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The differences between owner/operators and cdl drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an owner/operator and a cdl driver. Additionally, an owner/operator has an average salary of $167,288, which is higher than the $63,112 average annual salary of a cdl driver.
The top three skills for an owner/operator include CDL, PET and customer service. The most important skills for a cdl driver are DOT, CDL-A, and customer service.
| Owner/Operator | CDL Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $167,288 | $63,112 |
| Hourly rate | $80.43 | $30.34 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 119,599 | 784,044 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Owners/operators manage the business in all aspects, especially in those related to operations. They ensure that every aspect of the business is running smoothly. They oversee finance, marketing, logistics, sales, and even the human resources of the whole organization. They set business goals, create action plans to achieve them, and make sure that the plans are followed through. They set strategic direction and make business decisions that would be the most beneficial to the organization. They ensure that the business has enough funds to continue operating and that the quality of the products and services they offer continuously improve.
A CDL driver is responsible for the transportation of goods from the manufacturing warehouse to specific store locations. CDL drivers' duties include inspecting the items before and after the delivery to ensure that the orders are correct with the right quantity, providing proof of delivery from the receiving customers, following the delivery schedule and report any delays immediately, monitoring the vehicle's engine for efficiency, and escalating concerns of incorrect deliveries and defective items. A CDL driver must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills, following safety procedures and road rules at all times.
Owner/operators and cdl drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Owner/Operator | CDL Driver | |
| Average salary | $167,288 | $63,112 |
| Salary range | Between $105,000 And $264,000 | Between $41,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgeport, CT | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Reddy Ice | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between an owner/operator and a cdl driver in terms of educational background:
| Owner/Operator | CDL Driver | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between owner/operators' and cdl drivers' demographics:
| Owner/Operator | CDL Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2% | Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 3.6% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 3.4% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |