Light Truck Drivers Salary
Light Truck Drivers in West Virginia make a median of $38,860 a year, or about $18.68 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $43,648 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,008/month, about 38% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across West Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in West Virginia?
About light truck drivers
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for light truck drivers in West Virginia runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,008/month, which is 37.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, West Virginia
Entry-level light truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Light Truck Drivers salary by metro in West Virginia
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $43K | +10% | 590 |
| Beckley | $40K | +3% | 260 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna | $39K | +0% | 180 |
| Huntington-Ashland | $38K | -3% | 840 |
| Wheeling | $38K | -3% | 310 |
| Weirton-Steubenville | $37K | -4% | 140 |
| Morgantown | $32K | -17% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track light truck drivers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when West Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a light truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 37.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/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 West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new light truck drivers typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,437/month. At HUD’s $1,008/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 West Virginia?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $39K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for light truck drivers?
West Virginia pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do light truck drivers make in West Virginia?
The median is $38,860 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,950, and experienced light truck drivers can clear $93,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,672/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 37.7% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 $43,648 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.