Light Truck Drivers Salary
Light Truck Drivers in Chattanooga, TN-GA make a median of $49,990 a year, or about $24.03 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $54K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $54,658 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 38.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About light truck drivers
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Chattanooga sits well above the national pay line for light truck drivers, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 39.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for light truck drivers in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $45K | $47K |
| Memphis | $48K | $52K |
| Knoxville | $39K | $42K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $42K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level light truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $54K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Light Truck Drivers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Light Truck Drivers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $57K | +27% | 1,790 |
| District of Columbia | $49K | +10% | 540 |
| Washington | $49K | +9% | 23,290 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +9% | 17,360 |
| Colorado | $48K | +8% | 15,810 |
| Maryland | $48K | +7% | 18,420 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +7% | 23,350 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +7% | 1,950 |
| Illinois | $47K | +6% | 47,190 |
| Oregon | $47K | +5% | 11,120 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +4% | 33,900 |
| California | $47K | +4% | 111,950 |
| Montana | $46K | +3% | 2,960 |
| New York | $46K | +3% | 56,490 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | +3% | 4,670 |
| Hawaii | $46K | +2% | 3,690 |
| Utah | $46K | +2% | 9,930 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | +2% | 19,140 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | +2% | 3,110 |
| Missouri | $46K | +1% | 16,210 |
| Arizona | $45K | +1% | 18,400 |
| Vermont | $45K | +1% | 2,050 |
| Tennessee | $45K | +0% | 33,710 |
| Indiana | $45K | -1% | 19,880 |
| Maine | $45K | -1% | 3,120 |
| Connecticut | $45K | -1% | 10,720 |
| Idaho | $44K | -1% | 7,120 |
| Nebraska | $44K | -2% | 4,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -2% | 42,380 |
| Georgia | $44K | -2% | 26,050 |
| Delaware | $44K | -2% | 4,200 |
| Wyoming | $44K | -2% | 1,450 |
| Nevada | $44K | -2% | 9,520 |
| Kansas | $44K | -3% | 9,140 |
| South Dakota | $43K | -4% | 4,820 |
| Kentucky | $43K | -4% | 15,630 |
| Michigan | $43K | -4% | 26,160 |
| Iowa | $43K | -5% | 9,680 |
| Ohio | $43K | -5% | 35,130 |
| Texas | $43K | -5% | 78,540 |
| Virginia | $42K | -5% | 25,170 |
| New Mexico | $42K | -6% | 4,220 |
| Florida | $42K | -7% | 67,390 |
| North Carolina | $40K | -11% | 31,810 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | -11% | 10,020 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -12% | 14,300 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -13% | 3,330 |
| Alabama | $38K | -14% | 13,980 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -15% | 7,030 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -16% | 11,950 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -17% | 9,340 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track light truck drivers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a light truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 39.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new light truck drivers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,767/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 79% 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 Chattanooga?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $50K here vs. $45K nationally.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for light truck drivers?
Chattanooga pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do light truck drivers make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $49,990 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,450, and experienced light truck drivers can clear $54,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,517/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 39.5% 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 Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (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 $54,658 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.