Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a light truck driver make in Hickory-Lenoir, NC?

In the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan area, light truck drivers earned a median of $38,070 a year ($18.30 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,220 of these jobs there. That is 16% below the $45,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $25,940 and $63,270; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,759 in take-home pay.

Light truck driver pay in Hickory-Lenoir, NC at a glance

Median salary

$38,070$18.30 per hour · $3,173 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$25,940$12.47/hr
25th percentile$30,550$14.69/hr
75th percentile$47,420$22.80/hr
90th percentile$63,270$30.42/hr
Jobs in this metro1,220Location quotient 1.25 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here16% belowAll-jobs median $45,220
Against North Carolina5% belowStatewide median $39,910
Against the U.S.15% belowNational median $44,860

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Light truck driver salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC after taxes

$38,070
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,070
Net 83%
Fed 6%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,759After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,647Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,222Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,388 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,010 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,912 / yr

Light truck drivers pay range in Hickory-Lenoir, NC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What light truck drivers earned in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$12.47/hr$2,162$25,940$22,445
25th percentile$14.69/hr$2,546$30,550$26,017
MedianMedian$18.30/hr$3,173$38,070$31,759
75th percentile$22.80/hr$3,952$47,420$38,899
90th percentile$30.42/hr$5,273$63,270$51,002

Is $38,070 a good salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for light truck drivers next to both.

Median household income$62,787Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.511.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household60.6%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Light truck driver pay in Hickory-Lenoir, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for light truck drivers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for light truck drivers in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area was $38,070 in May 2025, about $3,173 a month or $18.30 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $39,910, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for light truck drivers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

The median hourly wage for light truck drivers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was $18.30 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.47 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.42.

How many light truck drivers work in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

BLS estimated 1,220 jobs for light truck drivers in the metro in May 2025, or 7.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.25 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for light truck drivers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

BLS wage estimates for light truck drivers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC run from $25,940 at the 10th percentile to $30,550 at the 25th, $47,420 at the 75th, and $63,270 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do light truck drivers take home after taxes in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

On a median gross salary of $38,070, an estimated $31,759 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,222 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,311 (an effective rate of 16.6%).

How much do light truck drivers make per month in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

On the median annual salary of $38,070, gross monthly income is $3,173. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,647 per month (or $1,222 every two weeks).

Is $38,070 a good salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

At $38,070, the median salary for light truck drivers is 60.6% of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC median household income ($62,787). It is 16% below the $45,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.5, so prices here run 11.5% below the U.S. average.