Commercial driver demographics and statistics in the US
Commercial driver demographics research summary. Zippia estimates commercial driver demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our commercial driver estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about commercial drivers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,192,773 commercial drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 24.2% of all commercial drivers are women, while 75.8% are men.
- The average commercial driver age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of commercial drivers is White (55.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (23.1%), Black or African American (12.5%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 92% of what men earned.
- 4% of all commercial drivers are LGBT.
- Commercial drivers are 74% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Commercial driver demographics by:
Commercial driver gender statistics
24.2% of commercial drivers are women and 75.8% of commercial drivers are men.
- Male, 75.8%
- Female, 24.2%
Commercial driver gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 75.8% |
| Female | 24.2% |
Commercial driver gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$45,887
Female income
$42,061
Commercial driver gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in commercial driver positions over time. Currently, 24.2% of commercial drivers are female.
Commercial driver gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81.37% | 18.63% |
| 2011 | 80.88% | 19.12% |
| 2012 | 79.46% | 20.54% |
| 2013 | 78.78% | 21.22% |
| 2014 | 78.14% | 21.86% |
| 2015 | 78.37% | 21.63% |
| 2016 | 77.78% | 22.22% |
| 2017 | 77.41% | 22.59% |
| 2018 | 75.25% | 24.75% |
| 2019 | 75.64% | 24.36% |
| 2020 | 76.00% | 24.00% |
| 2021 | 75.83% | 24.17% |
Commercial driver related jobs gender ratio
We compared commercial drivers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, diesel truck driver and tank wagon driver have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Bus Matron | 11% | 89% |
| Bus Escort | 18% | 82% |
| Bus Monitor | 19% | 81% |
| Commercial Driver | 76% | 24% |
| Wrecker Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tank Wagon Driver | 99% | 1% |
| Diesel Truck Driver | 100% | 0% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Commercial driver demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among commercial drivers is White, which makes up 55.6% of all commercial drivers. Comparatively, 23.1% of commercial drivers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.5% of commercial drivers are Black or African American.
- White, 55.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 23.1%
- Black or African American, 12.5%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- Asian, 3.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Commercial driver race
| Commercial driver race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23.1% |
| Black or African American | 12.5% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| Asian | 3.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Commercial driver race and ethnicity over time
See how commercial driver racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Commercial driver race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.57% | 11.17% | 2.36% | 19.41% |
| 2011 | 64.21% | 11.56% | 2.38% | 19.30% |
| 2012 | 63.49% | 11.70% | 2.53% | 19.64% |
| 2013 | 63.58% | 11.24% | 2.44% | 20.16% |
| 2014 | 63.30% | 11.68% | 2.62% | 19.81% |
| 2015 | 62.39% | 12.02% | 2.67% | 20.27% |
| 2016 | 61.60% | 11.66% | 2.76% | 21.14% |
| 2017 | 61.39% | 11.78% | 2.78% | 21.31% |
| 2018 | 60.90% | 11.83% | 3.08% | 21.32% |
| 2019 | 61.28% | 11.79% | 2.91% | 21.22% |
| 2020 | 58.50% | 11.77% | 3.14% | 21.51% |
| 2021 | 55.55% | 12.46% | 3.48% | 23.12% |
Commercial driver wage gap by race
According to our data, white commercial drivers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian commercial drivers have the lowest average salary at $45,602.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $45,962 |
| White | $46,262 |
| Black or African American | $45,723 |
| Asian | $45,602 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $45,888 |
Average commercial driver age
See how the average age of commercial drivers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Commercial driver age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 49 | 44 |
| Unknown | 46 | 39.5 |
| Asian | 46 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 45 | 43 |
| White | 51 | 48 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 49.5 | 47 |
Commercial driver age breakdown
The average age of commercial drivers is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the commercial driver population.
Commercial driver age breakdown
| Commercial Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Commercial driver educational attainment
The most common degree for commercial drivers is high school diploma, with 36% of commercial drivers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 19%.
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Associate, 23%
- Bachelor's, 19%
- Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Commercial drivers by degree level
| Commercial driver degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 36% |
| Associate | 23% |
| Bachelor's | 19% |
| Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Commercial driver jobs you might like
Commercial driver wage gap by degree level
According to the data, commercial drivers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $47,751 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, commercial drivers earn a median annual income of $47,348 compared to $47,029 for commercial drivers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $43,877 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $47,029 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,348 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,751 |
Commercial driver employment statistics
Most commercial drivers work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where commercial drivers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where commercial drivers work.
Commercial driver jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 22% |
Commercial driver jobs by company type
Employees with the commercial driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most commercial drivers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Commercial driver jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 21% |
| Private | 74% |
| Government | 2% |
Commercial driver jobs by industry
The most common industries for commercial drivers are transportation, retail and manufacturing.
Commercial driver industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 36% |
| Fortune 500 | 10% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Commercial driver turnover and employment statistics
Commercial driver unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for commercial drivers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Commercial driver unemployment rate by year
| Year | Commercial driver unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.33% |
| 2011 | 8.73% |
| 2012 | 7.76% |
| 2013 | 6.88% |
| 2014 | 5.54% |
| 2015 | 4.98% |
| 2016 | 4.17% |
| 2017 | 4.08% |
| 2018 | 3.68% |
| 2019 | 3.45% |
| 2020 | 5.26% |
| 2021 | 5.44% |
Average commercial driver tenure
The average commercial driver stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 9,799 commercial drivers resumes in Zippia's database.
Commercial driver tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 32% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Commercial driver LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of commercial drivers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Street Cleaning Equipment Operator | 1.73% | 49,524 |
| Commercial Driver | 3.95% | - |
| Taxi Driver | 6.17% | 353,870 |
| Jitney Driver | 8.69% | 34,141 |
| Bus Driver | 8.77% | 359,229 |
Similar commercial driver jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Street Cleaning Equipment Operator | 1.73% | 49,524 |
| Taxi Driver | 6.17% | 353,870 |
| Jitney Driver | 8.69% | 34,141 |
| Bus Driver | 8.77% | 359,229 |
Foreign languages spoken by commercial drivers
The most common foreign language among commercial drivers is Spanish at 82.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Russian at 1.9% and Carrier is the third-most popular at 1.9%.
- Spanish, 82.8%
- Russian, 1.9%
- Carrier, 1.9%
- Arabic, 1.9%
- German, 1.3%
- Other, 10.2%
Commercial driver languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 82.8% |
| Russian | 1.9% |
| Carrier | 1.9% |
| Arabic | 1.9% |
| German | 1.3% |
| Other | 10.2% |
