Light Truck Drivers Salary: $44,140 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 994,410 light truck drivers work nationally, and $44,140 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 1.1% annual growth; much hiring sits in transportation and warehousing.
Light Truck Drivers: what the data shows
Common questions about light truck drivers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a light truck drivers?
Light Truck Drivers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 53-3033.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 994,410 workers.
What does a light truck drivers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Handling and Moving Objects, Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Performing General Physical Activities, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a light truck drivers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $44,140 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $52,363 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,080 |
| 25th percentile | $40,952 |
| Median (50th) | $46,606 |
| 75th percentile | $56,306 |
| 90th percentile | $83,707 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operation and Control, Monitoring, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Time Management, and knowledge areas including English Language, Transportation, Customer and Personal Service, Public Safety and Security. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is light truck drivers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 1.1% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 5.6%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 11.6%.
Current U.S. headcount: 994,410.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do light truck driverss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 994,410 | 19.7% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 983,070 | 19.5% |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 480,180 | 9.5% |
| Couriers and Messengers | 401,460 | 8.0% |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | 286,960 | 5.7% |
| Retail Trade | 174,340 | 3.5% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Light Truck Drivers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,070,480 | $57,440 |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | 180,270 | $63,980 |
| Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians | 18,710 | $50,540 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | 287,230 | $60,640 |
| Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | 10,920 | $58,070 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Light Truck Drivers workforce.
Employment Over Time
994,410 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Light Truck Drivers grew from 390,240 in 2009 to 465,020 in 2025 (19.2%).
Historical employment for Light Truck Drivers from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$44,140 Median pay (BLS national)
Light Truck Drivers earn $44,140 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Light Truck Drivers.
Salary distribution for Light Truck Drivers.
Employment Growth Projections
1.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
491,207 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 5.6%
518,870 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 11.6%
This occupation is projected to grow at 1.1% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Light Truck Drivers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Light Truck Drivers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Light Truck Drivers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Light Truck Drivers.
Wage Trends by Industry
4.5% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Light Truck Drivers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Light Truck Drivers.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 117,250 employees, $51,120 avg wage
- TX: 71,660 employees, $46,470 avg wage
- FL: 71,340 employees, $46,550 avg wage
- NY: 52,290 employees, $50,390 avg wage
- IL: 48,940 employees, $51,120 avg wage
- PA: 42,360 employees, $44,770 avg wage
- NC: 37,860 employees, $42,880 avg wage
- OH: 35,510 employees, $45,750 avg wage
- NJ: 35,290 employees, $49,610 avg wage
- TN: 30,680 employees, $49,830 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Light Truck Drivers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 57,980 employees, $52,020 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 42,600 employees, $50,350 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 36,380 employees, $52,830 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 22,620 employees, $49,260 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 20,760 employees, $48,210 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 20,190 employees, $48,500 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 17,330 employees, $49,870 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 17,080 employees, $56,960 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 17,040 employees, $48,460 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 16,480 employees, $51,690 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Light Truck Drivers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Light Truck Drivers in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Light Truck Drivers is about 994,410 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Light Truck Drivers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Light Truck Drivers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Light Truck Drivers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Light Truck Drivers in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Light Truck Drivers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Light Truck Drivers workers.
Education level distribution for Light Truck Drivers.
Skills
Light Truck Drivers need many skills, but most especially Operation and Control, Monitoring, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening.
Required skills for Light Truck Drivers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Light Truck Drivers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Light Truck Drivers include English Language, Transportation, Customer and Personal Service, Public Safety and Security, Administrative.
Knowledge areas required for Light Truck Drivers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Light Truck Drivers include Multilimb Coordination, Far Vision, Spatial Orientation, Near Vision, Problem Sensitivity.
Required abilities for Light Truck Drivers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Light Truck Drivers.
Daily Activities
Light Truck Drivers spend their time on activities such as Handling and Moving Objects, Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Performing General Physical Activities, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.
Most important work activities for Light Truck Drivers.
About
Light Truck Drivers
Light Truck Drivers earn $44,140 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
53-3033 - Light Truck Drivers
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Light Truck Drivers reports an average salary of $52,363.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 994,410 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 1.1%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.