroll, LLC | Front End Load Driver | Atlanta, GA | 06/19/2025 | $48,001 |
| Waste Connections | Commercial Rear Load Driver | Hermiston, OR | 06/17/2025 | $63,654 |
| TFB-Catering | Driver/Loader | Lancaster, PA | 06/13/2025 | $41,740 |
| Waste Connections | Rear Load Driver Helper | Phoenix, AZ | 06/12/2025 | $41,740 |
| Waste Connections | Loader/Driver Helper | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/09/2025 | $39,653 |
| Resicap | Front End Load Driver | Atlanta, GA | 06/09/2025 | $48,001 |
| Waste Connections | Front Load Driver | Dallas, TX | 06/06/2025 | $50,088 |
| JM Eagle | Load Driver D | Cochranton, PA | 06/05/2025 | $39,131 |
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