CDL Salary in the United States

How much does a CDL make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a CDL in the United States is $59,881 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

However, a CDL's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $73,043
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $53,473 to $66,771
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $47,640
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View as table View as graph 25% $53,473 10% $47,640 90% $73,043 75% $66,771 $59,881 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

CDL Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $66,771 $5,564 $1,284 $32
Average $59,881 $4,990 $1,152 $29
25th Percentile $53,473 $4,456 $1,028 $26
Check out CDL Job Openings in the United States
OTR CDL

CDL Job Now - Findlay, OH

CDL

Performance Food Group - Springfield, OH

CDL

Performance Food Group - Springfield, OH

CDL

R+L Carriers - Findlay, OH

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Key Factors That Influence CDL Salaries

A CDL's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects CDL Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a CDL's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $44,369
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $49,594
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $58,445
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $60,203
  • Expert (over 8 years): $74,804
Levels Salary
Product I... Level CDL$44,369
Product I... Level CDL$49,594
CDL Level CDL$58,445
Product I... Level CDL$60,203
Product Q... Level CDL$74,804
$44,369 0 yr
$49,594 < 2 yrs
$58,445 2-4 yrs
$60,203 5-8 yrs
$74,804 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for CDLs

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $75,527
  • San Francisco: $74,785
  • Oakland: $73,126

What Skills Can Increase a CDL's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 4.08% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Packaging (Mentioned in 2.78% Job Postings): Preparing products through wrapping or bottling to protect the goods from damages during transportation and storage.
  • Process Manufacturing (Mentioned in 2.12% Job Postings): Process manufacturing is a branch of manufacturing that is associated with formulas and manufacturing recipes, and can be contrasted with discrete manufacturing, which is concerned with discrete units, bills of materials and the assembly of components. Process manufacturing is common in the food, beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, consumer packaged goods, cannabis, and biotechnology industries. In process manufacturing, the relevant factors are ingredients, not parts; formulas, not bills of materials; and bulk materials rather than individual units. Although there is invariably cross-over between the two branches of manufacturing, the major contents of the finished product and the majority of the resource intensity of the production process generally allow manufacturing systems to be classified as one or the other. For example, a bottle of juice is a discrete item, but juice is process manufactured. The plastic used in injection moulding is process manufactured, but the components it is shaped into are generally discrete, and subject to further assembly.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 4.08%
Packaging 2.78%
Process Manufacturing 2.12%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a CDL's salary.
  • Time Management: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Quality Control: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Time Management
$68,863
15%
Commitment
$67,665
13%
Quality Control
$66,467
11%
Verbal Communication
$65,869
10%
Troubleshooting
$64,072
7%
Communication Skills
$62,875
5%
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How Education impacts a CDL's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many CDLs enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a CDL with a Associate's Degree is between $56,562 and $60,468).

CDL Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for CDL
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 60.0%
High School 60.0%
Associates 40.0%
Bachelors 0.0%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
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CDL Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a CDL's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

Salary Trends for CDL

Salaries for a CDL can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $49,461 in 2023 to around $48,482 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of CDL salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of CDL Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$49,461
2024
$49,008
2025
$48,482
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $49,461
2024 $49,008
2025 $48,482
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for CDL

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for CDL

Here are companies hiring for CDL and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current CDL job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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