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Light Truck Driver

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Home › Transportation and Material Moving › Light Truck Driver › North Carolina
Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary, North Carolina
$44,000 / year
≈ $3,650 per month · $21.15 per hour

BLS May 2025 state data for North Carolina · median $41,500
25th percentile
$34,000Average
$44,00075th percentile
$48,500
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Light Truck Driver salary by state
Alabama$45,500
Alaska$65,000
Arizona$52,500
Arkansas$45,000
California$55,000
Colorado$54,000
Connecticut$51,000
Delaware$48,000
District of Columbia$53,500
Florida$46,000
Georgia$50,000
Hawaii$53,000
Idaho$52,500
Illinois$55,000
Indiana$51,000
Iowa$48,500
Kansas$47,500
Kentucky$50,500
Louisiana$46,500
Maine$51,500
Maryland$55,000
Massachusetts$53,000
Michigan$48,500
Minnesota$54,500
Mississippi$48,500
Missouri$52,000
Montana$52,500
Nebraska$50,500
Nevada$49,500
New Hampshire$49,500
New Jersey$51,500
New Mexico$44,500
New York$52,000
North Carolina$44,000
North Dakota$54,000
Ohio$46,000
Oklahoma$47,000
Oregon$53,000
Pennsylvania$49,500
Rhode Island$51,500
South Carolina$43,000
South Dakota$45,500
Tennessee$51,000
Texas$48,500
Utah$49,500
Vermont$50,000
Virginia$47,000
Washington$55,500
West Virginia$48,000
Wisconsin$50,500
Wyoming$48,500

Total cash compensation

Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.

Base salary
$50,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$4,500
8.5% of base
Total target cash
$55,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles: 25th $2,500 50th $4,500 75th $7,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
About this role

Light Truck Driver is a professional role within the function in the Transportation and Material Moving job family.

Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Light Truck Drivers do

Typical education: High School Diploma

  • Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
  • Report any mechanical problems encountered with vehicles.
  • Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
  • Inspect and maintain vehicle supplies and equipment, such as gas, oil, water, tires, lights, or brakes, to ensure that vehicles are in proper working condition.
  • Read maps and follow written or verbal geographic directions.

Top skills: Speaking Reading Comprehension Operation and Control Monitoring Active Listening Time Management

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Light Truck Driver pay by experience level
Entry level$32,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$38,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$46,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$54,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$83,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+7.3%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
120,200
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Light Truck Driver salary by industry
Couriers and Messengers

398,540 workers

$60,000

Couriers and Express Delivery Services

280,350 workers

$65,500

Local Messengers and Local Delivery

118,190 workers

$46,500

Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers

102,200 workers

$33,000

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

88,300 workers

$45,500

Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers

78,470 workers

$32,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

53,650 workers

$49,500

Truck Transportation

44,960 workers

$50,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only)

39,850 workers

$48,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only)

30,790 workers

$51,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status

Core duties

  • Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
  • Report any mechanical problems encountered with vehicles.
  • Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
  • Inspect and maintain vehicle supplies and equipment, such as gas, oil, water, tires, lights, or brakes, to ensure that vehicles are in proper working condition.
  • Read maps and follow written or verbal geographic directions.

FLSA classification (typical)

Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work

Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.

How this role compares

Light Truck Driver pays 27% below the average across 53 roles in the Transportation and Material Moving job family (family average $69,000).

Similar-paying roles in Transportation and Material Moving
Bus Drivers, School$50,000
Taxi Driver$51,500
Transportation Workers, All Other$52,500
Material Moving Workers, All Other$47,000
Conveyor Operators and Tenders$46,500
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$54,500
Machine Feeders and Offbearers$45,000
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$44,000
Bridge and Lock Tenders$57,500
Dredge Operator$58,000
Careers related to Light Truck Driver
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$62,000
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$41,500
Driver/Sales Worker$42,000
Couriers and Messengers$42,500
Taxi Driver$51,500
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$50,000
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions

How much does a Light Truck Driver make?

The average base salary for a Light Truck Driver in the United States is $50,500 per year, or about $24.28 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $38,500 and $54,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Transportation and Material Moving roles?

The Transportation and Material Moving job family averages $69,000 across 53 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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