Research Summary. After thorough analysis by the Zippia data science team, we present the latest insights on owner/operator salaries across the United States for 2026:
-
Oregon boasts the highest owner/operator salary at $188,607
-
Hawaii records the lowest owner/operator salary at $124,852
-
The national average salary for owner/operators is $167,288
-
The national hourly wage for owner/operators stands at $80.43
You can explore more about our methodology.
Background
Consistently, surveys indicate that salary remains the primary concern for job seekers across demographics. Understanding how much owner/operators earn in your area is crucial for career planning.
Although various factors influence individual salary expectations, comprehensive data is available for average owner/operator salaries by state, segmented by seniority level. While local variations may exist, these averages provide a general framework for anticipated earnings.
Currently, Oregon leads the pack in terms of owner/operator salaries.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for owner/operator salaries:
Let’s delve into the data and present a complete ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Owner/operators By State
| Rank | State | Average Owner/operator Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $188,607 | $137,000 | $257,000 |
| 2 | Alaska | $182,238 | $136,000 | $242,000 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $181,529 | $131,000 | $251,000 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $181,411 | $130,000 | $252,000 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $180,627 | $129,000 | $252,000 |
| 6 | Washington | $179,054 | $129,000 | $247,000 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $175,054 | $125,000 | $243,000 |
| 8 | Delaware | $174,779 | $123,000 | $247,000 |
| 9 | Utah | $174,457 | $123,000 | $246,000 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $173,017 | $123,000 | $242,000 |
| 11 | Illinois | $172,352 | $120,000 | $245,000 |
| 12 | Montana | $169,625 | $121,000 | $236,000 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $168,550 | $118,000 | $240,000 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $168,208 | $118,000 | $239,000 |
| 15 | Idaho | $167,170 | $118,000 | $236,000 |
| 16 | California | $167,141 | $115,000 | $241,000 |
| 17 | Vermont | $166,258 | $118,000 | $233,000 |
| 18 | Virginia | $166,157 | $114,000 | $240,000 |
| 19 | Colorado | $165,872 | $114,000 | $239,000 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $165,748 | $116,000 | $235,000 |
| 21 | New York | $165,710 | $116,000 | $236,000 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $165,492 | $116,000 | $235,000 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $164,872 | $116,000 | $232,000 |
| 24 | Nevada | $164,698 | $113,000 | $238,000 |
| 25 | Arizona | $163,073 | $111,000 | $239,000 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $162,479 | $110,000 | $238,000 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $162,266 | $110,000 | $237,000 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $161,699 | $112,000 | $232,000 |
| 29 | Missouri | $161,139 | $110,000 | $235,000 |
| 30 | Iowa | $160,722 | $110,000 | $232,000 |
| 31 | Kansas | $160,522 | $109,000 | $235,000 |
| 32 | Indiana | $160,414 | $110,000 | $233,000 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $159,651 | $109,000 | $231,000 |
| 34 | Maryland | $159,644 | $110,000 | $231,000 |
| 35 | Ohio | $159,503 | $109,000 | $231,000 |
| 36 | Michigan | $158,710 | $109,000 | $229,000 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $157,618 | $106,000 | $232,000 |
| 38 | Maine | $157,412 | $111,000 | $222,000 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $156,426 | $105,000 | $232,000 |
| 40 | Georgia | $155,501 | $103,000 | $232,000 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $154,820 | $102,000 | $233,000 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $154,639 | $103,000 | $231,000 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $154,158 | $103,000 | $229,000 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $154,043 | $102,000 | $231,000 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $153,003 | $102,000 | $228,000 |
| 46 | Texas | $152,130 | $100,000 | $229,000 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $149,339 | $101,000 | $220,000 |
| 48 | Alabama | $147,994 | $97,000 | $224,000 |
| 49 | Florida | $142,129 | $91,000 | $220,000 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $124,852 | $77,000 | $201,000 |
Methodology: Owner/operator Salary By State
To analyze owner/operator compensation by state effectively, Zippia has compiled data from various reliable sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Federal Labor Commission (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This data is further enriched with actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team then calculates a weighted average to derive the overall salary for owner/operators by state.
We ranked each state based on the average annual salary for owner/operators derived from these estimates.
Owner/operator Salary By State FAQs
-
What is the highest-paid state for owner/operators?
The highest-paid state for owner/operators is Oregon with an average salary of $188,607 per year.
-
What city pays owner/operators the most?
Bridgeport, CT offers the highest average salary for owner/operators at $188,221 per year.
-
What is the lowest-paying state for owner/operators?
The state with the lowest average salary for owner/operators is Hawaii, at $124,852 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
