Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Light truck drivers play a key role in moving goods locally and regionally, with a large national workforce of 1,080,000 workers. The field offers a substantial number of opportunities, with 120,000 annual openings and projected employment growth of 7.3%. Typical entry into this career requires a high school diploma or equivalent, making it accessible to many job seekers and career changers. Successful workers in this occupation combine physical strength and stamina with attention to detail, customer service, and interpersonal skills. Mechanical, fine motor, and basic mathematics abilities also support performance in this field. For those exploring alternatives, related options include meter readers, utilities; motor vehicle operators, all other; transportation workers, all other; material moving workers, all other; and food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders. Overall, light truck driving offers a combination of broad employment, accessible education requirements, and defined opportunities across multiple states and metro areas.
Light truck drivers earn a national median annual salary of $44,140. Earnings can vary by location, and several states offer median wages above the national median. Among the top states by opportunity score, Washington reports a median salary of $49,070, Colorado $48,410, Massachusetts $48,110, California $46,790, and New York $46,330. Metro areas can offer even higher median salaries. For example, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA reports $52,100, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA reports $50,820. The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro shows a median salary of $49,630, while New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is at $47,440 and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $46,360. These differences highlight how choosing certain states or metro areas can influence earning potential within this career.
Light truck driving is a sizable occupation with national employment of 1,080,000 workers, indicating a broad presence across the labor market. Employment in this field is projected to grow 7.3%, pointing to additional positions over time. Alongside growth, employers are expected to need to fill about 120,000 openings each year. These openings may come from a combination of new positions and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. A projected growth rate of 7.3% is also reflected consistently in the top states and metro areas listed, suggesting that this rate is broadly relevant across different regions. For individuals considering career stability and availability of positions, the combination of a large employment base, measurable projected growth, and a high volume of annual openings makes light truck driving a notable option to evaluate against similar occupations.
Location can significantly shape opportunities for light truck drivers. At the state level, California ranks highest by opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $46,790 and employment of 111,950. Massachusetts and New York follow closely, with opportunity scores of 65.87 and 65.78 and median salaries of $48,110 and $46,330, respectively. Colorado and Washington also stand out, each with growth of 7.3% and median salaries around or above $48,000, and opportunity scores between 56 and 57. Metro areas show even more pronounced differences. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with an opportunity score of 77.42 and a median salary of $52,100. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro has a similar opportunity score of 77.27 and the largest listed employment at 58,140. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also pair solid employment levels with opportunity scores in the mid-60s to high 60s, giving candidates several strong regional choices.
The typical education requirement for light truck drivers is a high school diploma or equivalent, which creates an accessible entry point for many individuals. Beyond formal education, a broad mix of skills supports success in this occupation. Physical strength and stamina are important, alongside fine motor abilities and mechanical skills. Customer service, interpersonal abilities, and being detail oriented help drivers interact effectively with others and manage their work accurately. Skills in writing and reading, as well as mathematics, contribute to handling job-related information and basic calculations. Project management skills can support organizing tasks and time. Science skills also appear in the skill profile for this career. Together, these skills indicate that the role draws on both physical capability and a range of cognitive and interpersonal competencies, giving workers multiple areas to develop as they build and advance their careers in light truck driving.
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