How much does a vehicle driver make?
a year · about $18 an hour
A typical vehicle driver in the United States makes $37,180 a year, about $18 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
This broad U.S. job group can include a street-sweeper driver: they inspect the vehicle, follow a route, sweep streets, then dump debris and clean the machine. Others may deliver by motorcycle or drive an ice resurfacer.
Did you know? Some U.S. vehicle drivers in this job work on ice, not roads: resurfacer operators shave the rink, collect ice shavings, and spread fresh ice-making water.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $26,540 and $66,500How do you become one?
In the U.S., finish high school or earn a GED, get a driver's license, and apply for an operator job; some employers want experience. Train on the assigned vehicle, and get a CDL and pass its tests if that vehicle requires one.
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience, a CDL, and skill with a special machine can affect a vehicle driver's pay. Pay also varies by employer and location; night, weekend, or overtime work may bring extra pay.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in District of Columbia ($69,870), lowest in Indiana ($26,920).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
In Japan, a driver averages $28,757. Vehicle driver salary in Japan
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $26,540 | $37,180 | $66,500 | about 47,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $69,870 | about 980 |
| New Jersey | $50,680 | about 2,000 |
| California | $45,050 | about 4,000 |
| Illinois | $44,810 | about 840 |
| Montana | $41,860 | about 670 |
Official definition: All motor vehicle operators not listed separately.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- live.laborstats.alaska.gov/soc-codes?field_soc_broad_major_group_target_id=359
- www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license
- www.tpcg.org/jobs/2690
- zamboni.com/about/how-it-works/
- personnel.lacity.org/jobs/openings/index.cfm?job_id=9701
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY