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Transportation driver salary
Average transportation driver salary
$43,236
Average Transportation Driver Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Transportation Driver is approximately $43,236 per year, or $21 per hour. This compensation reflects various factors, including job type, location, and years of experience. For instance, entry-level drivers may start at a lower wage, while those with several years in the industry can command higher salaries.
Transportation Driver Salary by State
Salary levels differ widely across the United States. States with higher living costs, like California and New York, typically offer salaries above the national average. Conversely, regions with lower living expenses may present lower salary figures. Understanding these geographic disparities can help job seekers target their applications more effectively.
Experience Matters
Experience plays a vital role in determining salary. New drivers often earn less, while those with specialized skills or certifications can see significant pay increases. For example, drivers with a commercial driver's license (CDL) often secure better-paying positions. Investing in training can lead to enhanced job prospects and higher earnings.
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Where can a Transportation Driver earn more?
Transportation driver salaries by experience level
Transportation driver salary estimates from across the web
Average transportation driver salary by state
The average transportation driver salary in Wyoming, North Dakota, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average transportation driver salary states are Alabama, Michigan, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for transportation drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $57,292 | $27.54 |
| 2 | Kentucky | $49,560 | $23.83 |
| 3 | Indiana | $49,846 | $23.96 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $60,030 | $28.86 |
| 5 | Nebraska | $51,316 | $24.67 |
| 6 | Iowa | $48,332 | $23.24 |
| 7 | Utah | $49,574 | $23.83 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $49,248 | $23.68 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $48,160 | $23.15 |
| 10 | Nevada | $51,945 | $24.97 |
| 11 | Kansas | $44,918 | $21.60 |
| 12 | Ohio | $44,724 | $21.50 |
| 13 | California | $53,429 | $25.69 |
| 14 | Washington | $53,867 | $25.90 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $46,083 | $22.16 |
| 16 | Montana | $49,483 | $23.79 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $43,180 | $20.76 |
| 18 | Delaware | $46,720 | $22.46 |
| 19 | Arkansas | $42,590 | $20.48 |
| 20 | Idaho | $46,184 | $22.20 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $45,537 | $21.89 |
| 22 | Colorado | $48,803 | $23.46 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $43,552 | $20.94 |
| 24 | Arizona | $46,411 | $22.31 |
| 25 | Illinois | $44,407 | $21.35 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $41,168 | $19.79 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $50,799 | $24.42 |
| 28 | Texas | $42,707 | $20.53 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $43,726 | $21.02 |
| 30 | Alabama | $39,324 | $18.91 |
| 31 | Oregon | $44,541 | $21.41 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $40,308 | $19.38 |
| 33 | New York | $44,278 | $21.29 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $39,737 | $19.10 |
| 35 | Missouri | $40,375 | $19.41 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $39,381 | $18.93 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $43,898 | $21.10 |
| 38 | Alaska | $44,392 | $21.34 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $42,885 | $20.62 |
| 40 | Maryland | $42,468 | $20.42 |
| 41 | Michigan | $38,645 | $18.58 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $47,583 | $22.88 |
| 43 | Virginia | $41,316 | $19.86 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | $41,087 | $19.75 |
| 45 | Vermont | $39,699 | $19.09 |
| 46 | Georgia | $37,886 | $18.21 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | $40,420 | $19.43 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $38,353 | $18.44 |
| 49 | Florida | $39,439 | $18.96 |
| 50 | Maine | $36,207 | $17.41 |
| 51 | Massachusetts | $37,754 | $18.15 |
Highest paying cities for transportation drivers
The highest-paying cities for transportation drivers are Cheyenne, WY, Sacramento, CA, and Reno, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheyenne, WY | $59,619 | $28.66 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $55,102 | $26.49 |
| 3 | Reno, NV | $52,883 | $25.42 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | $49,806 | $23.95 |
| 5 | Salt Lake City, UT | $49,630 | $23.86 |
| 6 | Madison, WI | $49,362 | $23.73 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $48,819 | $23.47 |
| 8 | Des Moines, IA | $48,323 | $23.23 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $47,890 | $23.02 |
| 10 | Kahului, HI | $47,658 | $22.91 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $46,582 | $22.40 |
| 12 | Albuquerque, NM | $45,906 | $22.07 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $44,981 | $21.63 |
| 14 | New York, NY | $44,503 | $21.40 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $44,441 | $21.37 |
| 16 | Portland, OR | $44,202 | $21.25 |
| 17 | Austin, MN | $44,147 | $21.22 |
| 18 | Newark, NJ | $43,799 | $21.06 |
| 19 | Fort Worth, TX | $43,323 | $20.83 |
| 20 | Charleston, WV | $42,899 | $20.62 |
Transportation Drivers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Transportation driver salary details
A transportation driver's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $70,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a transportation driver's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $43,236 | $3,603 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying transportation driver jobs
The highest paying types of transportation drivers are commercial truck driver, cdl driver, and truck driver.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver Trainer | $46,074 | $3,839 | $22.15 | 844,436 |
| Driver/Mover | $32,318 | $2,693 | $15.54 | 929,748 |
| Commercial Truck Driver | $64,512 | $5,376 | $31.02 | 719,069 |
| Line Haul Driver | $53,992 | $4,499 | $25.96 | 871,646 |
| Driver | $34,771 | $2,898 | $16.72 | 1,017,998 |
| CDL Driver | $63,112 | $5,259 | $30.34 | 784,044 |
Top companies hiring transportation drivers now:
Which companies pay transportation drivers the most?
Transportation driver salaries at West Tennessee Healthcare and AmeriGas Propane are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average transportation driver salary at companies like Marathon Petroleum and World Fuel Services are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Tennessee Healthcare | $76,077 | $36.58 |
| 2 | AmeriGas Propane | $75,411 | $36.26 |
| 3 | Marathon Petroleum | $73,139 | $35.16 |
| 4 | World Fuel Services | $73,035 | $35.11 |
| 5 | Central Vermont Medical Center | $70,170 | $33.74 |
| 6 | Tolunay-Wong Engineers | $69,891 | $33.60 |
| 7 | Sheetz | $65,104 | $31.30 |
| 8 | Self Regional Healthcare | $63,977 | $30.76 |
| 9 | Dayton Freight | $62,675 | $30.13 |
| 10 | Saint Xavier University | $62,509 | $30.05 |
| 11 | The Coca-Cola Company | $59,835 | $28.77 |
| 12 | Seton Catholic School | $58,846 | $28.29 |
| 13 | McLane | $58,749 | $28.24 |
| 14 | Ferrellgas | $58,606 | $28.18 |
| 15 | Cheshire Academy | $57,814 | $27.80 |
| 16 | 7-Eleven | $57,706 | $27.74 |
| 17 | Speedway | $57,410 | $27.60 |
| 18 | AAA Cooper Transportation | $57,146 | $27.47 |
| 19 | UGI | $56,603 | $27.21 |
| 20 | Airgas | $56,599 | $27.21 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Transportation driver salary trends
The average transportation driver salary has risen by $8,440 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average transportation driver earned $34,796 annually, but today, they earn $43,236 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for transportation drivers over the last decade.
Compare transportation driver salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average transportation driver salary over time
Compare transportation driver salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Transportation driver salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,200 | $20.79 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $41,500 | $19.96 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $40,100 | $19.27 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $39,000 | $18.74 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $37,900 | $18.23 | +2.6% |
Recently added transportation driver salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque Public Schools | Transportation SUV Driver | Albuquerque, NM | 06/30/2025 | $39,027 |
| Mercy Home for Boys and | School Transportation Driver | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $43,827 |
| Mercy, Inc. | School Transportation Driver | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $43,827 |
| Emerald Queen Casino & Hotel | Patron Shuttle Bus Driver | Fife, WA | 06/29/2025 | $43,827 |
| Marathon Petroleum | Transport Driver | Phoenix, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $63,194 |
| Marathon Petroleum | Fuel Transport Driver | Industry, PA | 06/28/2025 | $137,000 |
| Advanced Health Care of Glendale | Weekend Receptionist and Transport Driver | Glendale, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $35,479 |
| Compass Group, North America | Transport Driver | Mesa, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $31,305 |
| Compass Group, North America | Transport Driver | East Saint Louis, IL | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Enterprise Rent-A-Car | DOT Shuttle Bus Driver (CDL Required)-LAX | Los Angeles, CA | 06/28/2025 | $48,001 |
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