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The differences between 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 an owner/operator and a commercial driver. Additionally, an owner/operator has an average salary of $167,288, which is higher than the $46,852 average annual salary of a commercial driver.
The top three skills for an owner/operator include CDL, PET and customer service. The most important skills for a commercial driver are customer service, CDL, and ladders.
| Owner/Operator | Commercial Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $167,288 | $46,852 |
| Hourly rate | $80.43 | $22.52 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 119,599 | 1,016,123 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| 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 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.
Owner/operators and commercial drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Owner/Operator | Commercial Driver | |
| Average salary | $167,288 | $46,852 |
| Salary range | Between $105,000 And $264,000 | Between $35,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgeport, CT | Auburn, WA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Washington |
| Best paying company | Reddy Ice | Laramie County Community College |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an owner/operator and a commercial driver in terms of educational background:
| Owner/Operator | Commercial Driver | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between owner/operators' and commercial drivers' demographics:
| Owner/Operator | Commercial Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2% | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% |
| 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, 12.5% 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% |