Updated November 2026
CDL Driver Salary in Cambridge, Massachusetts (November 2026)
Cambridge, Massachusetts CDL drivers average $2,867 per week, median $2,150, as of November 2026. Pay varies meaningfully by hiring type — the breakdown by W2, owner-op, and 1099 is below. Based on 1,163 active CDL postings in Lanefinder's index. 31% of postings include a sign-on bonus, averaging $1,969. Massachusetts freight runs on the I-90 / I-93 / I-95 metro grid through Boston, with Port of Boston handling bulk and container cargo and the nation's largest life-sciences cluster generating cold-chain and hazmat lanes.
What changed in November 2026
No major rank changes this month — the top carriers have held their positions since October 2026.
How Cambridge, Massachusetts compares to Massachusetts
| Cambridge, Massachusetts | Massachusetts | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $2,867 | $2,572 | +11% |
| OTR (long-haul) routes | 88% | 83% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Cambridge, Massachusetts's biggest divergence from Massachusetts is on average weekly pay, 11% above the state baseline.
How CDL pay breaks down in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Across active CDL postings in Cambridge, Massachusetts this month, pay varies meaningfully by hiring type. The breakdown below shows the average and median weekly pay for each.
| Hiring type | Avg/wk | Median/wk | Active postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Contractor (1099) | $2,357 | $2,150 | 534 |
| Company Driver (W2) | $1,604 | $1,600 | 334 |
| Owner Operator | $7,366 | $7,500 | 295 |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
How drivers spend their time on the road in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Of active CDL postings in Cambridge, Massachusetts this month, 10% are regional and 88% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 2%.
Across Cambridge, Massachusetts CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 29% dedicated, 86% take-truck-home, 68% pet-friendly, 66% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Massachusetts
Massachusetts freight runs on the I-90 / I-93 / I-95 grid through Boston, with the Port of Boston handling bulk and container cargo. A dense biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturing cluster around Cambridge / Boston / Worcester requires cold-chain and hazmat-eligible lanes. The Big Dig tunnels have truck-height and hazmat restrictions worth checking before routing. Boston congestion is a recurring truck bottleneck. Cost of living is among the highest nationally. Massachusetts has a moderate flat state income tax with an added surtax on very high incomes (not relevant for most drivers).
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Best owner-operator companies in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- CDL driver salary in Massachusetts
The methodology behind the rankings
Compensation is the largest single weight at 30% — pay percentile, sign-on bonus, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement cadence. FMCSA safety contributes 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions with unsafe-driving and hours-of-service weighted 2× heavier. Benefits contribute 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator and 1099 carriers. Operational performance — application responsiveness and fleet scale — contributes 20%. Updated November 2026.