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Skilled Trades

Light Truck Drivers

Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle.

Median salary (BLS)

$44,860

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$31k – $80k

Job outlook

+7% (faster than average)

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Light Truck Drivers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Light Truck Drivers

    Entry / Junior

    $30,800

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Light Truck Drivers

    Established

    $44,860

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Light Truck Drivers

    Senior

    $62,585

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
  • •Report any mechanical problems encountered with vehicles.
  • •Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
  • •Inspect and maintain vehicle supplies and equipment, such as gas, oil, water, tires, lights, or brakes, to ensure that vehicles are in proper working condition.
  • •Read maps and follow written or verbal geographic directions.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.