Best paying cities for truck drivers, after cost of living
After cost of living, truck driver pay goes furthest in Seattle (worth $64,122) and least far in Miami (worth $45,166).
| # | Metro area | Median pay | Prices (US = 100) | Worth | vs. US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $71,240 | 111.1 | $64,122 | +9% |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $70,730 | 110.4 | $64,067 | +9% |
| 3 | Nashville, TN | $60,630 | 96.3 | $62,960 | +7% |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $64,200 | 104.8 | $61,260 | +4% |
| 5 | St. Louis, MO | $58,240 | 95.1 | $61,241 | +4% |
| 6 | Pittsburgh, PA | $57,880 | 94.7 | $61,119 | +4% |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $63,800 | 105.4 | $60,531 | +3% |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $60,650 | 100.2 | $60,529 | +3% |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $63,900 | 105.8 | $60,397 | +3% |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $62,300 | 103.6 | $60,135 | +3% |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $64,010 | 108.3 | $59,104 | +1% |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $59,100 | 100.1 | $59,041 | +1% |
| 13 | Detroit, MI | $59,120 | 100.3 | $58,943 | +1% |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $57,110 | 98.1 | $58,216 | −1% |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $59,370 | 102.6 | $57,865 | −1% |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $59,770 | 103.3 | $57,861 | −1% |
| 17 | New York, NY | $65,040 | 112.6 | $57,762 | −1% |
| 18 | Dallas, TX | $59,530 | 103.1 | $57,740 | −2% |
| 19 | Charlotte, NC | $56,120 | 97.3 | $57,677 | −2% |
| 20 | Houston, TX | $56,840 | 98.6 | $57,647 | −2% |
| 21 | San Francisco, CA | $66,450 | 115.6 | $57,483 | −2% |
| 22 | Sacramento, CA | $60,810 | 106.7 | $56,992 | −3% |
| 23 | Baltimore, MD | $59,460 | 104.5 | $56,900 | −3% |
| 24 | San Antonio, TX | $53,650 | 94.7 | $56,653 | −3% |
| 25 | Washington, DC | $59,820 | 108.9 | $54,931 | −6% |
| 26 | San Diego, CA | $59,780 | 111.9 | $53,423 | −9% |
| 27 | Los Angeles, CA | $60,340 | 113.6 | $53,116 | −9% |
| 28 | Tampa, FL | $50,560 | 100.9 | $50,109 | −15% |
| 29 | Orlando, FL | $50,250 | 101.4 | $49,556 | −15% |
| 30 | Miami, FL | $51,580 | 114.2 | $45,166 | −23% |
U.S. median for truck drivers: $58,640. "Worth" is the median adjusted for local prices: what that pay buys at average U.S. prices, using U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 (Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, SOC 53-3032); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024. Median pay for wage and salary workers, excluding bonuses, benefits and overtime. Metro areas, not city limits.