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Salinas, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a light truck driver make in Salinas, CA?

In the Salinas, CA metropolitan area, light truck drivers earned a median of $45,970 a year ($22.10 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 610 of these jobs there. That is 3% below the $47,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,840 and $82,170; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,295 in take-home pay.

Light truck driver pay in Salinas, CA at a glance

Median salary

$45,970$22.10 per hour · $3,831 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,840$17.23/hr
25th percentile$38,610$18.56/hr
75th percentile$60,870$29.27/hr
90th percentile$82,170$39.50/hr
Jobs in this metro610Location quotient 0.52 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here3% belowAll-jobs median $47,380
Against California2% belowStatewide median $46,790
Against the U.S.2% aboveNational 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.

Take-home payWhat $46,000 a year leaves after tax in CaliforniaFederal tax, FICA and California withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$22 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $46,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $46,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation California publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about California.

Light truck driver salary in Salinas, CA after taxes

$45,970
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,970
Net 83%
Fed 7%
CA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,295After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,191Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,473Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,336 / yr
California state income tax$821 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,517 / yr
Customize deductions in full California calculator

Light truck drivers pay range in Salinas, CA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Salinas, CA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What light truck drivers earned in the Salinas, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$17.23/hr$2,987$35,840$30,561
25th percentile$18.56/hr$3,218$38,610$32,676
MedianMedian$22.10/hr$3,831$45,970$38,295
75th percentile$29.27/hr$5,073$60,870$49,397
90th percentile$39.50/hr$6,848$82,170$63,240

Is $45,970 a good salary in Salinas, CA?

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$97,230Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)109.09% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household47.3%of area median income

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

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Light truck drivers pay in other California metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Salinas, CA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Light truck driver pay in Salinas, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for light truck drivers in Salinas, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for light truck drivers in the Salinas, CA metro area was $45,970 in May 2025, about $3,831 a month or $22.10 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $46,790, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for light truck drivers in Salinas, CA?

The median hourly wage for light truck drivers in Salinas, CA was $22.10 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.23 an hour and one in ten earned more than $39.50.

How many light truck drivers work in Salinas, CA?

BLS estimated 610 jobs for light truck drivers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.52 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for light truck drivers in Salinas, CA?

BLS wage estimates for light truck drivers in Salinas, CA run from $35,840 at the 10th percentile to $38,610 at the 25th, $60,870 at the 75th, and $82,170 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do light truck drivers take home after taxes in Salinas, CA?

On a median gross salary of $45,970, an estimated $38,295 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,473 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,675 (an effective rate of 16.7%).

How much do light truck drivers make per month in Salinas, CA?

On the median annual salary of $45,970, gross monthly income is $3,831. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,191 per month (or $1,473 every two weeks).

Is $45,970 a good salary in Salinas, CA?

At $45,970, the median salary for light truck drivers is 47.3% of the Salinas, CA median household income ($97,230). It is 3% below the $47,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 109.0, so prices here run 9% above the U.S. average.