Light Truck Drivers Salary
Light Truck Drivers in Salem, OR make a median of $46,330 a year, or about $22.27 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.65), that's roughly $44,699 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,560/month, about 48.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Salem?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salem’s Regional Price Parity (103.65). 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 Salem
Light truck drivers pay in Salem tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,560/month, which is 52.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.65) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for light truck drivers in metros near Salem, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $48K | $45K |
| Eugene-Springfield | $45K | $44K |
| Medford | $46K | $45K |
| Bend | $46K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salem, OR
Entry-level light truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $32K 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 Salem?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 52.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,560/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 Salem?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new light truck drivers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,224/month. At HUD’s $1,560/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Salem?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Salem compare to the national average for light truck drivers?
Salem pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do light truck drivers make in Salem, OR?
The median is $46,330 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,070, and experienced light truck drivers can clear $69,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Salem?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,978/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,560/month, which eats 52.4% 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 Salem?
Salem has a Regional Price Parity of 103.65 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median light truck drivers salary is worth about $44,699 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.