Updated November 2026
CDL Driver Salary in Virginia Beach, Virginia (November 2026)
Virginia Beach, Virginia CDL drivers: $2,700 average weekly pay, $2,100 median (November 2026). Based on 1,362 active CDL postings in Lanefinder's index. 30% of postings include a sign-on bonus, averaging $1,930. Virginia Beach is part of the Hampton Roads metro with access to the Port of Virginia and NAS Oceana military logistics, with I-264 / I-64 connecting to the I-95 corridor and regional retail and food-service distribution.
What changed in November 2026
- average weekly pay fell by 5.5% ($2,858 → $2,700).
- median weekly pay fell by 2.3% ($2,150 → $2,100).
- average sign-on bonus rose by 1.7% ($1,897 → $1,930).
How Virginia Beach, Virginia compares to Virginia
| Virginia Beach, Virginia | Virginia | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $2,700 | $2,275 | +19% |
| Take-truck-home | 89% | 83% | +6 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 71% | 65% | +6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 69% | 63% | +6 pt |
| OTR (long-haul) routes | 88% | 77% | +11 pt |
| Regional routes | 11% | 18% | -7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Virginia Beach, Virginia sits 19% above the Virginia baseline.
Virginia Beach, Virginia CDL salary by hiring type
Across active CDL postings in Virginia Beach, Virginia 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) | $2,282 | $2,100 | 649 |
| Company Driver (W2) | $1,634 | $1,600 | 385 |
| Owner Operator | $7,273 | $7,500 | 328 |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
What Virginia Beach, Virginia drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in Virginia Beach, Virginia this month, 11% are regional and 88% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 1%.
Across Virginia Beach, Virginia CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 28% dedicated, 89% take-truck-home, 71% pet-friendly, 69% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is part of the Hampton Roads metro — military logistics (Naval Air Station Oceana, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek), tourism, and distribution to the Eastern Shore drive freight. Hurricane season affects operations. Cost of living is moderate. Bay Bridge-Tunnel connects to the Eastern Shore.
Driving CDL in Virginia
Virginia freight is anchored by the Port of Virginia at Norfolk and Hampton Roads — the deepest commercial harbor on the East Coast and a top-tier US container gateway. The I-95 / I-64 / I-81 truck corridors connect Norfolk to mid-Atlantic and Southeast markets, with I-81 north-south through the Shenandoah Valley a major regional freight spine. Cost of living varies widely (high in Northern Virginia, moderate elsewhere). Virginia has a moderate graduated state income tax. Northern Virginia (DC suburbs) congestion is consistently top-tier; central and western VA is generally easier driving.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Best owner-operator companies in Virginia Beach, Virginia
- CDL driver salary in Virginia
Where this data comes from
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.