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Best states for a transportation driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
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It seems like transportation drivers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for transportation drivers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of transportation drivers in America is $70,000.
In order to get you the best states for transportation drivers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the Northeast is best for transportation drivers, and the Midwest is the worst. Cheyenne, WY is the best city in the country for transportation driver jobs, where as North Dakota is the best state in the country.
10 best states for transportation drivers in 2026
1. North Dakota
Total transportation driver jobs: 1,012 Average annual salary: $57,292 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
2. Kentucky
Total transportation driver jobs: 5,810 Average annual salary: $49,560 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.91
3. Indiana
Total transportation driver jobs: 8,327 Average annual salary: $49,846 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
4. Wyoming
Total transportation driver jobs: 481 Average annual salary: $60,030 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
5. Nebraska
Total transportation driver jobs: 2,221 Average annual salary: $51,316 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
6. Iowa
Total transportation driver jobs: 4,555 Average annual salary: $48,332 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
7. Utah
Total transportation driver jobs: 2,864 Average annual salary: $49,574 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
8. Wisconsin
Total transportation driver jobs: 4,720 Average annual salary: $49,248 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
9. Pennsylvania
Total transportation driver jobs: 12,915 Average annual salary: $48,160 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
10. Nevada
Total transportation driver jobs: 1,041 Average annual salary: $51,945 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 0.6
Transportation driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a transportation driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a transportation driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $57,292 | $35,000 | 755,393 | 1,012 |
| 2 | Kentucky | $49,560 | $29,000 | 4,454,189 | 5,810 |
| 3 | Indiana | $49,846 | $29,000 | 6,666,818 | 8,327 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $60,030 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 481 |
| 5 | Nebraska | $51,316 | $30,000 | 1,920,076 | 2,221 |
| 6 | Iowa | $48,332 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 4,555 |
| 7 | Utah | $49,574 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 2,864 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $49,248 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 4,720 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $48,160 | $28,000 | 12,805,537 | 12,915 |
| 10 | Nevada | $51,945 | $29,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,041 |
| 11 | Kansas | $44,918 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 4,284 |
| 12 | Ohio | $44,724 | $26,000 | 11,658,609 | 13,505 |
| 13 | California | $53,429 | $30,000 | 39,536,653 | 21,106 |
| 14 | Washington | $53,867 | $31,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,869 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $46,083 | $27,000 | 869,666 | 1,115 |
| 16 | Montana | $49,483 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 577 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $43,180 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 3,651 |
| 18 | Delaware | $46,720 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 1,306 |
| 19 | Arkansas | $42,590 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 3,324 |
| 20 | Idaho | $46,184 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,108 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $45,537 | $26,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,660 |
| 22 | Colorado | $48,803 | $28,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,881 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $43,552 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 3,896 |
| 24 | Arizona | $46,411 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,422 |
| 25 | Illinois | $44,407 | $26,000 | 12,802,023 | 11,769 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $41,168 | $24,000 | 2,984,100 | 2,854 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $50,799 | $30,000 | 693,972 | 156 |
| 28 | Texas | $42,707 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 19,736 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $43,726 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 4,100 |
| 30 | Alabama | $39,324 | $23,000 | 4,874,747 | 5,826 |
| 31 | Oregon | $44,541 | $25,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,246 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $40,308 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 6,177 |
| 33 | New York | $44,278 | $26,000 | 19,849,399 | 9,437 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $39,737 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 3,830 |
| 35 | Missouri | $40,375 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 6,581 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $39,381 | $23,000 | 5,024,369 | 5,215 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $43,898 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,004 |
| 38 | Alaska | $44,392 | $33,000 | 739,795 | 150 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $42,885 | $25,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,717 |
| 40 | Maryland | $42,468 | $25,000 | 6,052,177 | 4,494 |
| 41 | Michigan | $38,645 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 5,563 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $47,583 | $37,000 | 1,427,538 | 50 |
| 43 | Virginia | $41,316 | $24,000 | 8,470,020 | 6,559 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | $41,087 | $25,000 | 1,342,795 | 606 |
| 45 | Vermont | $39,699 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 469 |
| 46 | Georgia | $37,886 | $22,000 | 10,429,379 | 11,746 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | $40,420 | $24,000 | 1,059,639 | 592 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $38,353 | $22,000 | 10,273,419 | 7,148 |
| 49 | Florida | $39,439 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,326 |
| 50 | Maine | $36,207 | $23,000 | 1,335,907 | 599 |
| 51 | Massachusetts | $37,754 | $23,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,231 |
Highest paying states for transportation drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Transportation Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $57,292 |
| 2 | Kentucky | $49,560 |
| 3 | Indiana | $49,846 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $60,030 |
| 5 | Nebraska | $51,316 |
| 6 | Iowa | $48,332 |
| 7 | Utah | $49,574 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $49,248 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $48,160 |
| 10 | Nevada | $51,945 |
| 11 | Kansas | $44,918 |
| 12 | Ohio | $44,724 |
| 13 | California | $53,429 |
| 14 | Washington | $53,867 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $46,083 |
| 16 | Montana | $49,483 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $43,180 |
| 18 | Delaware | $46,720 |
| 19 | Arkansas | $42,590 |
| 20 | Idaho | $46,184 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $45,537 |
| 22 | Colorado | $48,803 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $43,552 |
| 24 | Arizona | $46,411 |
| 25 | Illinois | $44,407 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $41,168 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $50,799 |
| 28 | Texas | $42,707 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $43,726 |
| 30 | Alabama | $39,324 |
| 31 | Oregon | $44,541 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $40,308 |
| 33 | New York | $44,278 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $39,737 |
| 35 | Missouri | $40,375 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $39,381 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $43,898 |
| 38 | Alaska | $44,392 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $42,885 |
| 40 | Maryland | $42,468 |
| 41 | Michigan | $38,645 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $47,583 |
| 43 | Virginia | $41,316 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | $41,087 |
| 45 | Vermont | $39,699 |
| 46 | Georgia | $37,886 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | $40,420 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $38,353 |
| 49 | Florida | $39,439 |
| 50 | Maine | $36,207 |
| 51 | Massachusetts | $37,754 |
Expert opinions on the best states for transportation drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for transportation 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.
Transportation driver best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025