Light Truck Driver Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Light Truck Drivers — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$44,860
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$21.57
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$80,310
entry level starts ~$30,800
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 983,000 employed

How much does a Light Truck Driver make?

A Light Truck Driver earns a median annual salary of $44,860 in the United States, which works out to roughly $21.57 per hour for full-time work. Most Light Truck Drivers earn between $30,800 at the entry level and $80,310 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $37,270 and $52,310 a year.

That is $16,530 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Light Truck Driver salary range by percentile

Half of all Light Truck Drivers earn between $37,270 and $52,310 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$30,800$14.81
25th percentile (early career)$37,270$17.92
50th percentile (median)$44,860$21.57
75th percentile (experienced)$52,310$25.15
90th percentile (top earners)$80,310$38.61

Highest-paying states for Light Truck Driver

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Alaska leads the country for Light Truck Driver pay at $57,190 a year, followed by District of Columbia ($49,330) and Washington ($49,070). At the other end, Arkansas posts the lowest median at $37,080 — a gap of $20,110 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Alaska$57,190$27.50+27%
2District of Columbia$49,330$23.72+10%
3Washington$49,070$23.59+9%
4Minnesota$48,880$23.50+9%
5Colorado$48,410$23.27+8%

Workforce and education

About 983,000 people work as Light Truck Drivers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $48,770 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Light Truck Driver make in the United States?
The median Light Truck Driver salary in the United States is $44,860 per year, or about $21.57 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $30,800, while the top 10% of earners make $80,310 or more.
How does Light Truck Driver pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the Light Truck Driver median of $44,860 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Light Truck Drivers the most?
Alaska is the highest-paying state for Light Truck Drivers, with a median salary of $57,190 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Light Truck Driver?
Becoming a Light Truck Driver typically requires a high school diploma. A high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job.
How many Light Truck Drivers work in the United States?
About 983,000 people were employed as Light Truck Drivers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.