50 Comparisons
Compare Trucking Jobs by State
Side-by-side salary data, cost of living, tax implications, and job availability for the most popular state comparison pairs. Make an informed decision about where to build your trucking career.
50
State Pairs
50
States Covered
150+
FAQs Answered
2026
Data Updated
All State-by-State Comparisons
Each comparison includes salary ranges, cost of living index, income tax rates, top employers, freight routes, CDL requirements, and frequently asked questions. Click any pair below to view the full side-by-side breakdown.
TXvsCA
Texas vs California
Avg Salary$65,000 / $70,000
COL Index92 / 142
Income TaxNone / CA
CA higher payTX lower COLTX no tax
TXvsFL
Texas vs Florida
Avg Salary$65,000 / $60,000
COL Index92 / 103
Income TaxNone / None
TX higher payTX lower COLTX no taxFL no tax
CAvsNY
California vs New York
Avg Salary$70,000 / $67,000
COL Index142 / 140
Income TaxCA / NY
CA higher payNY lower COL
FLvsGA
Florida vs Georgia
Avg Salary$60,000 / $61,000
COL Index103 / 93
Income TaxNone / GA
GA higher payGA lower COLFL no tax
TXvsGA
Texas vs Georgia
Avg Salary$65,000 / $61,000
COL Index92 / 93
Income TaxNone / GA
TX higher payTX lower COLTX no tax
TXvsOK
Texas vs Oklahoma
Avg Salary$65,000 / $58,000
COL Index92 / 86
Income TaxNone / OK
TX higher payOK lower COLTX no tax
TXvsLA
Texas vs Louisiana
Avg Salary$65,000 / $60,000
COL Index92 / 91
Income TaxNone / LA
TX higher payLA lower COLTX no tax
CAvsAZ
California vs Arizona
Avg Salary$70,000 / $63,000
COL Index142 / 103
Income TaxCA / AZ
CA higher payAZ lower COL
CAvsWA
California vs Washington
Avg Salary$70,000 / $69,000
COL Index142 / 115
Income TaxCA / None
CA higher payWA lower COLWA no tax
FLvsNC
Florida vs North Carolina
Avg Salary$60,000 / $60,000
COL Index103 / 94
Income TaxNone / NC
NC lower COLFL no tax
ILvsIN
Illinois vs Indiana
Avg Salary$66,000 / $62,000
COL Index97 / 89
Income TaxIL / IN
IL higher payIN lower COL
ILvsOH
Illinois vs Ohio
Avg Salary$66,000 / $63,000
COL Index97 / 90
Income TaxIL / OH
IL higher payOH lower COL
PAvsNJ
Pennsylvania vs New Jersey
Avg Salary$66,000 / $70,000
COL Index101 / 130
Income TaxPA / NJ
NJ higher payPA lower COL
PAvsOH
Pennsylvania vs Ohio
Avg Salary$66,000 / $63,000
COL Index101 / 90
Income TaxPA / OH
PA higher payOH lower COL
GAvsNC
Georgia vs North Carolina
Avg Salary$61,000 / $60,000
COL Index93 / 94
Income TaxGA / NC
GA higher payGA lower COL
GAvsTN
Georgia vs Tennessee
Avg Salary$61,000 / $61,000
COL Index93 / 90
Income TaxGA / None
TN lower COLTN no tax
OHvsMI
Ohio vs Michigan
Avg Salary$63,000 / $63,000
COL Index90 / 91
Income TaxOH / MI
OH lower COL
OHvsIN
Ohio vs Indiana
Avg Salary$63,000 / $62,000
COL Index90 / 89
Income TaxOH / IN
OH higher payIN lower COL
TNvsKY
Tennessee vs Kentucky
Avg Salary$61,000 / $60,000
COL Index90 / 87
Income TaxNone / KY
TN higher payKY lower COLTN no tax
TNvsAL
Tennessee vs Alabama
Avg Salary$61,000 / $57,000
COL Index90 / 87
Income TaxNone / AL
TN higher payAL lower COLTN no tax
VAvsNC
Virginia vs North Carolina
Avg Salary$64,000 / $60,000
COL Index104 / 94
Income TaxVA / NC
VA higher payNC lower COL
TXvsIL
Texas vs Illinois
Avg Salary$65,000 / $66,000
COL Index92 / 97
Income TaxNone / IL
IL higher payTX lower COLTX no tax
CAvsNV
California vs Nevada
Avg Salary$70,000 / $63,000
COL Index142 / 104
Income TaxCA / None
CA higher payNV lower COLNV no tax
FLvsTX
Florida vs Texas
Avg Salary$60,000 / $65,000
COL Index103 / 92
Income TaxNone / None
TX higher payTX lower COLFL no taxTX no tax
NYvsNJ
New York vs New Jersey
Avg Salary$67,000 / $70,000
COL Index140 / 130
Income TaxNY / NJ
NJ higher payNJ lower COL
TXvsCO
Texas vs Colorado
Avg Salary$65,000 / $65,000
COL Index92 / 105
Income TaxNone / CO
TX lower COLTX no tax
OHvsPA
Ohio vs Pennsylvania
Avg Salary$63,000 / $66,000
COL Index90 / 101
Income TaxOH / PA
PA higher payOH lower COL
MIvsWI
Michigan vs Wisconsin
Avg Salary$63,000 / $63,000
COL Index91 / 93
Income TaxMI / WI
MI lower COL
MOvsKS
Missouri vs Kansas
Avg Salary$61,000 / $57,000
COL Index88 / 86
Income TaxMO / KS
MO higher payKS lower COL
WAvsOR
Washington vs Oregon
Avg Salary$69,000 / $65,000
COL Index115 / 113
Income TaxNone / OR
WA higher payOR lower COLWA no tax
COvsUT
Colorado vs Utah
Avg Salary$65,000 / $63,000
COL Index105 / 101
Income TaxCO / UT
CO higher payUT lower COL
TXvsNY
Texas vs New York
Avg Salary$65,000 / $67,000
COL Index92 / 140
Income TaxNone / NY
NY higher payTX lower COLTX no tax
FLvsVA
Florida vs Virginia
Avg Salary$60,000 / $64,000
COL Index103 / 104
Income TaxNone / VA
VA higher payFL lower COLFL no tax
GAvsSC
Georgia vs South Carolina
Avg Salary$61,000 / $58,000
COL Index93 / 91
Income TaxGA / SC
GA higher paySC lower COL
MNvsWI
Minnesota vs Wisconsin
Avg Salary$63,000 / $63,000
COL Index98 / 93
Income TaxMN / WI
WI lower COL
VAvsMD
Virginia vs Maryland
Avg Salary$64,000 / $65,000
COL Index104 / 118
Income TaxVA / MD
MD higher payVA lower COL
AZvsNV
Arizona vs Nevada
Avg Salary$63,000 / $63,000
COL Index103 / 104
Income TaxAZ / None
AZ lower COLNV no tax
CAvsTX
California vs Texas
Avg Salary$70,000 / $65,000
COL Index142 / 92
Income TaxCA / None
CA higher payTX lower COLTX no tax
NCvsSC
North Carolina vs South Carolina
Avg Salary$60,000 / $58,000
COL Index94 / 91
Income TaxNC / SC
NC higher paySC lower COL
INvsKY
Indiana vs Kentucky
Avg Salary$62,000 / $60,000
COL Index89 / 87
Income TaxIN / KY
IN higher payKY lower COL
TXvsTN
Texas vs Tennessee
Avg Salary$65,000 / $61,000
COL Index92 / 90
Income TaxNone / None
TX higher payTN lower COLTX no taxTN no tax
AZvsCO
Arizona vs Colorado
Avg Salary$63,000 / $65,000
COL Index103 / 105
Income TaxAZ / CO
CO higher payAZ lower COL
GAvsFL
Georgia vs Florida
Avg Salary$61,000 / $60,000
COL Index93 / 103
Income TaxGA / None
GA higher payGA lower COLFL no tax
COvsWY
Colorado vs Wyoming
Avg Salary$65,000 / $62,000
COL Index105 / 93
Income TaxCO / None
CO higher payWY lower COLWY no tax
ILvsMO
Illinois vs Missouri
Avg Salary$66,000 / $61,000
COL Index97 / 88
Income TaxIL / MO
IL higher payMO lower COL
LAvsMS
Louisiana vs Mississippi
Avg Salary$60,000 / $53,000
COL Index91 / 84
Income TaxLA / MS
LA higher payMS lower COL
NEvsIA
Nebraska vs Iowa
Avg Salary$59,000 / $59,000
COL Index90 / 88
Income TaxNE / IA
IA lower COL
NDvsSD
North Dakota vs South Dakota
Avg Salary$65,000 / $59,000
COL Index92 / 88
Income TaxND / None
ND higher paySD lower COLSD no tax
NYvsPA
New York vs Pennsylvania
Avg Salary$67,000 / $66,000
COL Index140 / 101
Income TaxNY / PA
NY higher payPA lower COL
MIvsIN
Michigan vs Indiana
Avg Salary$63,000 / $62,000
COL Index91 / 89
Income TaxMI / IN
MI higher payIN lower COL
KYvsWV
Kentucky vs West Virginia
Avg Salary$60,000 / $56,000
COL Index87 / 84
Income TaxKY / WV
KY higher payWV lower COL
ALvsMS
Alabama vs Mississippi
Avg Salary$57,000 / $53,000
COL Index87 / 84
Income TaxAL / MS
AL higher payMS lower COL
IDvsMT
Idaho vs Montana
Avg Salary$60,000 / $60,000
COL Index98 / 96
Income TaxID / MT
MT lower COL
NYvsFL
New York vs Florida
Avg Salary$67,000 / $60,000
COL Index140 / 103
Income TaxNY / None
NY higher payFL lower COLFL no tax
TXvsAZ
Texas vs Arizona
Avg Salary$65,000 / $63,000
COL Index92 / 103
Income TaxNone / AZ
TX higher payTX lower COLTX no tax
FLvsSC
Florida vs South Carolina
Avg Salary$60,000 / $58,000
COL Index103 / 91
Income TaxNone / SC
FL higher paySC lower COLFL no tax
How We Compare States
Salary Data
Average, minimum, and maximum CDL driver salaries sourced from BLS and industry surveys. Adjusted for experience level and haul type.
Cost of Living
Index based on housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare costs. National average = 100.
Tax Analysis
State income tax rates, brackets, and effective rates for typical trucking income levels. Seven states have no income tax on wages.
Job Availability
Estimated annual CDL openings based on BLS projections, carrier hiring data, and state employment commission reports.
Freight Routes
Key interstate corridors, port access, intermodal connections, and cross-border trade lanes that drive freight demand.
Driving Conditions
Weather patterns, terrain challenges, seasonal hazards, and infrastructure quality that affect daily driving operations.
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