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The differences between professional drivers 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 a professional driver and a commercial driver. Additionally, a professional driver has an average salary of $49,556, which is higher than the $46,852 average annual salary of a commercial driver.
The top three skills for a professional driver include safety regulations, vehicle inspections and CDL. The most important skills for a commercial driver are customer service, CDL, and ladders.
| Professional Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $49,556 | $46,852 |
| Hourly rate | $23.82 | $22.52 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 1,043,986 | 1,016,123 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 27% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A professional driver is responsible for offering driving services as a way of living. Professional drivers are often employed by a company or private household, transporting the employees and clients from one location to another with the utmost safety and comfortability. To be a professional driver, one must have a valid professional driver's license, as well as a clean driving record for efficient job completion. A professional driver should also have comprehensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, especially on inspecting the vehicle's engine and conducting repairs as needed to avoid any delays in services.
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.
Professional drivers and commercial drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Professional Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Average salary | $49,556 | $46,852 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $73,000 | Between $35,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Auburn, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Laramie County Community College |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a professional driver and a commercial driver in terms of educational background:
| Professional Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 27% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between professional drivers' and commercial drivers' demographics:
| Professional Driver | Commercial Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.2% Female, 20.8% | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 3.6% White, 60.3% 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% |