Light Truck Drivers Salary
Light Truck Drivers in Georgia make a median of $44,050 a year, or about $21.18 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $47,938 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 47.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Georgia?
About light truck drivers
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What this looks like in Georgia
Light truck drivers pay in Georgia tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 48.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level light truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $55K spread from bottom to top.
Light Truck Drivers salary by metro in Georgia
14 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton | $50K | +14% | 350 |
| Gainesville | $48K | +9% | 1,020 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $46K | +4% | 530 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $45K | +2% | 600 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $45K | +2% | 15,350 |
| Savannah | $44K | +0% | 1,840 |
| Albany | $42K | -4% | 330 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $41K | -7% | 1,060 |
| Valdosta | $40K | -10% | 350 |
| Rome | $38K | -14% | 160 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $37K | -16% | 380 |
| Columbus | $36K | -18% | 590 |
| Hinesville | $35K | -21% | 40 |
| Warner Robins | $34K | -22% | 170 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a light truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 48.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new light truck drivers typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,681/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Georgia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for light truck drivers?
Georgia pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do light truck drivers make in Georgia?
The median is $44,050 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,020, and experienced light truck drivers can clear $82,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,955/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 48.5% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 $47,938 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.