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The role of a tow truck driver is critical in the automotive industry, often requiring specific qualifications and training. As of October 2025, the average salary for a tow truck driver stands at $38,555 annually. However, this figure can differ based on several factors.
In addition to salary, many drivers enjoy benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans, which can enhance overall compensation. Exploring job opportunities in various states can also reveal regions where pay is notably higher, allowing drivers to make strategic decisions about their careers.
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The average tow truck driver salary in Washington, Alaska, and Minnesota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average tow truck driver salary states are Kansas, South Carolina, and Mississippi.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $46,274 | $22.25 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $40,669 | $19.55 |
| 3 | Washington | $52,947 | $25.46 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $40,166 | $19.31 |
| 5 | Vermont | $43,634 | $20.98 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $45,371 | $21.81 |
| 7 | California | $45,793 | $22.02 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $44,351 | $21.32 |
| 9 | Alaska | $49,698 | $23.89 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $42,037 | $20.21 |
| 11 | Oregon | $41,787 | $20.09 |
| 12 | Nevada | $41,813 | $20.10 |
| 13 | Montana | $41,730 | $20.06 |
| 14 | Utah | $40,248 | $19.35 |
| 15 | Idaho | $37,817 | $18.18 |
| 16 | Indiana | $36,520 | $17.56 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $35,609 | $17.12 |
| 18 | Illinois | $36,818 | $17.70 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $38,382 | $18.45 |
| 20 | New York | $40,759 | $19.60 |
| 21 | Iowa | $36,437 | $17.52 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $37,778 | $18.16 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $41,281 | $19.85 |
| 24 | Ohio | $34,761 | $16.71 |
| 25 | Texas | $37,365 | $17.96 |
| 26 | Delaware | $36,848 | $17.72 |
| 27 | Colorado | $39,555 | $19.02 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $35,740 | $17.18 |
| 29 | Michigan | $35,532 | $17.08 |
| 30 | Missouri | $36,828 | $17.71 |
| 31 | Georgia | $35,995 | $17.31 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $44,688 | $21.48 |
| 33 | Maine | $37,006 | $17.79 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $39,733 | $19.10 |
| 35 | Arizona | $37,742 | $18.15 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $32,934 | $15.83 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $32,897 | $15.82 |
| 38 | Maryland | $36,646 | $17.62 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $33,123 | $15.92 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $33,644 | $16.18 |
| 41 | Connecticut | $36,758 | $17.67 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $34,208 | $16.45 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $31,732 | $15.26 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $38,380 | $18.45 |
| 45 | Virginia | $34,803 | $16.73 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $30,898 | $14.85 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $32,281 | $15.52 |
| 48 | Kansas | $32,272 | $15.52 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $27,147 | $13.05 |
| 50 | Alabama | $30,323 | $14.58 |
| 51 | Florida | $30,888 | $14.85 |
The highest-paying cities for tow truck drivers are Auburn, WA, Oakland, CA, and Saint Paul, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn, WA | $53,068 | $25.51 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $47,219 | $22.70 |
| 3 | Saint Paul, MN | $46,240 | $22.23 |
| 4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $44,758 | $21.52 |
| 5 | Merrimack, NH | $44,420 | $21.36 |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $43,071 | $20.71 |
| 7 | Medford, MA | $41,287 | $19.85 |
| 8 | Billings, MT | $40,959 | $19.69 |
| 9 | Laramie, WY | $40,159 | $19.31 |
| 10 | Belleville, NJ | $40,037 | $19.25 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $39,554 | $19.02 |
| 12 | Phoenix, AZ | $37,821 | $18.18 |
| 13 | Lincoln, NE | $37,679 | $18.11 |
| 14 | Leander, TX | $37,420 | $17.99 |
| 15 | Newington, CT | $36,960 | $17.77 |
| 16 | Woodlawn, MD | $36,715 | $17.65 |
| 17 | Springfield, MO | $36,431 | $17.51 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $36,051 | $17.33 |
| 19 | Philadelphia, PA | $35,660 | $17.14 |
| 20 | Champaign, IL | $35,591 | $17.11 |
A tow truck driver's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $50,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| Average | $38,555 | $3,213 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
The highest paying types of tow truck drivers are truck driver-over-the-road, commercial truck driver, and truck driver class a.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDL Driver | $63,112 | $5,259 | $30.34 | 784,044 |
| Van Driver | $36,254 | $3,021 | $17.43 | 791,293 |
| Driver | $34,771 | $2,898 | $16.72 | 1,017,998 |
| Mixer Driver | $52,004 | $4,334 | $25.00 | 990,295 |
| Truck Driver-Over-The-Road | $69,158 | $5,763 | $33.25 | 689,630 |
| Commercial Driver | $46,852 | $3,904 | $22.53 | 1,016,123 |
Top companies hiring tow truck drivers now:
Tow truck driver salaries at City of Detroit and T N T Auto Co are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average tow truck driver salary at companies like Elite Service and EntwistleCo are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of Detroit | $43,974 | $21.14 |
| 2 | T N T Auto Co | $42,194 | $20.29 |
| 3 | Elite Service | $42,194 | $20.29 |
| 4 | EntwistleCo | $42,178 | $20.28 |
| 5 | Small Business Services | $42,027 | $20.21 |
| 6 | Norwalk Auto Auction | $41,895 | $20.14 |
| 7 | Rite Way Service | $41,330 | $19.87 |
| 8 | United Road Towing | $40,333 | $19.39 |
| 9 | AAA Systems | $40,273 | $19.36 |
| 10 | Sellars | $40,138 | $19.30 |
| 11 | Watson Windows | $39,796 | $19.13 |
| 12 | AAA Northeast | $39,523 | $19.00 |
| 13 | Buckhorn | $39,145 | $18.82 |
| 14 | TRU TECH Systems | $39,057 | $18.78 |
| 15 | AAA FACILITY SERVICES | $38,801 | $18.65 |
| 16 | Stuart Dean | $38,020 | $18.28 |
| 17 | Sun Devil Fire | $37,082 | $17.83 |
| 18 | AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah | $36,848 | $17.72 |
| 19 | AAA AUTO | $36,144 | $17.38 |
| 20 | North Central Group | $35,590 | $17.11 |
The average tow truck driver salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $39,670 | $19.07 |
| 2 | Automotive | $38,270 | $18.40 |
| 3 | Government | $37,461 | $18.01 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $37,421 | $17.99 |
| 5 | Insurance | $37,375 | $17.97 |
| 6 | Retail | $36,098 | $17.35 |
The average tow truck driver salary has risen by $7,526 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average tow truck driver earned $31,029 annually, but today, they earn $38,555 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for tow truck drivers over the last decade.
Compare tow truck driver salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare tow truck driver salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,600 | $18.54 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $37,000 | $17.80 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $35,700 | $17.18 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $34,800 | $16.71 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $33,800 | $16.26 | +2.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diehl Collision of Ford City | Tow Truck Driver | Ford City, PA | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Hall Automotive Group | Tow Truck Driver-Mercedes Benz Annapolis | Annapolis, MD | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Sun Auto Tire and Service | Tow Truck Driver | Chandler, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $31,305 |
| Stepp's Towing | Tow Truck Driver-Tampa-Night Shift | Tampa, FL | 06/25/2025 | $41,740 |
| LKQ | Tow Truck Driver | Monrovia, CA | 06/21/2025 | $41,740 |
| Aaa Ncnu | Tow Truck Driver | Hayward, CA | 06/21/2025 | $73,045 |
| Interlink Recovery Services | Repo Agent/Tow Truck Driver | Akron, OH | 06/12/2025 | $40,000 |
| Interlink Recovery Services | Repo Agent/Tow Truck Driver | North Versailles, PA | 06/08/2025 | $40,000 |
| Rbglobal | Tow Truck Driver-Temporary | Puyallup, WA | 06/04/2025 | $54,262 |
| Blue Eagle Towing | Tow Truck Driver | Fort Wayne, IN | 06/03/2025 | $36,523 |
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