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The differences between driver/owner operators 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 driver/owner operator and a commercial driver. Additionally, a driver/owner operator has an average salary of $169,793, which is higher than the $46,852 average annual salary of a commercial driver.
The top three skills for a driver/owner operator include CDL, DOT and OTR. The most important skills for a commercial driver are customer service, CDL, and ladders.
| Driver/Owner Operator | Commercial Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $169,793 | $46,852 |
| Hourly rate | $81.63 | $22.52 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 170,784 | 1,016,123 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Driver/owner-operators are self-employed commercial truck drivers who operate trucks to transport goods for their customers. Most of these operators started working as drivers for trucking companies to gain experience and decide if it's the right career path for them. They are allowed to haul freelance or agree to a lease agreement dedicating their equipment to one product or customer. To become an owner-operator, one should consider many things, including business set-up, vehicle type, and licenses.
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.
Driver/owner operators and commercial drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Driver/Owner Operator | Commercial Driver | |
| Average salary | $169,793 | $46,852 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $417,000 | Between $35,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Savannah, GA | Auburn, WA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Washington |
| Best paying company | Clean Harbors | Laramie County Community College |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a driver/owner operator and a commercial driver in terms of educational background:
| Driver/Owner Operator | Commercial Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between driver/owner operators' and commercial drivers' demographics:
| Driver/Owner Operator | Commercial Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 3.8% White, 56.2% 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% |