Truck Driver Salary in Kentucky
Complete 2026 salary data for CDL and non-CDL truck drivers in Kentucky. Compare pay by license type, see cost of living adjustments, and find the highest-paying cities.
CDL-A Avg
$59,870
CDL-B Avg
$44,800
Non-CDL Avg
$48,880
Owner-Op Gross
$195,000
Salary Comparison by License Type
How Kentucky truck driver pay compares across CDL-A, CDL-B, non-CDL, and owner-operator categories.
Cost of Living in Kentucky
Kentucky's cost of living is 10% below the national average. Your salary stretches further here than in most states.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Pay
Nominal CDL-A Salary
$59,870
Adjusted Purchasing Power
$66,522
After adjusting for Kentucky's cost of living index of 90, a CDL-A salary of $59,870 provides the same purchasing power as $66,522 in an average-cost area. This means your money goes further in Kentucky than the raw salary suggests.
Which Kentucky metros pay best?
Our estimate for each of these markets, built from the Kentucky average scaled for metro size. Where two metros show the same number it is because they sit in the same population band — we do not hold data fine-grained enough to separate them, and we would rather say so than invent a difference.
Salary by City in Kentucky
Explore detailed truck driver salary data for individual cities in Kentucky, including cost of living adjustments, top employers, and local market trends.
| City | CDL-A Avg | Cost of Living | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $64,660 | 90 | Rising |
| Lexington | $62,265 | 92 | Stable |
| Paducah | $57,475 | 88 | Stable |
| Bowling Green | $57,475 | 84 | Stable |
Salary Trend in Kentucky
Kentucky trucking pay is rising thanks to the UPS Worldport hub in Louisville (the world's largest automated package handling facility) and Amazon's expanding presence in Northern Kentucky.
Kentucky vs National Average
| Category | KY | National | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDL-A Average | $59,870 | $59,710 | +$160 |
| Cost of Living | 90 | 100 | -10 |
| Adjusted Pay | $66,522 | $59,710 | +$6,812 |
Driving jobs we are recruiting for in Kentucky
Pay on this page is the statewide picture. These are the actual seats we are filling in Kentucky, each with its own pay, home time and requirements.
OTR Dry Van Driver
$55,000 - $78,000/year · Out 2–3 weeks
OTR Reefer Driver
$60,000 - $85,000/year · Out 2–3 weeks
OTR Flatbed Driver
$61,500 - $87,000/year · Out 1–2 weeks
OTR Step Deck Driver
$63,000 - $88,500/year · Out 1–2 weeks
OTR Tanker Driver
$63,500 - $89,500/year · Out 1–2 weeks
OTR Hazmat Driver
$65,000 - $92,000/year · Out 1–2 weeks
OTR Car Hauler Driver
$66,000 - $93,500/year · Out 2–3 weeks
OTR Oversized Driver
$69,500 - $98,000/year · Out 2–3 weeks
Regional Intermodal Driver
$56,000 - $79,500/year · Home weekly
Local Box Truck Driver
$46,500 - $65,500/year · Home daily
Regional Dump Truck Driver
$52,500 - $74,000/year · Home most nights
Local Cement Mixer Driver
$53,000 - $74,500/year · Home daily
OTR Hotshot Driver
$57,500 - $81,000/year · Out 1–2 weeks
Regional Less Than Truckload Driver
$58,500 - $82,500/year · Home weekly
OTR Power Only Driver
$55,000 - $78,000/year · Out 2–3 weeks
Local Straight Truck Driver
$45,000 - $64,000/year · Home daily
Frequently Asked Questions About Trucking Pay in Kentucky
What is the average truck driver salary in Kentucky?
Kentucky CDL-A drivers earn an average of $59,870. Louisville drivers earn the most, driven by UPS Worldport operations and the city's status as a major logistics hub.
How does UPS Worldport affect Kentucky trucking?
UPS Worldport in Louisville is the world's largest automated package sorting facility. It creates thousands of feeder driver and local delivery positions, plus generates demand for regional trucking to connect with distribution centers.
What are Kentucky's unique trucking challenges?
Kentucky requires a KYU (Kentucky Usage) tax for heavy vehicles, has some winding mountain roads in the eastern part of the state, and drivers should be aware of seasonal bourbon barrel hauls which are a unique regional freight.
What does Kentucky pay at your experience level?
- No Experience / Student driver pay in Kentucky
- Entry Level driver pay in Kentucky
- Mid Level driver pay in Kentucky
- Experienced driver pay in Kentucky
- Veteran driver pay in Kentucky