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Best states for a truck operator
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
- Rank 1 - 10
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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for truck operators? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for truck operator jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for truck operator jobs.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for truck operators.We found that the South is best for truck operators, and the Northeast is the worst. Saint Paul, MN is the best city in the country for truck operator jobs, where as Minnesota is the best state in the country.
10 best states for truck operators in 2025
1. Minnesota
Total truck operator jobs: 4,224 Average annual salary: $48,130 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
2. Pennsylvania
Total truck operator jobs: 8,668 Average annual salary: $44,356 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
3. Wisconsin
Total truck operator jobs: 4,493 Average annual salary: $42,744 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
4. Washington
Total truck operator jobs: 2,866 Average annual salary: $49,539 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 0.67
5. Rhode Island
Total truck operator jobs: 535 Average annual salary: $46,889 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
6. Vermont
Total truck operator jobs: 356 Average annual salary: $46,691 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
7. Delaware
Total truck operator jobs: 978 Average annual salary: $44,113 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
8. Wyoming
Total truck operator jobs: 472 Average annual salary: $41,291 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
9. Indiana
Total truck operator jobs: 6,349 Average annual salary: $40,267 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.64
10. North Dakota
Total truck operator jobs: 317 Average annual salary: $45,865 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.58
Truck operator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a truck operator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a truck operator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $48,130 | $38,000 | 5,576,606 | 4,224 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $44,356 | $33,000 | 12,805,537 | 8,668 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $42,744 | $33,000 | 5,795,483 | 4,493 |
| 4 | Washington | $49,539 | $39,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,866 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $46,889 | $36,000 | 1,059,639 | 535 |
| 6 | Vermont | $46,691 | $38,000 | 623,657 | 356 |
| 7 | Delaware | $44,113 | $32,000 | 961,939 | 978 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $41,291 | $33,000 | 579,315 | 472 |
| 9 | Indiana | $40,267 | $31,000 | 6,666,818 | 6,349 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $45,865 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 317 |
| 11 | New York | $46,743 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 5,969 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $40,685 | $30,000 | 1,815,857 | 1,351 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $46,642 | $37,000 | 1,342,795 | 501 |
| 14 | Maryland | $44,598 | $33,000 | 6,052,177 | 3,379 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $45,499 | $36,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,759 |
| 16 | Illinois | $39,865 | $31,000 | 12,802,023 | 11,861 |
| 17 | Georgia | $40,120 | $31,000 | 10,429,379 | 7,734 |
| 18 | Montana | $41,068 | $33,000 | 1,050,493 | 485 |
| 19 | Iowa | $38,755 | $30,000 | 3,145,711 | 3,677 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $43,753 | $32,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,197 |
| 21 | Alaska | $45,251 | $41,000 | 739,795 | 139 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $39,728 | $31,000 | 1,920,076 | 828 |
| 23 | Michigan | $38,598 | $29,000 | 9,962,311 | 5,027 |
| 24 | Missouri | $39,449 | $31,000 | 6,113,532 | 2,875 |
| 25 | Ohio | $37,099 | $28,000 | 11,658,609 | 11,774 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $38,316 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 7,497 |
| 27 | Utah | $39,721 | $31,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,557 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $39,773 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 351 |
| 29 | Maine | $39,913 | $33,000 | 1,335,907 | 504 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $45,202 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 215 |
| 31 | California | $40,713 | $31,000 | 39,536,653 | 15,556 |
| 32 | Nevada | $39,553 | $31,000 | 2,998,039 | 698 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $36,163 | $28,000 | 6,715,984 | 6,287 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $41,525 | $31,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,077 |
| 35 | Oregon | $39,269 | $31,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,178 |
| 36 | Colorado | $40,193 | $32,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,131 |
| 37 | Virginia | $40,162 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 4,909 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $36,683 | $28,000 | 4,454,189 | 3,234 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $38,530 | $30,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,482 |
| 40 | Texas | $39,369 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,854 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $41,898 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 133 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $35,535 | $27,000 | 5,024,369 | 4,841 |
| 43 | Idaho | $36,508 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,238 |
| 44 | Arizona | $39,500 | $30,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,672 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $35,573 | $27,000 | 3,004,279 | 1,846 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $33,761 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 1,876 |
| 47 | Alabama | $33,359 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 3,112 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $29,390 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 2,755 |
| 49 | Kansas | $34,120 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,574 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $32,398 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,208 |
| 51 | Florida | $36,019 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,669 |
Highest paying states for truck operators
| Rank | State | Avg. Truck Operator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $48,130 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $44,356 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $42,744 |
| 4 | Washington | $49,539 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $46,889 |
| 6 | Vermont | $46,691 |
| 7 | Delaware | $44,113 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $41,291 |
| 9 | Indiana | $40,267 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $45,865 |
| 11 | New York | $46,743 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $40,685 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $46,642 |
| 14 | Maryland | $44,598 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $45,499 |
| 16 | Illinois | $39,865 |
| 17 | Georgia | $40,120 |
| 18 | Montana | $41,068 |
| 19 | Iowa | $38,755 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $43,753 |
| 21 | Alaska | $45,251 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $39,728 |
| 23 | Michigan | $38,598 |
| 24 | Missouri | $39,449 |
| 25 | Ohio | $37,099 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $38,316 |
| 27 | Utah | $39,721 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $39,773 |
| 29 | Maine | $39,913 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $45,202 |
| 31 | California | $40,713 |
| 32 | Nevada | $39,553 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $36,163 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $41,525 |
| 35 | Oregon | $39,269 |
| 36 | Colorado | $40,193 |
| 37 | Virginia | $40,162 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $36,683 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $38,530 |
| 40 | Texas | $39,369 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $41,898 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $35,535 |
| 43 | Idaho | $36,508 |
| 44 | Arizona | $39,500 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $35,573 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $33,761 |
| 47 | Alabama | $33,359 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $29,390 |
| 49 | Kansas | $34,120 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $32,398 |
| 51 | Florida | $36,019 |
Expert opinions on the best states for truck operators
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for truck operators 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.
Truck operator best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025