Contract driver demographics and statistics in the US
Contract driver demographics research summary. Zippia estimates contract driver demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our contract 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 contract drivers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 12,411 contract drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 19.7% of all contract drivers are women, while 80.3% are men.
- The average contract driver age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of contract drivers is White (58.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.8%), Black or African American (13.3%) and Unknown (4.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 89% of what men earned.
- 4% of all contract drivers are LGBT.
- Contract drivers are 78% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Contract driver demographics by:
Contract driver gender statistics
19.7% of contract drivers are women and 80.3% of contract drivers are men.
- Male, 80.3%
- Female, 19.7%
Contract driver gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 80.3% |
| Female | 19.7% |
Contract driver gender pay gap
Women earn 89¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$34,035
Female income
$30,284
Contract driver gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in contract driver positions over time. Currently, 19.7% of contract drivers are female.
Contract driver gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 85.00% | 15.00% |
| 2011 | 84.59% | 15.41% |
| 2012 | 83.38% | 16.62% |
| 2013 | 82.81% | 17.19% |
| 2014 | 82.26% | 17.74% |
| 2015 | 82.46% | 17.54% |
| 2016 | 81.95% | 18.05% |
| 2017 | 81.64% | 18.36% |
| 2018 | 79.78% | 20.22% |
| 2019 | 80.11% | 19.89% |
| 2020 | 80.43% | 19.57% |
| 2021 | 80.28% | 19.72% |
Contract driver related jobs gender ratio
We compared contract 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% |
| Contract Driver | 80% | 20% |
| 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%
Contract driver demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among contract drivers is White, which makes up 58.2% of all contract drivers. Comparatively, 18.8% of contract drivers are Hispanic or Latino and 13.3% of contract drivers are Black or African American.
- White, 58.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.8%
- Black or African American, 13.3%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- Asian, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Contract driver race
| Contract driver race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 58.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.8% |
| Black or African American | 13.3% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| Asian | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Contract driver race and ethnicity over time
See how contract driver racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Contract driver race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.24% | 11.98% | 2.84% | 15.12% |
| 2011 | 66.88% | 12.37% | 2.86% | 15.01% |
| 2012 | 66.16% | 12.52% | 3.01% | 15.35% |
| 2013 | 66.25% | 12.05% | 2.93% | 15.87% |
| 2014 | 65.97% | 12.50% | 3.11% | 15.52% |
| 2015 | 65.06% | 12.83% | 3.15% | 15.98% |
| 2016 | 64.27% | 12.47% | 3.25% | 16.85% |
| 2017 | 64.07% | 12.59% | 3.27% | 17.02% |
| 2018 | 63.57% | 12.64% | 3.57% | 17.03% |
| 2019 | 63.95% | 12.60% | 3.39% | 16.93% |
| 2020 | 61.17% | 12.58% | 3.63% | 17.22% |
| 2021 | 58.23% | 13.27% | 3.97% | 18.83% |
Contract driver wage gap by race
According to our data, white contract drivers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian contract drivers have the lowest average salary at $33,751.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $34,110 |
| White | $34,408 |
| Black or African American | $33,872 |
| Asian | $33,751 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $34,036 |
Average contract driver age
See how the average age of contract drivers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Contract 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 |
Contract driver age breakdown
The average age of contract drivers is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the contract driver population.
Contract driver age breakdown
| Contract Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Contract driver educational attainment
The most common degree for contract drivers is high school diploma, with 30% of contract drivers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 22%.
- High School Diploma, 30%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- Associate, 22%
- Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Contract drivers by degree level
| Contract driver degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 30% |
| Bachelor's | 27% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Contract driver jobs you might like
Contract driver wage gap by degree level
According to the data, contract drivers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $35,902 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, contract drivers earn a median annual income of $35,497 compared to $35,176 for contract drivers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $32,051 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,176 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,497 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,902 |
Contract driver employment statistics
Most contract drivers work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where contract drivers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where contract drivers work.
Contract driver jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Contract driver jobs by company type
Employees with the contract driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most contract drivers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Contract driver jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 18% |
| Private | 78% |
| Government | 3% |
Contract driver jobs by industry
The most common industries for contract drivers are transportation, retail and professional.
Contract driver industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 36% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Internet | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Contract driver turnover and employment statistics
Contract driver unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for contract drivers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Contract driver unemployment rate by year
| Year | Contract 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 contract driver tenure
The average contract driver stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,735 contract drivers resumes in Zippia's database.
Contract driver tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 25% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 21% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Contract driver LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of contract 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Operator | 1.73% | 27,666 |
| Contract Driver | 3.95% | - |
| Limousine Driver | 6.17% | 154,531 |
| Motor Bus Driver | 8.69% | 8,417 |
| Special Education Bus Driver | 8.77% | 22,974 |
Similar contract driver jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Operator | 1.73% | 27,666 |
| Limousine Driver | 6.17% | 154,531 |
| Motor Bus Driver | 8.69% | 8,417 |
| Special Education Bus Driver | 8.77% | 22,974 |
Foreign languages spoken by contract drivers
The most common foreign language among contract drivers is Spanish at 56.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.8% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 3.2%.
- Spanish, 56.4%
- French, 13.8%
- Chinese, 3.2%
- German, 3.2%
- Arabic, 3.2%
- Other, 20.2%
Contract driver languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.4% |
| French | 13.8% |
| Chinese | 3.2% |
| German | 3.2% |
| Arabic | 3.2% |
| Other | 20.2% |
