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Job outlook for driver/owner operators in the United States
Driver/owner operator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected driver/owner operator job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 90,900 new jobs for driver/owner operators are projected over the next decade.
Driver/owner operator salaries have increased 14% for driver/owner operators in the last 5 years.
There are over 83,004 driver/owner operators currently employed in the United States.
There are 170,784 active driver/owner operator job openings in the US.
The average driver/owner operator salary is $169,793.
Are driver/owner operator jobs in demand?
Yes, driver/owner operator jobs are in demand. Driver/owner operator demand is projected to grow 4% from 2018 to 2028.
Driver/owner operator job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of driver/owner operator jobs and the average driver/owner operator salary over time.
Driver/owner operator jobs over time
Driver/owner operator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 83,004 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 78,394 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 80,942 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 78,508 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 76,232 | 0.02% |
Average driver/owner operator salary over time
Driver/owner operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $169,793 | $81.63 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $163,056 | $78.39 | +3.6% |
| 2023 | $157,364 | $75.66 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $153,040 | $73.58 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $148,933 | $71.60 | +2.7% |
Driver/owner operator jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of driver/owner operator job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where driver/owner operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for driver/owner operators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 4,162 | 229% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 1,345 | 178% |
| 3 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 5,164 | 177% |
| 4 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 10,631 | 159% |
| 5 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 1,386 | 159% |
| 6 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 895 | 154% |
| 7 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 4,334 | 144% |
| 8 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 6,310 | 142% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 4,315 | 137% |
| 10 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 2,482 | 129% |
| 11 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 7,773 | 127% |
| 12 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 16,164 | 126% |
| 13 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 3,730 | 125% |
| 14 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 6,041 | 124% |
| 15 | Delaware | 961,939 | 1,182 | 123% |
| 16 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 12,706 | 122% |
| 17 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 4,803 | 122% |
| 18 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 14,031 | 120% |
| 19 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 10,165 | 120% |
| 20 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 5,272 | 105% |
Most common cities for driver/owner operators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrisburg | 13 | 27% | $161,566 |
| 2 | Jackson | 13 | 8% | $167,325 |
| 3 | Grand Rapids | 13 | 7% | $136,394 |
| 4 | Birmingham | 13 | 6% | $164,467 |
| 5 | Atlanta | 22 | 5% | $180,662 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh | 16 | 5% | $161,056 |
| 7 | Saint Louis | 14 | 4% | $169,665 |
| 8 | Milwaukee | 15 | 3% | $132,244 |
| 9 | Jacksonville | 17 | 2% | $160,647 |
| 10 | Detroit | 16 | 2% | $138,766 |
| 11 | Indianapolis | 16 | 2% | $153,071 |
| 12 | Baltimore | 15 | 2% | $155,510 |
| 13 | Seattle | 14 | 2% | $116,894 |
| 14 | Boston | 13 | 2% | $139,174 |
| 15 | Houston | 22 | 1% | $175,452 |
| 16 | Chicago | 19 | 1% | $146,034 |
| 17 | Dallas | 17 | 1% | $176,755 |
| 18 | San Antonio | 14 | 1% | $172,917 |
| 19 | New York | 17 | 0% | $150,934 |