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Best states for a transport truck driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
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Do you want to become a transport truck driver at OTR, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for transport truck drivers that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Our research shows that North Dakota is the best state in the country for transport truck drivers.
North Dakota is the best state for jobs for transport truck drivers, and Florida is the worst. The most common pay in North Dakota is $68,187, while the median pay in Florida is $47,342.We found that North Dakota is the best state for transport truck driver jobs, whereas Florida is the worst.
10 best states for transport truck drivers in 2025
1. North Dakota
Total transport truck driver jobs: 1,209 Average annual salary: $68,187 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
2. Michigan
Total transport truck driver jobs: 7,659 Average annual salary: $67,140 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
3. New York
Total transport truck driver jobs: 11,270 Average annual salary: $76,409 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
4. North Carolina
Total transport truck driver jobs: 9,623 Average annual salary: $66,723 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
5. Minnesota
Total transport truck driver jobs: 5,299 Average annual salary: $69,242 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
6. Montana
Total transport truck driver jobs: 781 Average annual salary: $69,367 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.65
7. Ohio
Total transport truck driver jobs: 19,484 Average annual salary: $62,281 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 1.83
8. Pennsylvania
Total transport truck driver jobs: 17,020 Average annual salary: $64,188 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
9. Wyoming
Total transport truck driver jobs: 567 Average annual salary: $65,408 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
10. Oklahoma
Total transport truck driver jobs: 4,544 Average annual salary: $63,689 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
Transport truck driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a transport truck driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a transport truck driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $68,187 | $49,000 | 755,393 | 1,209 |
| 2 | Michigan | $67,140 | $46,000 | 9,962,311 | 7,659 |
| 3 | New York | $76,409 | $51,000 | 19,849,399 | 11,270 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $66,723 | $44,000 | 10,273,419 | 9,623 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $69,242 | $48,000 | 5,576,606 | 5,299 |
| 6 | Montana | $69,367 | $49,000 | 1,050,493 | 781 |
| 7 | Ohio | $62,281 | $42,000 | 11,658,609 | 19,484 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $64,188 | $43,000 | 12,805,537 | 17,020 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $65,408 | $46,000 | 579,315 | 567 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $63,689 | $44,000 | 3,930,864 | 4,544 |
| 11 | Kansas | $63,229 | $44,000 | 2,913,123 | 5,118 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $67,369 | $45,000 | 1,059,639 | 704 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $72,400 | $48,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,792 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $66,959 | $45,000 | 1,342,795 | 814 |
| 15 | Vermont | $66,263 | $45,000 | 623,657 | 564 |
| 16 | Illinois | $62,906 | $43,000 | 12,802,023 | 21,420 |
| 17 | Delaware | $64,696 | $43,000 | 961,939 | 1,605 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $68,016 | $45,000 | 3,588,184 | 2,067 |
| 19 | Indiana | $60,955 | $41,000 | 6,666,818 | 10,589 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $60,016 | $40,000 | 4,454,189 | 6,856 |
| 21 | Nevada | $64,203 | $43,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,456 |
| 22 | Iowa | $61,029 | $42,000 | 3,145,711 | 5,462 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $67,551 | $45,000 | 9,005,644 | 4,091 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $61,798 | $43,000 | 1,920,076 | 2,631 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $60,800 | $43,000 | 869,666 | 1,328 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $60,078 | $40,000 | 6,715,984 | 7,272 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $59,556 | $40,000 | 2,984,100 | 3,794 |
| 28 | Arizona | $63,345 | $42,000 | 7,016,270 | 4,724 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $57,355 | $38,000 | 1,815,857 | 3,349 |
| 30 | Maine | $62,850 | $42,000 | 1,335,907 | 769 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $67,141 | $44,000 | 693,972 | 222 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $60,317 | $41,000 | 5,795,483 | 5,651 |
| 33 | Washington | $63,655 | $44,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,307 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $58,146 | $38,000 | 5,024,369 | 7,121 |
| 35 | Texas | $60,275 | $40,000 | 28,304,596 | 14,581 |
| 36 | Alabama | $56,847 | $38,000 | 4,874,747 | 6,735 |
| 37 | Utah | $61,184 | $42,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,814 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $57,909 | $38,000 | 4,684,333 | 4,831 |
| 39 | California | $61,116 | $40,000 | 39,536,653 | 27,987 |
| 40 | Colorado | $62,210 | $43,000 | 5,607,154 | 3,417 |
| 41 | Georgia | $56,161 | $37,000 | 10,429,379 | 16,713 |
| 42 | Alaska | $62,082 | $55,000 | 739,795 | 142 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $54,952 | $37,000 | 3,004,279 | 3,936 |
| 44 | Maryland | $59,744 | $39,000 | 6,052,177 | 5,855 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $57,817 | $39,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,992 |
| 46 | Virginia | $58,463 | $39,000 | 8,470,020 | 8,687 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $62,811 | $50,000 | 1,427,538 | 158 |
| 48 | Missouri | $51,174 | $35,000 | 6,113,532 | 8,158 |
| 49 | Idaho | $54,563 | $37,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,368 |
| 50 | Oregon | $55,203 | $37,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,787 |
| 51 | Florida | $47,342 | $31,000 | 20,984,400 | 6,644 |
Highest paying states for transport truck drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Transport Truck Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $68,187 |
| 2 | Michigan | $67,140 |
| 3 | New York | $76,409 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $66,723 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $69,242 |
| 6 | Montana | $69,367 |
| 7 | Ohio | $62,281 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $64,188 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $65,408 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $63,689 |
| 11 | Kansas | $63,229 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $67,369 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $72,400 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $66,959 |
| 15 | Vermont | $66,263 |
| 16 | Illinois | $62,906 |
| 17 | Delaware | $64,696 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $68,016 |
| 19 | Indiana | $60,955 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $60,016 |
| 21 | Nevada | $64,203 |
| 22 | Iowa | $61,029 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $67,551 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $61,798 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $60,800 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $60,078 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $59,556 |
| 28 | Arizona | $63,345 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $57,355 |
| 30 | Maine | $62,850 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $67,141 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $60,317 |
| 33 | Washington | $63,655 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $58,146 |
| 35 | Texas | $60,275 |
| 36 | Alabama | $56,847 |
| 37 | Utah | $61,184 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $57,909 |
| 39 | California | $61,116 |
| 40 | Colorado | $62,210 |
| 41 | Georgia | $56,161 |
| 42 | Alaska | $62,082 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $54,952 |
| 44 | Maryland | $59,744 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $57,817 |
| 46 | Virginia | $58,463 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $62,811 |
| 48 | Missouri | $51,174 |
| 49 | Idaho | $54,563 |
| 50 | Oregon | $55,203 |
| 51 | Florida | $47,342 |
Expert opinions on the best states for transport truck drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for transport 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