Light Truck Driver Salary in San Jose, CA
Light Truck Drivers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median $52,100 a year — 16% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $42,190 take-home, or $3,516 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median light truck driver salary in San Jose, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,072
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,230
- Medicare (1.45%)$755
- California income tax$1,175
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$677
- Take-home pay$42,190
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Light Truck Driver pay by experience in San Jose, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,050 | $20.70 | $35,500 | $2,958 |
| 25th percentile | $46,480 | $22.35 | $38,074 | $3,173 |
| Median (50th) | $52,100 | $25.05 | $42,190 | $3,516 |
| 75th percentile | $60,470 | $29.07 | $48,304 | $4,025 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,240 | $40.02 | $62,795 | $5,233 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $52,100 buys in San Jose, CA
Prices in San Jose, CA are 10.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 2.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median light truck driver's $42,190 take-home pay has the buying power of $38,207 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 San Jose, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.62), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for light truck drivers, adjusted for cost of living
San Jose, CA ranks #93 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 |
| 93 | San Jose, CA | $52,100 | $42,190 | $38,207 |
*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 California
- Visalia, CA — $46,720
- Santa Rosa, CA — $49,410
- Chico, CA — $45,990
- Stockton, CA — $46,570
- Santa Cruz, CA — $48,740
- Redding, CA — $44,120
- San Francisco, CA — $50,820
- Sacramento, CA — $46,340
Frequently asked questions
How much does a light truck driver make in San Jose, CA?
The median light truck driver salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $52,100 a year, or about $25.05 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $46,480 and $60,470.
What is a light truck driver’s take-home pay in San Jose, CA?
On the median $52,100 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $42,190 a year ($3,516 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,853 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Jose, CA a good place to work as a light truck driver?
Pay here is 16% above the national median of $44,860. Local prices are 10.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $38,207 would in a typical U.S. city. San Jose, CA ranks #93 of 265 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a light truck driver afford rent in San Jose, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Jose, CA is $2,957 a month ($3,464 for two bedrooms) — 84% of a median light truck driver’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Jose, CA
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector — $87,430
- Bus Drivers, School — $75,230
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $74,240
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $70,730
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $54,440
- Driver/Sales Worker — $51,260
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $50,040
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $47,060
- Parking Attendant — $45,030
- Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendant — $45,020
- Stocker and Order Filler — $44,970
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $43,680