Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between cdl class a drivers and contract 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 contract driver. Additionally, a cdl class a driver has an average salary of $52,203, which is higher than the $34,999 average annual salary of a contract driver.
The top three skills for a cdl class a driver include OTR, customer service and hazmat. The most important skills for a contract driver are DOT, CDL, and tractor trailer.
| CDL Class A Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $52,203 | $34,999 |
| Hourly rate | $25.10 | $16.83 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 696,903 | 1,007,663 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| 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 contract driver mainly provides transport services on a contractual basis. Their duties typically depend on their contract or place of employment; they may deliver goods or provide private transport to clients. When it comes to delivering goods, a contract driver must adhere to schedules and guidelines, maintain documents, and coordinate with clients. Furthermore, a contract driver must perform regular maintenance checks on their vehicles and abide by the traffic laws and regulations to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
Cdl class a drivers and contract drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| CDL Class A Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Average salary | $52,203 | $34,999 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $75,000 | Between $23,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | - |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | - |
| Best paying company | Mid-South Management | - |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | - |
There are a few differences between a cdl class a driver and a contract driver in terms of educational background:
| CDL Class A Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cdl class a drivers' and contract drivers' demographics:
| CDL Class A Driver | Contract Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% |
| 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, 13.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 4.0% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |