Updated November 2026
CDL Driver Salary in Madison, Wisconsin (November 2026)
Madison, Wisconsin CDL drivers average $2,520 per week, median $2,000, as of November 2026. Pay varies meaningfully by hiring type — the breakdown by W2, owner-op, and 1099 is below. Based on 1,519 active CDL postings in Lanefinder's index. 31% of postings include a sign-on bonus, averaging $1,957. Madison sits at the I-90 / I-94 junction in south-central Wisconsin, with large-scale dairy and food processing, university institutional procurement, and manufacturing distribution for the I-90 / I-94 corridor.
What changed in November 2026
- average weekly pay fell by 3.2% ($2,604 → $2,520).
How Madison, Wisconsin compares to Wisconsin
| Madison, Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $2,520 | $2,159 | +17% |
| Take-truck-home | 88% | 81% | +7 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 71% | 64% | +7 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 68% | 62% | +6 pt |
| OTR (long-haul) routes | 88% | 75% | +13 pt |
| Local routes | 1% | 7% | -6 pt |
| Regional routes | 11% | 16% | -5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Madison, Wisconsin sits 17% above the Wisconsin baseline.
What CDL drivers are earning across Madison, Wisconsin
Across active CDL postings in Madison, Wisconsin 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) | $2,335 | $2,150 | 694 |
| Company Driver (W2) | $1,563 | $1,512 | 479 |
| Owner Operator | $7,213 | $7,500 | 346 |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
How drivers spend their time on the road in Madison, Wisconsin
The route mix in Madison, Wisconsin this month tilts OTR: 11% regional, 88% OTR, 1% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Madison, Wisconsin postings; dedicated routes at 28%; take-truck-home at 88%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 71% and riders-allowed at 68%.
Driving CDL in Madison
Madison anchors south-central Wisconsin at the I-90 / I-94 / I-39 cross. State government supply chains, University of Wisconsin distribution, and biotech / pharma freight carry most of the dispatch volume. Cost of living is below the national average. Winter is severe; lake-effect snow doesn't reach here but ice and sub-zero stretches do.
Driving CDL in Wisconsin
Wisconsin freight moves on I-90 / I-94 through Milwaukee and Madison. Dairy and food processing are dominant outbound commodities — Wisconsin's reefer freight is a national-scale segment. Paper and packaging manufacturing in the Fox River Valley generates consistent industrial loads. Great Lakes ports at Green Bay and Superior handle bulk cargo. Cost of living is moderate. Wisconsin has a high graduated state income tax. Winter is severe — lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan affects the eastern third of the state; ice and salt corrosion eat equipment faster than southern states.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Madison, Wisconsin
- Best owner-operator companies in Madison, Wisconsin
- CDL driver salary in Wisconsin
How we compile these rankings
Compensation (30%): pay percentile + sign-on bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement frequency. FMCSA safety (25%): weighted percentile across vehicle maintenance, unsafe driving, hours-of-service, driver fitness, and controlled substances. Benefits (25%): hiring-type-aware. Operational (20%): driver-application responsiveness, modulated by fleet scale. Updated November 2026.