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Driving instructor salary
Average driving instructor salary
$51,752
Average Driving Instructor Salary
The average salary for a driving instructor in the United States is approximately $51,752 per year. This figure is derived from various sources, including state-level averages and industry reports. Factors such as experience, location, and the driving school type can significantly influence earnings.
Salary by State
Driving instructors in certain states tend to earn more than others. For instance, instructors in California and New York often report higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for driving education. Understanding these geographical differences helps in making informed career choices.
Industry Insights
Instructors employed by private driving schools may earn differently than those working for public institutions or corporate training programs. Additionally, specialization in areas such as defensive driving can lead to increased pay. For prospective instructors, staying informed about the industry landscape can provide a competitive advantage in salary negotiations.
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Where can a Driving Instructor earn more?
Driving instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average driving instructor salary by state
The highest-paying states for driving instructors are Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. The lowest average driving instructor salary states are Utah, Colorado, and Texas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for driving instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $57,941 | $27.86 |
| 2 | Georgia | $54,008 | $25.97 |
| 3 | South Carolina | $52,654 | $25.31 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $71,246 | $34.25 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $54,236 | $26.07 |
| 6 | Michigan | $52,708 | $25.34 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $56,324 | $27.08 |
| 8 | New York | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| 9 | Arizona | $55,555 | $26.71 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $58,019 | $27.89 |
| 11 | Maine | $57,951 | $27.86 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $59,402 | $28.56 |
| 13 | Indiana | $55,347 | $26.61 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $52,272 | $25.13 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $51,150 | $24.59 |
| 16 | Illinois | $52,666 | $25.32 |
| 17 | Oklahoma | $52,320 | $25.15 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $48,310 | $23.23 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $55,705 | $26.78 |
| 20 | Delaware | $49,567 | $23.83 |
| 21 | Nevada | $47,318 | $22.75 |
| 22 | Alabama | $50,320 | $24.19 |
| 23 | Idaho | $50,844 | $24.44 |
| 24 | Florida | $48,815 | $23.47 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $48,741 | $23.43 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $47,627 | $22.90 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $45,644 | $21.94 |
| 28 | Vermont | $49,146 | $23.63 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $49,495 | $23.80 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $45,378 | $21.82 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $46,765 | $22.48 |
| 32 | Montana | $45,367 | $21.81 |
| 33 | Missouri | $49,121 | $23.62 |
| 34 | California | $46,367 | $22.29 |
| 35 | Oregon | $45,073 | $21.67 |
| 36 | Kansas | $46,249 | $22.24 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $45,790 | $22.01 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $44,851 | $21.56 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $45,393 | $21.82 |
| 40 | Washington | $48,470 | $23.30 |
| 41 | Virginia | $42,541 | $20.45 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $48,786 | $23.45 |
| 43 | Colorado | $40,878 | $19.65 |
| 44 | Maryland | $43,804 | $21.06 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $45,095 | $21.68 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $44,875 | $21.57 |
| 47 | Utah | $41,150 | $19.78 |
| 48 | Texas | $39,619 | $19.05 |
| 49 | Alaska | $32,093 | $15.43 |
| 50 | Iowa | $32,520 | $15.63 |
| 51 | Ohio | $34,835 | $16.75 |
Highest paying cities for driving instructors
The highest-paying cities for driving instructors are Albany, NY, Phoenix, AZ, and Indianapolis, IN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany, NY | $57,355 | $27.57 |
| 2 | Phoenix, AZ | $55,576 | $26.72 |
| 3 | Indianapolis, IN | $55,106 | $26.49 |
| 4 | Savannah, GA | $54,208 | $26.06 |
| 5 | OFallon, IL | $51,148 | $24.59 |
| 6 | Vancouver, WA | $50,935 | $24.49 |
| 7 | Birmingham, AL | $50,153 | $24.11 |
| 8 | Saint Louis, MO | $49,399 | $23.75 |
| 9 | Tampa, FL | $48,999 | $23.56 |
| 10 | Jackson, MS | $48,439 | $23.29 |
| 11 | Memphis, TN | $47,737 | $22.95 |
| 12 | Henderson, NV | $47,401 | $22.79 |
| 13 | San Francisco, CA | $46,479 | $22.35 |
| 14 | Bethlehem, PA | $46,188 | $22.21 |
| 15 | Kansas City, KS | $46,026 | $22.13 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $45,915 | $22.07 |
| 17 | Omaha, NE | $45,124 | $21.69 |
| 18 | West Memphis, AR | $44,915 | $21.59 |
| 19 | Henderson, KY | $44,382 | $21.34 |
| 20 | Aurora, CO | $40,864 | $19.65 |
Driving instructor salary details
A driving instructor's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $79,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a driving instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $51,752 | $4,313 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying driving instructor jobs
The highest paying types of driving instructors are voice teacher, private music instructor, and piano instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dance Teacher | $47,909 | $3,992 | $23.03 | 71,355 |
| Martial Arts Instructor | $34,287 | $2,857 | $16.48 | 24,925 |
| Lead Instructor | $50,221 | $4,185 | $24.14 | 37,712 |
| First Aid Instructor | $44,903 | $3,742 | $21.59 | 50,978 |
| Guitar Instructor | $46,506 | $3,875 | $22.36 | 24,514 |
| Field Instructor | $52,928 | $4,411 | $25.45 | 69,156 |
Top companies hiring driving instructors now:
Which companies pay driving instructors the most?
Driving instructor salaries at The University System of Maryland Foundation and Stevens Transport are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average driving instructor salary at companies like C.R. England and CRST International are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University System of Maryland Foundation | $67,131 | $32.27 |
| 2 | Stevens Transport | $63,224 | $30.40 |
| 3 | C.R. England | $63,076 | $30.32 |
| 4 | CRST International | $62,825 | $30.20 |
| 5 | Job Corps | $61,597 | $29.61 |
| 6 | Xator | $61,220 | $29.43 |
| 7 | Buena Vista University | $57,516 | $27.65 |
| 8 | DriversEd.com | $54,380 | $26.14 |
| 9 | YRC Freight | $53,434 | $25.69 |
| 10 | Kett Engineering | $53,078 | $25.52 |
| 11 | Knight Transportation | $52,610 | $25.29 |
| 12 | State Bar of Michigan | $51,201 | $24.62 |
| 13 | TransForce | $50,829 | $24.44 |
| 14 | Diesel Driving Academy | $50,810 | $24.43 |
| 15 | Hirschbach | $50,536 | $24.30 |
| 16 | 160 Driving Academy | $50,094 | $24.08 |
| 17 | Virginia's Community Colleges | $49,973 | $24.03 |
| 18 | Pico de Gallo | $49,942 | $24.01 |
| 19 | FedEx | $49,091 | $23.60 |
| 20 | AWG Ambassador | $49,086 | $23.60 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Driving Instructor salary by industry
The average driving instructor salary varies across industries:
- The average driving instructor salary in the automotive industry is $50,977, the highest of any industry.
- The average driving instructor salary in the finance industry is $49,002.
- Driving instructors in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $46,726, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for driving instructors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive | $50,977 | $24.51 |
| 2 | Education | $49,002 | $23.56 |
| 3 | Transportation | $47,696 | $22.93 |
| 4 | Hospitality | $46,726 | $22.46 |
High paying driving instructor jobs
Driving instructor salary trends
The average driving instructor salary has risen by $4,999 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average driving instructor earned $46,753 annually, but today, they earn $51,752 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for driving instructors over the last decade.
Compare driving instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average driving instructor salary over time
Compare driving instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Driving instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,800 | $24.88 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $50,800 | $24.40 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $50,100 | $24.11 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $49,800 | $23.93 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $48,300 | $23.24 | +1.7% |
Recently added driving instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Commercial Driving Instructor | Bono, AR | 06/30/2025 | $73,045 |
| Montana Technological University | CDL Instructor | Butte-Silver Bow, MT | 06/30/2025 | $12,689 |
| Pico de Gallo | Instructor, Driver's ED | Reno, NV | 06/27/2025 | $43,264 |
| Snow College | CDL Instructor | Richfield, UT | 06/27/2025 | $35,122 |
| Three Rivers College | Instructor, CDL Program (Temporary) | Poplar Bluff, MO | 06/26/2025 | $43,826 |
| Coastline Academy | Driving Instructor | Plymouth Meeting, PA | 06/22/2025 | $50,088 |
| Coastline Academy | Driving Instructor | Los Angeles, CA | 06/22/2025 | $41,740 |
| North Dakota University System | Trainnd CDL Instructor | Williston, ND | 06/21/2025 | $104,350 |
| Coastline | Driving Instructor | San Jose, CA | 06/21/2025 | $37,462 |
| Coastline | Driving Instructor | Royersford, PA | 06/21/2025 | $50,088 |
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