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Best states for a truck driver-over-the-road
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and transportation careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to truck driver-over-the-road jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for truck driver-over the roads.In order to help you decide which state is the best for truck driver-over the roads, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for truck driver-over-the-road jobs.
We figured that the best places for truck driver-over-the-road jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for truck driver-over the roads, and the Northeast is the worst. Des Moines, WA is the best city in the country for truck driver-over-the-road jobs, where as Wyoming is the best state in the country.
10 best states for truck driver-over the roads in 2025
1. Wyoming
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 648 Average annual salary: $79,861 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 0.952. Pennsylvania
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 19,768 Average annual salary: $76,465 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 1.493. Nevada
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 1,565 Average annual salary: $80,009 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 0.664. North Dakota
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 439 Average annual salary: $83,748 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 0.415. Washington
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 3,921 Average annual salary: $84,713 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 0.476. Oregon
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 3,257 Average annual salary: $81,550 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location Quotient: 0.697. Montana
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 858 Average annual salary: $77,854 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 0.658. New Hampshire
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 814 Average annual salary: $78,952 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 0.419. Delaware
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 1,891 Average annual salary: $77,064 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.3210. Kentucky
Total truck driver-over-the-road jobs: 7,671 Average annual salary: $72,134 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.83
Truck driver-over-the-road jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a truck driver-over-the-road
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a truck driver-over-the-road
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $79,861 | $61,000 | 579,315 | 648 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $76,465 | $57,000 | 12,805,537 | 19,768 |
| 3 | Nevada | $80,009 | $59,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,565 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $83,748 | $65,000 | 755,393 | 439 |
| 5 | Washington | $84,713 | $64,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,921 |
| 6 | Oregon | $81,550 | $60,000 | 4,142,776 | 3,257 |
| 7 | Montana | $77,854 | $60,000 | 1,050,493 | 858 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $78,952 | $59,000 | 1,342,795 | 814 |
| 9 | Delaware | $77,064 | $57,000 | 961,939 | 1,891 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $72,134 | $54,000 | 4,454,189 | 7,671 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $72,689 | $54,000 | 6,715,984 | 8,336 |
| 12 | New York | $79,374 | $59,000 | 19,849,399 | 13,769 |
| 13 | Vermont | $77,350 | $58,000 | 623,657 | 607 |
| 14 | Ohio | $71,080 | $53,000 | 11,658,609 | 22,695 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $76,826 | $57,000 | 1,059,639 | 707 |
| 16 | Michigan | $73,377 | $55,000 | 9,962,311 | 7,634 |
| 17 | Utah | $75,400 | $57,000 | 3,101,833 | 2,173 |
| 18 | Illinois | $73,783 | $56,000 | 12,802,023 | 24,539 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $72,895 | $55,000 | 5,795,483 | 6,415 |
| 20 | Kansas | $70,893 | $54,000 | 2,913,123 | 6,068 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $79,456 | $59,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,666 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $78,543 | $58,000 | 3,588,184 | 2,042 |
| 23 | California | $77,932 | $57,000 | 39,536,653 | 31,103 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $74,901 | $57,000 | 5,576,606 | 6,069 |
| 25 | Missouri | $73,041 | $55,000 | 6,113,532 | 9,488 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $71,138 | $53,000 | 3,930,864 | 5,384 |
| 27 | Maryland | $77,060 | $57,000 | 6,052,177 | 6,811 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $68,726 | $51,000 | 1,815,857 | 3,806 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $72,043 | $55,000 | 869,666 | 631 |
| 30 | Iowa | $70,297 | $53,000 | 3,145,711 | 5,924 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $78,470 | $58,000 | 9,005,644 | 4,017 |
| 32 | Idaho | $72,710 | $55,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,606 |
| 33 | Georgia | $71,983 | $53,000 | 10,429,379 | 13,985 |
| 34 | Maine | $73,423 | $55,000 | 1,335,907 | 764 |
| 35 | Indiana | $69,796 | $52,000 | 6,666,818 | 10,652 |
| 36 | Colorado | $75,941 | $57,000 | 5,607,154 | 4,061 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $70,615 | $53,000 | 1,920,076 | 3,067 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $69,888 | $52,000 | 2,088,070 | 2,348 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $68,216 | $50,000 | 5,024,369 | 8,357 |
| 40 | Arizona | $71,398 | $52,000 | 7,016,270 | 5,025 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $67,911 | $51,000 | 3,004,279 | 2,736 |
| 42 | Alabama | $67,006 | $49,000 | 4,874,747 | 5,621 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $73,552 | $55,000 | 693,972 | 292 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $65,174 | $48,000 | 2,984,100 | 3,813 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $65,774 | $48,000 | 4,684,333 | 5,387 |
| 46 | Alaska | $68,760 | $59,000 | 739,795 | 169 |
| 47 | Virginia | $68,240 | $51,000 | 8,470,020 | 10,078 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $67,437 | $50,000 | 10,273,419 | 9,986 |
| 49 | Texas | $66,974 | $48,000 | 28,304,596 | 17,598 |
| 50 | Florida | $65,397 | $46,000 | 20,984,400 | 8,051 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $58,042 | $47,000 | 1,427,538 | 184 |
Highest paying states for truck driver-over the roads
| Rank | State | Avg. Truck Driver-Over-The-Road Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $79,861 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $76,465 |
| 3 | Nevada | $80,009 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $83,748 |
| 5 | Washington | $84,713 |
| 6 | Oregon | $81,550 |
| 7 | Montana | $77,854 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $78,952 |
| 9 | Delaware | $77,064 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $72,134 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $72,689 |
| 12 | New York | $79,374 |
| 13 | Vermont | $77,350 |
| 14 | Ohio | $71,080 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $76,826 |
| 16 | Michigan | $73,377 |
| 17 | Utah | $75,400 |
| 18 | Illinois | $73,783 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $72,895 |
| 20 | Kansas | $70,893 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $79,456 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $78,543 |
| 23 | California | $77,932 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $74,901 |
| 25 | Missouri | $73,041 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $71,138 |
| 27 | Maryland | $77,060 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $68,726 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $72,043 |
| 30 | Iowa | $70,297 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $78,470 |
| 32 | Idaho | $72,710 |
| 33 | Georgia | $71,983 |
| 34 | Maine | $73,423 |
| 35 | Indiana | $69,796 |
| 36 | Colorado | $75,941 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $70,615 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $69,888 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $68,216 |
| 40 | Arizona | $71,398 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $67,911 |
| 42 | Alabama | $67,006 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $73,552 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $65,174 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $65,774 |
| 46 | Alaska | $68,760 |
| 47 | Virginia | $68,240 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $67,437 |
| 49 | Texas | $66,974 |
| 50 | Florida | $65,397 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $58,042 |
Expert opinions on the best states for truck driver-over the roads
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Truck drivers-over-the road 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