Key findings
- Median lowest stated price: $4,500. Half of schools fell between $3,500 and $5,500.
- Range: $654 to $12,200 — a 19× spread for the same federal ELDT-based license.
- 136 of 183 schools confirmed they accept WIOA or state workforce funding; 33 confirmed GI Bill / VA benefits.
How prices are distributed
| Lowest stated price | Schools | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $3,000 | 26 | 14% |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 34 | 19% |
| $4,000–$4,999 | 61 | 34% |
| $5,000–$5,999 | 33 | 18% |
| $6,000 and up | 28 | 15% |
By state
States with at least 4 verified schools, cheapest median first.
| State | Schools | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 11 | $3,000 | $1,800 – $6,250 |
| Alabama | 4 | $3,445 | $3,000 – $4,500 |
| Illinois | 4 | $3,750 | $2,300 – $5,751 |
| Tennessee | 5 | $4,000 | $3,900 – $6,500 |
| Washington | 6 | $4,250 | $3,500 – $5,975 |
| Texas | 94 | $4,500 | $1,200 – $12,200 |
| Indiana | 5 | $4,995 | $2,995 – $6,495 |
| Kentucky | 6 | $4,998 | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| Florida | 4 | $5,722 | $3,200 – $7,500 |
Lowest stated Class A prices
Price shown exactly as the school stated it. Always confirm what's included (permit, DOT physical, skills-test fees).
| School | Location | Stated price | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Community College | Omaha, NE | $654.50-$1,073.50 | 2026-07-28 |
| Guilford Technical Community College | Greensboro, NC | $1,172 | 2026-08-08 |
| Clarendon College | Pampa, TX | $1,200 | 2026-01-14 |
| ON THE GO TRUCKING CENTER LLC | Baltimore, MD | $1,700 | 2026-08-04 |
| Central Valley Trucking School | Fresno, CA | $1,800-$2,000 | 2026-07-21 |
| AAA CDL SCHOOL, LLC | Houston, TX | $1,800-$4,700 | 2026-08-04 |
| Lone Star Truck Driving Academy - Dallas | Dallas, TX | $1,800 | 2026-01-14 |
| Akal Truck Driving School, LLC | Stockton, CA | $2,000-$3,500 | 2026-07-22 |
| A&J Truck Driving School | Fresno, CA | $2,000 | 2026-08-04 |
| Winsor Inc | Linden, NJ | $2,250-$5,750 | 2026-08-31 |
| Albany Technical College | Albany, GA | $2,266 | 2026-08-08 |
| Katlaw Truck Driving Schools | Austell, GA | $2,295 | 2026-07-11 |
Methodology
- Source. Prices come from the schools themselves (email replies and tuition sheets) and from state workforce eligible-training-provider lists, each matched by name and city to an FMCSA Training Provider Registry record.
- One number per school. Where a school quoted several prices (automatic vs manual, cash vs financed), we use the lowest Class A price it stated. Down payments and hourly rates are excluded; free state-run programs are counted separately.
- Sample limits. This is the set of schools that told us a price, not a random national sample. Texas contributes 94 of 182 schools because its state workforce list publishes tuition. State medians appear only where we hold 4+ schools.
- What's not here. We don't publish pass rates, job-placement figures, or reviews we can't verify.
Cite this report
Free to cite or republish the figures with a link to this page:
CompareCDL, “CDL School Tuition Report 2026,” https://comparecdl.com/cdl-tuition-report/