Owner/operator demographics and statistics in the US
Owner/operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates owner/operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our owner/operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about owner/operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 716,704 owner/operators currently employed in the United States.
- 33.2% of all owner/operators are women, while 66.8% are men.
- The average owner/operator age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of owner/operators is White (61.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.1%), Black or African American (12.1%) and Unknown (4.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 87% of what men earned.
- 4% of all owner/operators are LGBT.
- Owner/operators are 82% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Owner/operator demographics by:
Owner/operator gender statistics
33.2% of owner/operators are women and 66.8% of owner/operators are men.
- Male, 66.8%
- Female, 33.2%
Owner/operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 66.8% |
| Female | 33.2% |
Owner/operator gender pay gap
Women earn 87¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$161,727
Female income
$140,417
Owner/operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in owner/operator positions over time. Currently, 33.2% of owner/operators are female.
Owner/operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.66% | 26.34% |
| 2011 | 73.03% | 26.97% |
| 2012 | 71.24% | 28.76% |
| 2013 | 70.39% | 29.61% |
| 2014 | 69.59% | 30.41% |
| 2015 | 69.87% | 30.13% |
| 2016 | 69.14% | 30.86% |
| 2017 | 68.69% | 31.31% |
| 2018 | 66.07% | 33.93% |
| 2019 | 66.53% | 33.47% |
| 2020 | 66.97% | 33.03% |
| 2021 | 66.77% | 33.23% |
Owner/operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared owner/operators 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% |
| Owner/Operator | 67% | 33% |
| 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%
Owner/operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among owner/operators is White, which makes up 61.7% of all owner/operators. Comparatively, 17.1% of owner/operators are Hispanic or Latino and 12.1% of owner/operators are Black or African American.
- White, 61.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.1%
- Black or African American, 12.1%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Asian, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Owner/operator race
| Owner/operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.1% |
| Black or African American | 12.1% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Asian | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Owner/operator race and ethnicity over time
See how owner/operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Owner/operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.75% | 10.77% | 2.48% | 13.43% |
| 2011 | 70.39% | 11.15% | 2.50% | 13.32% |
| 2012 | 69.67% | 11.30% | 2.65% | 13.66% |
| 2013 | 69.76% | 10.84% | 2.57% | 14.18% |
| 2014 | 69.48% | 11.28% | 2.75% | 13.83% |
| 2015 | 68.57% | 11.62% | 2.79% | 14.29% |
| 2016 | 67.78% | 11.25% | 2.89% | 15.16% |
| 2017 | 67.57% | 11.38% | 2.91% | 15.33% |
| 2018 | 67.08% | 11.42% | 3.21% | 15.34% |
| 2019 | 67.46% | 11.39% | 3.03% | 15.24% |
| 2020 | 64.68% | 11.37% | 3.27% | 15.53% |
| 2021 | 61.73% | 12.06% | 3.61% | 17.14% |
Owner/operator wage gap by race
According to our data, white owner/operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian owner/operators have the lowest average salary at $160,099.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $162,158 |
| White | $163,877 |
| Black or African American | $160,791 |
| Asian | $160,099 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $161,737 |
Average owner/operator age
See how the average age of owner/operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Owner/operator 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 |
Owner/operator age breakdown
The average age of owner/operators is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the owner/operator population.
Owner/operator age breakdown
| Owner/Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Owner/operator educational attainment
The most common degree for owner/operators is bachelor's degree, with 42% of owner/operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 18%.
- Bachelor's, 42%
- Associate, 25%
- High School Diploma, 18%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Owner/operators by degree level
| Owner/operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 42% |
| Associate | 25% |
| High School Diploma | 18% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Owner/operator jobs you might like
Owner/operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, owner/operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $172,525 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, owner/operators earn a median annual income of $170,170 compared to $168,310 for owner/operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $150,389 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $168,310 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $170,170 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $172,525 |
Owner/operator employment statistics
Most owner/operators work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where owner/operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where owner/operators work.
Owner/operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 15% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 24% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
Owner/operator jobs by company type
Employees with the owner/operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most owner/operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Owner/operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 82% |
| Government | 0% |
Owner/operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for owner/operators are transportation, retail and professional.
Owner/operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 16% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Hospitality | 9% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Construction | 7% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Media | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Owner/operator turnover and employment statistics
Owner/operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for owner/operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Owner/operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Owner/operator 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 owner/operator tenure
The average owner/operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 199,797 owner/operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Owner/operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 5% |
| 1-2 years | 19% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 20% |
| 8-10 years | 10% |
| 11+ years | 30% |
Owner/operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of owner/operators 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 |
| Owner/Operator | 3.95% | - |
| Courtesy Car Driver | 6.17% | 130,650 |
| Trackless Trolley Driver | 8.69% | 34,103 |
| Bus Driver | 8.77% | 359,229 |
Similar owner/operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Operator | 1.73% | 27,666 |
| Courtesy Car Driver | 6.17% | 130,650 |
| Trackless Trolley Driver | 8.69% | 34,103 |
| Bus Driver | 8.77% | 359,229 |
Foreign languages spoken by owner/operators
The most common foreign language among owner/operators is Spanish at 56.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.3% and German is the third-most popular at 4.8%.
- Spanish, 56.5%
- French, 8.3%
- German, 4.8%
- Italian, 3.8%
- Arabic, 3.6%
- Other, 23.0%
Owner/operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.5% |
| French | 8.3% |
| German | 4.8% |
| Italian | 3.8% |
| Arabic | 3.6% |
| Other | 23.0% |
