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Ranked CDL Schools in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington for 2026

A named Puget Sound comparison covering Auburn, Lakewood, Tacoma, Fife, and Milton, with each city kept on its original address.

Edited by Taylor Rupe, Founder & Editor Last updated

Ranking basis

Six planning factors

See the comparison method
Schools ranked
5
locations in the comparison
Registry source date
Aug. 5
2026 TPR data
WA driver median
$64,760
BLS May 2025

How We Ranked CDL Schools in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington for 2026

CDL schools in Seattle and Tacoma are best compared as a clearly defined regional market because major training locations cluster south in Auburn and the Tacoma area. This page keeps Auburn, Lakewood, Tacoma, Fife, and Milton on their original addresses.

For CDL schools in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington’s 160-hour Class A baseline makes timing easier to compare. The largest differences here are complete price, manual versus automatic equipment, day versus evening calendars, and the exact public funding record attached to a campus.

An applicant starting from zero can follow the Puget Sound CDL career roadmap before selecting a campus. Compare Seattle-Tacoma courses with the Class A course planning guide and the work you intend to pursue.

2026 comparison

Ranked CDL schools in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington

Equal scores share a rank. Tied providers are ordered alphabetically.

Every ranked school has full Class A theory, range, and public-road registration at the listed location.

Rank

#1

Info score

85/100

Auburn, WA

Commercial Driver School - Auburn

2141 West Valley Highway N, Building A, Auburn, WA 98001

Tulip LLC, owned by Victor and Petra Ratz, operates Commercial Driver School’s Auburn campus at 2141 West Valley Highway N. Its exact-campus Class A program runs 160 hours over four weeks and divides time among classroom, range and observation, street driving, backing, and proficiency work. Auburn’s current calendar is a weekday daytime route from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Students should compare the complete $6,954.98 listed cost, not tuition alone, because required fees add $1,509.98.

Class BPassengerSchool busHazMat · theory
Published price
$6,954.98 complete listed total: $5,445 tuition plus $1,509.98 in required fees
Hours / credits
160 hours
Program length
4 weeks

Why 85/100: 85/100 reflects program-specific class a source (+20), published class a price (+25), published class a hours or credit load (+15), published class a duration (+15), and sourced funding route (+10).

See all six scoring factors
Sources for this school:Career Bridge Auburn Class A recordCommercial Driver School scheduleCareer Bridge institution record
See school details in WashingtonView program details for Commercial Driver School Auburn

Rank

#1

Info score

85/100

Lakewood, WA

Commercial Driver School - Lakewood

11000 34th Avenue S, Lakewood, WA 98499

Tulip LLC operates Commercial Driver School’s Lakewood campus at 11000 34th Avenue S. Students can choose a 160-hour Class A course or a 110-hour Class B bus route that includes passenger and school-bus preparation. The campus publishes both weekday day and evening cohorts. Its strongest distinction is the bus-specific Class B option, which uses automatic equipment and has its own permit and test prerequisites. Career Bridge lists complete totals of $6,943.33 for Class A and $5,622 for Class B bus training.

Class BPassengerSchool busHazMat · theory
Published price
$6,943.33 complete listed total: $5,445 tuition plus $1,498.33 in required fees
Hours / credits
160 hours
Program length
4 weeks

Why 85/100: 85/100 reflects program-specific class a source (+20), published class a price (+25), published class a hours or credit load (+15), published class a duration (+15), and sourced funding route (+10).

See all six scoring factors
Sources for this school:Career Bridge Lakewood Class A recordCareer Bridge Lakewood Class B recordCommercial Driver School schedule
See school details in WashingtonView program details for Commercial Driver School Lakewood

Rank

#1

Info score

85/100

Milton, WA

National Standard Trucking School

7402 Pacific Highway E, Milton, WA 98354

National Standard Trucking School is a private Milton career school that markets its 7402 Pacific Highway E campus as serving Tacoma. It offers 160-hour manual and automatic Class A programs, an 80-hour Class B course, and a Class B-to-A upgrade. Manual training avoids the automatic restriction, while the automatic track lists a lower tuition. The school and Career Bridge publish different Class B calendars, so the useful next step is to obtain the intended cohort’s schedule in writing before choosing between full-time and evening formats.

Class BPassenger
Published price
$4,675 Career Bridge total: $4,500 tuition, $100 required fees, and $75 books
Hours / credits
160 hours
Program length
4 weeks full time

Why 85/100: 85/100 reflects program-specific class a source (+20), published class a price (+25), published class a hours or credit load (+15), published class a duration (+15), and sourced funding route (+10).

See all six scoring factors
Sources for this school:National Standard scheduleCareer Bridge manual Class A record
See school details in WashingtonView program details for National Standard Trucking School

Rank

#1

Info score

85/100

Fife, WA

New Sound CDL School

7495 26th Street E, Unit C, Fife, WA 98424

Independent New Sound CDL School operates from 7495 26th Street E in Fife. The campus offers manual and automatic Class A routes plus Class B training, with full-time and part-time schedules. Its most important distinction is equipment choice: the manual course preserves access to manual-transmission work, while automatic testing carries the corresponding restriction. New Sound advertises four-week full-time and six-week part-time Class A calendars. Students should use the signed agreement because the school and Career Bridge publish different totals.

Class BPassenger
Published price
$4,975 school-advertised tuition
Program length
4 weeks full time or 6 weeks part time
Schedule
Full-time weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; part-time morning, afternoon, and evening blocks are published.

Why 85/100: 85/100 reflects program-specific class a source (+20), published class a price (+25), published class a duration (+15), published class a schedule (+15), and sourced funding route (+10).

See all six scoring factors
Sources for this school:New Sound manual Class A programNew Sound Class A scheduleNew Sound Class B program
See school details in WashingtonView program details for New Sound CDL School

Rank

#5

Info score

75/100

Tacoma, WA

Tacoma Truck School LLC

10116 Pacific Avenue S, Tacoma, WA 98444

Tacoma Truck School is a private career school operating from its current 10116 Pacific Avenue S address. The campus offers a four-week Class A course with 40 classroom hours and 120 field hours, plus an 80-hour Class B route. Career Bridge publishes complete cost components for both programs, which makes tuition, screening, tax, and licensing easier to budget together. The address requires attention because the August 2026 FMCSA record still uses 10200 Pacific Avenue, so students should confirm the entrance before arrival.

Class B
Published price
$5,204 complete total, including $4,200 tuition, $100 books, $399 sales tax, $167 for the DOT physical and drug screen, and $338 in licensing fees
Hours / credits
160 hours
Program length
4 weeks

Why 75/100: 75/100 reflects program-specific class a source (+20), published class a price (+25), published class a hours or credit load (+15), and published class a duration (+15).

See all six scoring factors
Sources for this school:Career Bridge Class A recordCareer Bridge Class B record
See school details in WashingtonView program details for Tacoma Truck School

Before enrollment

How to Choose a CDL School in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington

If schools quote different equipment options, read the automatic-test restriction guide before deciding where to test. Use the 160-hour program timeline guide to build a realistic licensing calendar.

01

Budget for the complete total

Before comparing CDL schools in Seattle and Tacoma, add the tuition, books, tax, screening, licensing, and every other required amount published by Career Bridge.

02

Choose manual or automatic

Several Puget Sound schools publish separate prices. Ask which vehicle is used for training and testing and how it affects restrictions.

03

Do not assume Seattle proximity

The provider address controls the commute. Check the trip to Auburn, Lakewood, Tacoma, Fife, or Milton at the actual class time.

How Much Do Truck Drivers Make in Washington?

BLS estimated a $64,760 median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Washington in May 2025. The state estimate covers wage-and-salary workers across experience levels and excludes self-employed workers. It is context for comparing a career path, not a school outcome or entry-level offer. Because this figure covers the state rather than one city, use the Washington truck driver salary entry as broad job-market context for Seattle-Tacoma, Washington.

$64,760

state median annual wage

View BLS source

Questions about CDL schools in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington

Why are CDL schools in Seattle and Tacoma listed in other cities?
The region’s published training supply clusters south of Seattle. The page defines a Seattle-Tacoma market but preserves each provider’s real city.
What is the complete Tacoma Truck School price?
Washington Career Bridge publishes a $5,204 complete total, including tuition, books, sales tax, screening, and licensing amounts.
Can I attend Washington CDL school at night?
Several listed providers publish evening or part-time formats. Confirm the current start date, weekly hours, and total calendar with the exact campus.

Official Sources for CDL Schools in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington

Provider registration checked against FMCSA Training Provider Registry data dated 2026-08-05. Prices and schedules should be confirmed for the intended cohort.