Light Truck Drivers Salary
Light Truck Drivers in Alabama make a median of $38,490 a year, or about $18.5 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $43,560 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 41.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Alabama?
About light truck drivers
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for light truck drivers in Alabama runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 41.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for light truck driverss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level light truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Light Truck Drivers salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $43K | +11% | 1,610 |
| Birmingham | $40K | +4% | 3,730 |
| Mobile | $39K | +2% | 1,690 |
| Tuscaloosa | $38K | -2% | 520 |
| Decatur | $38K | -2% | 260 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $37K | -3% | 550 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $37K | -4% | 340 |
| Montgomery | $37K | -4% | 990 |
| Dothan | $36K | -5% | 540 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $36K | -6% | 440 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $36K | -6% | 320 |
| Gadsden | $35K | -10% | 230 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track light truck drivers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a light truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 41.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for light truck drivers in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new light truck drivers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,626/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is light truck driver a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $38K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for light truck drivers?
Alabama pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do light truck drivers make in Alabama?
The median is $38,490 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,100, and experienced light truck drivers can clear $78,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,601/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 41.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a light truck drivers salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median light truck drivers salary is worth about $43,560 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do light truck drivers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.