Light Truck Driver Salary in Austin, TX
Light Truck Drivers in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area earn a median $45,820 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,996 take-home, or $3,250 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median light truck driver salary in Austin, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,318
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,841
- Medicare (1.45%)$664
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$38,996
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Light Truck Driver pay by experience in Austin, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,820 | $14.82 | $26,944 | $2,245 |
| 25th percentile | $36,640 | $17.62 | $31,620 | $2,635 |
| Median (50th) | $45,820 | $22.03 | $38,996 | $3,250 |
| 75th percentile | $52,310 | $25.15 | $44,211 | $3,684 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $92,260 | $44.36 | $73,735 | $6,145 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $45,820 buys in Austin, TX
Prices in Austin, TX are 1.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.20× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median light truck driver's $38,996 take-home pay has the buying power of $39,765 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Light Truck Driver jobs are less concentrated in Austin, TX than nationally (location quotient 0.78), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for light truck drivers, adjusted for cost of living
Austin, TX ranks #49 of 265 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chattanooga, TN | $49,990 | $42,347 | $46,299 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $57,250 | $48,180 | $45,703 |
| 3 | Hagerstown, MD | $53,190 | $42,755 | $45,402 |
| 4 | Memphis, TN | $48,350 | $41,029 | $44,510 |
| 5 | Fargo, ND | $47,170 | $40,081 | $44,108 |
| 6 | Jackson, TN | $43,660 | $37,261 | $43,569 |
| 7 | Decatur, IL | $47,660 | $38,260 | $43,270 |
| 8 | St. Cloud, MN | $46,330 | $37,746 | $43,073 |
| 49 | Austin, TX | $45,820 | $38,996 | $39,765 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 265 metros →
Light Truck Driver salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Midland, TX — $47,330
- Killeen, TX — $44,750
- Texarkana, TX — $38,800
- Waco, TX — $42,640
- Corpus Christi, TX — $41,880
- Odessa, TX — $42,160
- Houston, TX — $43,920
- San Antonio, TX — $41,600
Frequently asked questions
How much does a light truck driver make in Austin, TX?
The median light truck driver salary in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area is $45,820 a year, or about $22.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,640 and $52,310.
What is a light truck driver’s take-home pay in Austin, TX?
On the median $45,820 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $38,996 a year ($3,250 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Austin, TX a good place to work as a light truck driver?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $44,860. Local prices are 1.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $39,765 would in a typical U.S. city. Austin, TX ranks #49 of 265 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a light truck driver afford rent in Austin, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Austin, TX is $1,562 a month ($1,852 for two bedrooms) — 48% of a median light truck driver’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Austin, TX
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $61,920
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $57,110
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector — $49,560
- Bus Drivers, School — $46,910
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $46,860
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,430
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $38,530
- Stocker and Order Filler — $37,720
- Driver/Sales Worker — $37,220
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $36,560
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $35,490
- Parking Attendant — $33,970