National » Transportation and Material Moving » Motor Vehicle Operators

Motor Vehicle Operator Salary in U.S.

The salary statistics of motor vehicle operators are shown in Table 1. The average hourly salary of motor vehicle operators in the United States is shown in Table 2. In the next few tables we compare the average salaries of motor vehicle operators within different industry sectors and in the 50 states of the United States. The motor vehicle operators annual salary statistics are from the national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022 and published in April 2023 [1].

Table 1. Motor Vehicle Operator Salary in U.S. (2022 survey)

Percentile BracketAverage Annual Salary
10th Percentile Wage
$27,040
25th Percentile Wage
$35,360
50th Percentile Wage
$45,460
75th Percentile Wage
$57,190
90th Percentile Wage
$70,570

Table 1 shows the average annual salary for motor vehicle operators. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) motor vehicle operators is $70,570. The median annual salary (50th percentile) is $45,460. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $27,040. We note that in the United States, the annual salary of the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) is almost 160% higher than that of the bottom 10 percent.

Median salary trend (2012 to 2022)

The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of motor vehicle operators from 2012 to 2022.

YearMedian SalaryYearly Growth10-Year Growth
2022
$45,460
6.14% 27.85%
2021
$42,670
4.85% -
2020
$40,600
5.05% -
2019
$38,550
3.68% -
2018
$37,130
3.29% -
2017
$35,910
2.59% -
2016
$34,980
2.32% -
2015
$34,170
1.70% -
2014
$33,590
1.73% -
2013
$33,010
0.64% -
2012
$32,800
- -

Table 2. Motor Vehicle Operator Salary by Industry Sector (2022 survey)

The average salaries of motor vehicle operators in 20 major industry sectors are shown in Table 2. We note that the salaries vary considerably within different industry sectors. The highest paying industry sector for motor vehicle operators occupations is the finance and insurance sector with an annual salary $66,400. The lowest paying sector is the accommodation and food services sector (annual salary $27,040).

Industry Sector Median Annual Salary
Finance and Insurance
$66,400
Federal, State, and Local Government
$50,870
Utilities
$49,090
Transportation and Warehousing
$48,480
Construction
$47,850
Mining
$47,660
Manufacturing
$47,050
Wholesale Trade
$45,770
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
$45,630
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
$44,190
Management of Companies and Enterprises
$41,220
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$40,910
Information
$39,630
Educational Services
$39,130
Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)
$39,090
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
$37,930
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
$36,990
Retail Trade
$32,490
Health Care and Social Assistance
$31,660
Accommodation and Food Services
$27,040

Table 3. Salaries of Motor Vehicle Operator Related Occupations

The average annual salary of motor vehicle operator related occupations at the national level is given in Table 3. For more salary information about a specific occupation, use the links below.

Occupation Median Annual Salary
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
$50,890
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
$49,920
Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers
$46,300
Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers
$42,080
School Bus Drivers
$41,270
Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers
$40,410
Passenger Vehicle Drivers
$39,440
Bus Drivers
$34,450
Other Motor Vehicle Operators
$33,210
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs
$32,800
Driver/Sales Workers
$32,690
School or Special Client Bus Drivers
$32,420
Passenger Vehicle Drivers, Except Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
$32,320
Taxi Drivers
$30,670
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants
$30,380
Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs
$25,980

Related:

💰 Highest paying industries for motor vehicle operators.