Light Truck Drivers Salary
Light Truck Drivers in North Carolina make a median of $39,910 a year, or about $19.19 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $43,071 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 46.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $40K get you in North Carolina?
About light truck drivers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for light truck drivers in North Carolina runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 47.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, North Carolina
Entry-level light truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Light Truck Drivers salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $47K | +17% | 230 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $43K | +7% | 9,560 |
| Asheville | $41K | +3% | 1,430 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $41K | +2% | 1,820 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $41K | +2% | 3,030 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $40K | -0% | 3,800 |
| Greenville | $39K | -1% | 480 |
| Fayetteville | $39K | -2% | 1,050 |
| Wilmington | $39K | -2% | 1,170 |
| Winston-Salem | $38K | -4% | 2,040 |
| Goldsboro | $38K | -4% | 290 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $38K | -5% | 1,220 |
| Burlington | $38K | -5% | 370 |
| Rocky Mount | $37K | -8% | 310 |
| Jacksonville | $32K | -19% | 240 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
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Track light truck drivers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a light truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 47.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new light truck drivers typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,589/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 North Carolina?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $40K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for light truck drivers?
North Carolina pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do light truck drivers make in North Carolina?
The median is $39,910 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,490, and experienced light truck drivers can clear $61,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,693/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 47.7% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $43,071 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.