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The differences between cdl class a drivers and commercial drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a cdl class a driver and a commercial driver. Additionally, a cdl class a driver has an average salary of $52,203, which is higher than the $46,852 average annual salary of a commercial driver.
The top three skills for a cdl class a driver include OTR, customer service and hazmat. The most important skills for a commercial driver are customer service, CDL, and ladders.
| CDL Class A Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $52,203 | $46,852 |
| Hourly rate | $25.10 | $22.52 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 696,903 | 1,016,123 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A CDL Class A driver is a driver with a Class A commercial driver's license. A commercial driver's license is necessary to operate large, heavy, and placarded vehicles. There are several classifications of a commercial driver's license, and Class A is for a car towing a trailer with a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds (5 t). Drivers with this type of license are entitled to operate a commercial motor vehicle such as passenger buses, tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and dump trucks. They have the choice to add endorsements to their CDL, which allows them to operate particular types of commercial motor vehicles.
A commercial driver is responsible for transporting people, goods, and services from one place to various destinations as required. Commercial drivers must have a clean driving record to ensure the safety and security of the passengers and the merchandise's quality while on the road. They should also know how to operate a vehicle's engine, inspect system defects, and repair system malfunctions to prevent any delays in transportation and deliveries. A commercial driver must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry and report any problems to management.
Cdl class a drivers and commercial drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| CDL Class A Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Average salary | $52,203 | $46,852 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $75,000 | Between $35,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Auburn, WA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Washington |
| Best paying company | Mid-South Management | Laramie County Community College |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a cdl class a driver and a commercial driver in terms of educational background:
| CDL Class A Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cdl class a drivers' and commercial drivers' demographics:
| CDL Class A Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 3.6% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |