How much does a Freight Driver make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Freight Driver in the United States is $48,068 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $23.
However, a Freight Driver's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $58,754
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $43,749 to $53,662
Key Factors That Influence Freight Driver Salaries
A Freight Driver'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
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Freight Driver Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Freight Driver'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:
How Do Freight Driver Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Freight Drivers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $60,628
San Francisco: $59,965
Oakland: $58,701
San Jose, CA$60,628
San Francisco, CA$59,965
Oakland, CA$58,701
New York, NY$55,345
Paramus, NJ$54,672
Queens Village, NY$54,670
Passaic, NJ$54,624
Bergenfield, NJ$54,620
Stamford, CT$54,514
Huntington, NY$54,494
Newark, NJ$54,139
Bridgeport, CT$54,038
Vallejo, CA$53,942
New Brunswick, NJ$53,923
Petaluma, CA$53,894
Middlesex, NJ$53,803
Somerset, NJ$53,769
Santa Cruz, CA$53,707
Boston, MA$53,413
Monterey, CA$53,245
Seattle, WA$53,135
Santa Rosa, CA$53,125
Los Angeles, CA$53,111
Juneau, AK$52,986
Washington, DC$52,933
Orange, CA$52,762
Santa Ana, CA$52,635
Long Beach, CA$52,587
Anaheim, CA$52,577
Anchorage, AK$52,553
Santa Maria, CA$52,409
Everett, WA$52,399
Danbury, CT$52,230
Bremerton, WA$52,164
Tacoma, WA$51,991
New Suffolk, NY$51,990
Sacramento, CA$51,976
Santa Barbara, CA$51,923
Trenton, NJ$51,870
San Diego, CA$51,870
Brockton, MA$51,818
Fairbanks, AK$51,700
Lompoc, CA$51,577
Lowell, MA$51,538
Ventura, CA$51,529
Nashua, NH$51,519
Stockton, CA$51,515
Modesto, CA$51,164
Poughkeepsie, NY$51,058
Olympia, WA$50,967
Kennewick, WA$50,967
New Haven, CT$50,947
Lawrence, MA$50,774
Hartford, CT$50,726
Riverside, CA$50,717
New Bedford, MA$50,669
Richland, WA$50,669
Bakersfield, CA$50,601
San Bernardino, CA$50,582
New Britain, CT$50,577
Atlantic City, NJ$50,577
New London, CT$50,558
Norwich, CT$50,544
Portsmouth, NH$50,534
Boulder, CO$50,432
Portland, OR$50,366
Worcester, MA$50,361
Minneapolis, MN$50,212
Philadelphia, PA$50,145
Honolulu, HI$49,986
Saint Paul, MN$49,963
Vineland, NJ$49,952
Providence, RI$49,813
Chicago, IL$49,674
Bellingham, WA$49,616
Springfield, MA$49,578
Baltimore, MD$49,563
Chico, CA$49,443
Pittsfield, MA$49,313
Manchester, NH$49,222
Spokane, WA$49,010
Denver, CO$49,006
Albany, NY$48,780
Troy, NY$48,760
Nassau, NY$48,709
Schenectady, NY$48,659
Wilmington, DE$48,621
Burlington, VT$48,554
Salem, OR$48,534
Portland, ME$48,385
Yakima, WA$48,337
Rochester, MN$48,188
Reno, NV$48,164
Fresno, CA$48,164
Milwaukee, WI$48,121
Detroit, MI$48,073
Ann Arbor, MI$48,065
Allentown, PA$48,059
Colorado Springs, CO$47,977
Syracuse, NY$47,953
Carson City, NV$47,953
Houston, TX$47,886
Eugene, OR$47,862
Gary, IN$47,804
Springfield, OR$47,765
Bismarck, ND$47,756
Galveston, TX$47,722
Medford, OR$47,650
Fort Collins, CO$47,631
Concord, NH$47,607
Austin, TX$47,592
Mesa, AZ$47,491
Reading, PA$47,487
Phoenix, AZ$47,482
Dallas, TX$47,467
Saint Cloud, MN$47,421
Madison, WI$47,357
Utica, NY$47,227
Rochester, NY$47,150
Des Moines, IA$47,145
Raleigh, NC$47,140
Atlanta, GA$47,068
Battle Creek, MI$47,054
Salt Lake City, UT$47,040
Lancaster, PA$46,967
Harrisburg, PA$46,900
Kansas City, MO$46,852
Champaign, IL$46,842
Kansas City, KS$46,842
Fort Worth, TX$46,838
Columbus, OH$46,829
Boca Raton, FL$46,818
Pittsburgh, PA$46,799
Richmond, VA$46,780
Indianapolis, IN$46,770
Cleveland, OH$46,766
Las Vegas, NV$46,708
Cincinnati, OH$46,708
Petersburg, VA$46,636
Huntsville, AL$46,564
Lansing, MI$46,531
Lebanon, PA$46,525
Pueblo, CO$46,520
Appleton, WI$46,506
Buffalo, NY$46,487
Dayton, OH$46,472
Racine, WI$46,463
Charlotte, NC$46,458
Saint Louis, MO$46,443
York, PA$46,415
Elkhart, IN$46,415
Gastonia, NC$46,406
Billings, MT$46,394
Beaumont, TX$46,381
Lorain, OH$46,371
Benton Harbor, MI$46,362
Toledo, OH$46,352
Binghamton, NY$46,328
Rock Hill, SC$46,323
Rockford, IL$46,299
Springfield, IL$46,280
Elyria, OH$46,275
Fargo, ND$46,275
Flagstaff, AZ$46,242
Fort Lauderdale, FL$46,213
Duluth, MN$46,184
Miami, FL$46,184
Cheyenne, WY$46,150
Grand Forks, ND$46,150
Bangor, ME$46,045
Cedar Rapids, IA$45,992
Durham, NC$45,971
Louisville, KY$45,968
Grand Rapids, MI$45,958
Hialeah, FL$45,953
Casper, WY$45,886
Scranton, PA$45,828
New Orleans, LA$45,814
Virginia Beach, VA$45,809
Akron, OH$45,785
Peoria, IL$45,722
Sarasota, FL$45,713
Nashville, TN$45,679
Omaha, NE$45,679
Green Bay, WI$45,679
Baton Rouge, LA$45,655
Charleston, SC$45,646
Jamestown, NY$45,622
Davenport, IA$45,622
Tucson, AZ$45,597
Saint Petersburg, FL$45,569
Tampa, FL$45,559
Evansville, IN$45,530
Port Arthur, TX$45,530
Bradenton, FL$45,511
Santa Fe, NM$45,424
Orlando, FL$45,338
Clearwater, FL$45,324
Canton, OH$45,223
La Crosse, WI$45,223
Albuquerque, NM$45,194
Newport News, VA$45,189
High Point, NC$45,174
Ogden, UT$45,155
Corpus Christi, TX$45,117
Norfolk, VA$45,088
Laramie, WY$45,088
Rock Island, IL$45,059
Saginaw, MI$45,050
Jacksonville, FL$45,045
Salisbury, NC$45,035
Boise, ID$45,025
Moline, IL$45,001
Fort Myers, FL$44,987
Memphis, TN$44,977
Tulsa, OK$44,953
Waterloo, IA$44,925
Spartanburg, SC$44,876
Lincoln, NE$44,852
Fort Wayne, IN$44,843
Provo, UT$44,838
Cedar Falls, IA$44,780
San Antonio, TX$44,761
Greensboro, NC$44,742
South Bend, IN$44,737
Savannah, GA$44,684
Muskegon, MI$44,665
Birmingham, AL$44,660
Winston Salem, NC$44,637
Lake Charles, LA$44,521
Anderson, IN$44,511
Lexington, KY$44,497
Augusta, GA$44,482
Greenville, SC$44,482
Lima, OH$44,444
Wichita, KS$44,439
Tuscaloosa, AL$44,439
Columbia, SC$44,396
Springfield, OH$44,386
Asheville, NC$44,309
Bloomington, IN$44,276
Knoxville, TN$44,103
Shreveport, LA$44,098
Wilmington, NC$44,035
Roanoke, VA$44,035
Topeka, KS$43,949
Frankfort, KY$43,943
Oklahoma City, OK$43,910
Chillicothe, OH$43,891
Longview, TX$43,886
Melbourne, FL$43,881
Sioux Falls, SD$43,805
Mobile, AL$43,800
Terre Haute, IN$43,781
Altoona, PA$43,752
Amarillo, TX$43,718
Killeen, TX$43,704
Fayetteville, AR$43,665
Chattanooga, TN$43,651
Sioux City, IA$43,607
Idaho Falls, ID$43,598
Lynchburg, VA$43,559
Gainesville, FL$43,497
Portsmouth, OH$43,473
Little Rock, AR$43,463
Lafayette, LA$43,444
Youngstown, OH$43,444
Daytona Beach, FL$43,415
Clarksville, TN$43,410
Pensacola, FL$43,406
Temple, TX$43,402
Hopkinsville, KY$43,261
Erie, PA$43,252
Florence, SC$43,233
Charleston, WV$43,156
Great Falls, MT$43,132
Macon, GA$43,064
Tallahassee, FL$43,059
Fayetteville, NC$43,050
Waco, TX$43,040
Helena, MT$43,007
Pine Bluff, AR$42,988
Vincennes, IN$42,930
Lubbock, TX$42,910
Alamogordo, NM$42,882
Twin Falls, ID$42,838
Rapid City, SD$42,824
Jackson, MS$42,737
Huntington, WV$42,734
Greenville, MS$42,733
Parkersburg, WV$42,684
Montgomery, AL$42,675
Wichita Falls, TX$42,627
Springfield, MO$42,627
Biloxi, MS$42,603
Monroe, LA$42,555
Johnstown, PA$42,521
Sumter, SC$42,502
Columbus, GA$42,497
Pascagoula, MS$42,406
Abilene, TX$42,406
Kingsport, TN$42,281
Albany, GA$42,281
Gulfport, MS$42,266
Alexandria, LA$42,108
Fort Smith, AR$41,988
El Paso, TX$41,858
Las Cruces, NM$41,641
Harlingen, TX$41,519
Pocatello, ID$41,512
Florence, AL$41,449
Brownsville, TX$41,440
Mcallen, TX$41,339
Dothan, AL$41,271
Columbus, MS$40,986
Altus, OK$40,762
Lawton, OK$40,671
Pierre, SD$40,497
What Skills Can Increase a Freight Driver's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 22.4% 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.
Consumer Electronics (Mentioned in 2.7% Job Postings): Consumer electronics (CE) refers to any electronic devices designed to be purchased and used by end users or consumers for daily and non-commercial/professional purposes. Consumer electronics are among the most commonly used form of electronic, computing and communication devices.
Product Quality (Mentioned in 1.88% Job Postings): Product quality refers to how well a product satisfies customer needs, serves its purpose and meets industry standards. When evaluating product quality, businesses consider several key factors, including whether a product solves a problem, works efficiently or suits customers' purposes.
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 Freight Driver's salary.
Product Knowledge: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Freight Driver Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Freight Driver roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 106% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Energy & Utilities
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, Freight Driver positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Freight Driver as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Freight Driver
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$67,295
$32.0
40%
Energy & Utilities
$62,489
$30.0
30%
Pharmaceuticals
$60,085
$29.0
25%
Chemicals
$57,682
$28.0
20%
Financial Services
$55,278
$27.0
15%
Freight Driver Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Freight Driver'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.
Salaries for a Freight Driver can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $47,911 in 2023
to around $46,324 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Freight Driver salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Freight Driver Over Time
$???
$47,911
$46,828
$46,324
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$47,911
2024
$46,828
2025
$46,324
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Freight Driver
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Freight Driver
Here are companies hiring for Freight Driver and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Freight Driver
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Freight Driver?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Freight Driver roles,
with salaries approximately 40% above the market median.
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.
