Light Truck Drivers
Light Truck Drivers (SOC 53-3033) earn a median $44,860 a year ($21.57 an hour) in the United States, with 983,300 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What light truck drivers do
Light truck drivers operate trucks and vans under 26,001 pounds gross weight, mainly to collect merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver them. A typical day begins by checking the delivery list against the shipping papers and the contents of the load, then looking over tires, brakes, lights, and oil, water, and fuel before pulling out. On the route the driver reads maps or navigation instructions, follows traffic rules, loads and unloads the vehicle, presents bills and receipts, and collects payment for goods delivered. Mechanical problems are reported, and the driver keeps vehicle logs and records of cargo or billing as regulations require. Couriers and messengers, who carry documents and small packages, and driver/sales workers, who sell as they deliver, are classified elsewhere.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Bulk Delivery Driver, Car Escort, Commercial Driver, Deliverer, Delivery Driver.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.81 | $17.92 | $21.57 | $25.15 | $38.61 | $23.45 | 983,300 |
| Annual | $30,800 | $37,270 | $44,860 | $52,310 | $80,310 | $48,770 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where light truck drivers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $17.89 | $23.37 | $27.50 | $39.78 | $46.30 | $30.26 | 1,790 | 5.50 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $37,210 | $48,620 | $57,190 | $82,740 | $96,300 | $62,940 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $18.22 | $22.08 | $23.72 | $27.48 | $33.36 | $24.96 | 540 | 0.77 | 0.12 |
| Annual | $37,890 | $45,930 | $49,330 | $57,160 | $69,400 | $51,920 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $18.22 | $21.59 | $23.59 | $27.57 | $35.62 | $25.73 | 23,290 | 6.56 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $37,890 | $44,920 | $49,070 | $57,350 | $74,080 | $53,520 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $15.14 | $19.12 | $23.50 | $29.10 | $43.43 | $25.41 | 17,360 | 5.89 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $31,490 | $39,760 | $48,880 | $60,530 | $90,340 | $52,860 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $17.90 | $20.76 | $23.28 | $26.94 | $39.53 | $25.13 | 15,810 | 5.50 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $37,230 | $43,190 | $48,410 | $56,040 | $82,220 | $52,270 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.67 | $20.27 | $22.50 | $27.33 | $44.85 | $25.63 | 111,950 | 6.15 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $36,750 | $42,160 | $46,790 | $56,840 | $93,280 | $53,310 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $13.52 | $16.73 | $20.43 | $24.12 | $43.88 | $22.57 | 78,540 | 5.58 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $28,120 | $34,800 | $42,500 | $50,170 | $91,280 | $46,950 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $14.36 | $17.88 | $20.10 | $22.54 | $29.96 | $21.43 | 67,390 | 6.79 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $29,880 | $37,200 | $41,810 | $46,880 | $62,330 | $44,580 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.38 | $18.94 | $22.27 | $26.56 | $35.05 | $24.20 | 56,490 | 5.83 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $34,070 | $39,390 | $46,330 | $55,240 | $72,890 | $50,330 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.93 | $19.15 | $22.78 | $28.99 | $43.92 | $25.63 | 47,190 | 7.74 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $33,130 | $39,820 | $47,380 | $60,290 | $91,360 | $53,300 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $18.48 | $23.50 | $27.52 | $39.78 | $39.82 | $30.83 | 1,400 | 7.92 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $38,440 | $48,880 | $57,250 | $82,740 | $82,820 | $64,130 | ||||
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | Hourly | $15.94 | $20.57 | $25.57 | $39.75 | $42.03 | $27.79 | 1,610 | 15.06 | 2.38 |
| Annual | $33,160 | $42,780 | $53,190 | $82,670 | $87,430 | $57,800 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $20.70 | $22.35 | $25.05 | $29.07 | $40.02 | $27.81 | 4,480 | 3.95 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $43,050 | $46,480 | $52,100 | $60,470 | $83,240 | $57,840 | ||||
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | Hourly | $15.02 | $18.33 | $24.46 | $30.58 | $45.11 | $26.78 | 390 | 8.19 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $31,240 | $38,130 | $50,870 | $63,600 | $93,830 | $55,700 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $20.34 | $22.88 | $24.43 | $29.83 | $44.85 | $28.25 | 14,470 | 6.09 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $42,300 | $47,590 | $50,820 | $62,050 | $93,280 | $58,770 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.38 | $21.39 | $22.81 | $27.78 | $36.71 | $25.23 | 58,140 | 6.13 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $36,150 | $44,480 | $47,440 | $57,770 | $76,360 | $52,480 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $18.10 | $20.51 | $22.36 | $27.57 | $45.98 | $25.96 | 40,900 | 6.52 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $37,650 | $42,660 | $46,500 | $57,340 | $95,630 | $54,000 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $16.72 | $20.42 | $23.05 | $29.61 | $44.18 | $26.34 | 34,680 | 7.68 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $34,780 | $42,460 | $47,950 | $61,600 | $91,900 | $54,780 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $14.17 | $17.64 | $21.18 | $24.48 | $40.02 | $23.36 | 25,890 | 6.39 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $29,480 | $36,690 | $44,050 | $50,920 | $83,250 | $48,580 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $15.49 | $18.18 | $21.99 | $27.82 | $39.51 | $24.45 | 20,930 | 7.22 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $37,800 | $45,740 | $57,860 | $82,170 | $50,860 | ||||
Top industries employing light truck drivers
Couriers and Express Delivery Services employ 28.5% of light truck drivers nationally (280,350 jobs) at a median $50,390 a year ($24.23 an hour), followed by Local Messengers and Local Delivery (12.0%) and Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers (8.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services NAICS 492100 | 280,350 | 28.5% | $50,390 | $24.23 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery NAICS 492200 | 118,190 | 12.0% | $44,360 | $21.33 |
| Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers NAICS 441300 | 78,470 | 8.0% | $29,850 | $14.35 |
| Truck Transportation NAICS 484000 | 44,960 | 4.6% | $47,870 | $23.01 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) NAICS 4230A1 | 39,850 | 4.1% | $46,310 | $22.26 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (983,300). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $38,280 for light truck drivers in May 2021 and $44,860 in May 2025, with employment of 1,010,040 and 983,300.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $38,280 | $18.40 | 1,010,040 |
| May 2022 | $40,410 | $19.43 | 1,059,840 |
| May 2023 | $42,470 | $20.42 | 1,003,960 |
| May 2024 | $44,140 | $21.22 | 994,410 |
| May 2025 | $44,860 | $21.57 | 983,300 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska profile | $27.50 | $57,190 | $37,210 | $96,300 | 1,790 | 5.50 | 0.87 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $23.72 | $49,330 | $37,890 | $69,400 | 540 | 0.77 | 0.12 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $23.59 | $49,070 | $37,890 | $74,080 | 23,290 | 6.56 | 1.04 |
| 4 | Minnesota profile | $23.50 | $48,880 | $31,490 | $90,340 | 17,360 | 5.89 | 0.93 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $23.28 | $48,410 | $37,230 | $82,220 | 15,810 | 5.50 | 0.87 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $23.15 | $48,150 | $33,710 | $80,700 | 18,420 | 6.67 | 1.05 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $23.13 | $48,110 | $34,700 | $75,340 | 23,350 | 6.42 | 1.02 |
| 8 | North Dakota profile | $23.05 | $47,950 | $33,750 | $92,440 | 1,950 | 4.53 | 0.72 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $22.78 | $47,380 | $33,130 | $91,360 | 47,190 | 7.74 | 1.22 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $22.67 | $47,150 | $36,680 | $73,070 | 11,120 | 5.65 | 0.89 |
| 11 | New Jersey profile | $22.51 | $46,820 | $34,750 | $71,070 | 33,900 | 7.91 | 1.25 |
| 12 | California profile | $22.50 | $46,790 | $36,750 | $93,280 | 111,950 | 6.15 | 0.97 |
| 13 | Montana profile | $22.32 | $46,420 | $33,470 | $93,770 | 2,960 | 5.78 | 0.91 |
| 14 | New York profile | $22.27 | $46,330 | $34,070 | $72,890 | 56,490 | 5.83 | 0.92 |
| 15 | New Hampshire profile | $22.24 | $46,260 | $30,640 | $63,770 | 4,670 | 6.83 | 1.08 |
| 16 | Hawaii profile | $22.08 | $45,930 | $34,740 | $85,100 | 3,690 | 5.88 | 0.93 |
| 17 | Utah profile | $22.05 | $45,860 | $33,970 | $64,670 | 9,930 | 5.72 | 0.90 |
| 18 | Wisconsin profile | $21.96 | $45,670 | $30,340 | $72,860 | 19,140 | 6.51 | 1.03 |
| 19 | Rhode Island profile | $21.95 | $45,660 | $31,200 | $72,810 | 3,110 | 6.20 | 0.98 |
| 20 | Missouri profile | $21.88 | $45,500 | $29,370 | $93,710 | 16,210 | 5.52 | 0.87 |
| 21 | Arizona profile | $21.70 | $45,140 | $34,660 | $92,590 | 18,400 | 5.68 | 0.90 |
| 22 | Vermont profile | $21.68 | $45,090 | $30,720 | $65,130 | 2,050 | 6.76 | 1.07 |
| 23 | Tennessee profile | $21.66 | $45,050 | $29,190 | $83,480 | 33,710 | 10.28 | 1.63 |
| 24 | Indiana profile | $21.42 | $44,560 | $29,330 | $92,080 | 19,880 | 6.21 | 0.98 |
| 25 | Maine profile | $21.42 | $44,550 | $31,310 | $93,670 | 3,120 | 4.87 | 0.77 |
| 26 | Connecticut profile | $21.39 | $44,500 | $34,010 | $74,420 | 10,720 | 6.32 | 1.00 |
| 27 | Idaho profile | $21.33 | $44,370 | $31,950 | $95,830 | 7,120 | 8.31 | 1.31 |
| 28 | Nebraska profile | $21.21 | $44,120 | $29,710 | $92,370 | 4,210 | 4.11 | 0.65 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.21 | $44,120 | $27,560 | $82,170 | 42,380 | 6.99 | 1.10 |
| 30 | Georgia profile | $21.18 | $44,050 | $28,020 | $82,790 | 26,050 | 5.33 | 0.84 |
| 31 | Delaware profile | $21.15 | $43,990 | $31,200 | $65,150 | 4,200 | 8.67 | 1.37 |
| 32 | Wyoming profile | $21.05 | $43,780 | $27,530 | $94,640 | 1,450 | 5.15 | 0.81 |
| 33 | Nevada profile | $21.04 | $43,760 | $31,270 | $69,690 | 9,520 | 6.13 | 0.97 |
| 34 | Kansas profile | $21.03 | $43,730 | $27,410 | $70,620 | 9,140 | 6.36 | 1.01 |
| 35 | South Dakota profile | $20.79 | $43,240 | $27,520 | $59,400 | 4,820 | 10.54 | 1.67 |
| 36 | Kentucky profile | $20.78 | $43,230 | $26,780 | $84,040 | 15,630 | 7.82 | 1.24 |
| 37 | Michigan profile | $20.67 | $43,000 | $29,470 | $83,460 | 26,160 | 5.94 | 0.94 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $20.56 | $42,750 | $29,600 | $92,460 | 9,680 | 6.21 | 0.98 |
| 39 | Ohio profile | $20.48 | $42,600 | $27,460 | $63,740 | 35,130 | 6.33 | 1.00 |
| 40 | Texas profile | $20.43 | $42,500 | $28,120 | $91,280 | 78,540 | 5.58 | 0.88 |
| 41 | Virginia profile | $20.41 | $42,450 | $28,740 | $63,770 | 25,170 | 6.12 | 0.97 |
| 42 | New Mexico profile | $20.37 | $42,360 | $30,590 | $58,320 | 4,220 | 4.85 | 0.77 |
| 43 | Florida profile | $20.10 | $41,810 | $29,880 | $62,330 | 67,390 | 6.79 | 1.07 |
| 44 | North Carolina profile | $19.19 | $39,910 | $26,490 | $61,340 | 31,810 | 6.44 | 1.02 |
| 45 | Oklahoma profile | $19.15 | $39,840 | $24,960 | $91,780 | 10,020 | 5.87 | 0.93 |
| 46 | Louisiana profile | $18.96 | $39,440 | $25,330 | $76,360 | 14,300 | 7.39 | 1.17 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $18.68 | $38,860 | $23,950 | $93,790 | 3,330 | 4.74 | 0.75 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $18.50 | $38,490 | $27,100 | $78,240 | 13,980 | 6.61 | 1.05 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $18.34 | $38,140 | $25,880 | $90,840 | 7,030 | 6.05 | 0.96 |
| 50 | South Carolina profile | $18.12 | $37,680 | $23,500 | $62,870 | 11,950 | 5.18 | 0.82 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $17.83 | $37,080 | $27,100 | $72,880 | 9,340 | 7.17 | 1.13 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-3030), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-3033 Light Truck Drivers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-3033, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-3033.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.