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Yard jockey salary
Average yard jockey salary
$44,440
Understanding Yard Jockey Salaries
A yard jockey plays a crucial role in the logistics and transportation sector, managing the movement of trailers within a yard. As of October 2025, the average salary for a yard jockey is $44,440 per year or $21 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on experience, with entry-level positions earning less than those with several years in the field. For example, seasoned yard jockeys can see their salaries increase as they gain expertise and take on more responsibilities.
Salary by State
Geographical location is another important factor influencing salary levels. States with higher demand for logistics services often offer better compensation. For instance, yard jockeys in states like California and Texas typically earn more than those in the Midwest, reflecting regional economic conditions and job market demand.
Opportunities for Growth
As the logistics industry continues to expand, there are increasing opportunities for yard jockeys to advance their careers. Upskilling through certifications or training can lead to supervisory roles, which generally come with higher wages. Understanding the job market, salary trends, and available positions is essential for those interested in this career path.
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Where can a Yard Jockey earn more?
Yard jockey salaries by experience level
Yard jockey salary estimates from across the web
Average yard jockey salary by state
The highest-paying states for yard jockeys are Hawaii, Oregon, and Alaska. The lowest average yard jockey salary states are Texas, Arkansas, and Idaho.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for yard jockeys
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $53,855 | $25.89 |
| 2 | Alaska | $53,501 | $25.72 |
| 3 | South Dakota | $46,927 | $22.56 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $49,255 | $23.68 |
| 5 | Utah | $46,464 | $22.34 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $50,705 | $24.38 |
| 7 | Washington | $49,118 | $23.61 |
| 8 | Colorado | $48,650 | $23.39 |
| 9 | Montana | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| 10 | Maryland | $48,049 | $23.10 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $60,112 | $28.90 |
| 12 | Ohio | $43,226 | $20.78 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $43,353 | $20.84 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $46,358 | $22.29 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $46,199 | $22.21 |
| 16 | Indiana | $43,548 | $20.94 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $46,573 | $22.39 |
| 18 | New York | $49,468 | $23.78 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $48,022 | $23.09 |
| 20 | Vermont | $47,930 | $23.04 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $43,765 | $21.04 |
| 22 | Iowa | $44,223 | $21.26 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $43,890 | $21.10 |
| 24 | Illinois | $45,727 | $21.98 |
| 25 | Arizona | $44,493 | $21.39 |
| 26 | Kansas | $42,943 | $20.65 |
| 27 | California | $45,600 | $21.92 |
| 28 | Maine | $43,267 | $20.80 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $42,347 | $20.36 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $42,217 | $20.30 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $49,549 | $23.82 |
| 32 | Nevada | $43,757 | $21.04 |
| 33 | Michigan | $43,263 | $20.80 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $42,574 | $20.47 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $44,071 | $21.19 |
| 36 | Georgia | $40,302 | $19.38 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $40,008 | $19.23 |
| 38 | Missouri | $42,992 | $20.67 |
| 39 | Alabama | $40,524 | $19.48 |
| 40 | Massachusetts | $44,269 | $21.28 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $40,215 | $19.33 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $38,988 | $18.74 |
| 43 | Delaware | $41,926 | $20.16 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $40,529 | $19.49 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $38,541 | $18.53 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $35,856 | $17.24 |
| 47 | Virginia | $39,847 | $19.16 |
| 48 | Florida | $36,700 | $17.64 |
| 49 | Texas | $38,583 | $18.55 |
| 50 | Idaho | $38,180 | $18.36 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $37,631 | $18.09 |
Highest paying cities for yard jockeys
The highest-paying cities for yard jockeys are Albany, OR, Albany, NY, and Enfield, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany, OR | $53,795 | $25.86 |
| 2 | Albany, NY | $50,184 | $24.13 |
| 3 | Enfield, CT | $49,513 | $23.80 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $48,748 | $23.44 |
| 5 | Richmond, CA | $46,227 | $22.22 |
| 6 | Lincoln, NE | $46,120 | $22.17 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $45,772 | $22.01 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $44,516 | $21.40 |
| 9 | Urbandale, IA | $44,101 | $21.20 |
| 10 | Scranton, PA | $44,020 | $21.16 |
| 11 | Georgetown, KY | $43,952 | $21.13 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $43,480 | $20.90 |
| 13 | Findlay, OH | $43,385 | $20.86 |
| 14 | Kansas City, KS | $43,168 | $20.75 |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO | $43,100 | $20.72 |
| 16 | Knoxville, TN | $42,401 | $20.39 |
| 17 | Tulsa, OK | $40,686 | $19.56 |
| 18 | Birmingham, AL | $40,674 | $19.55 |
| 19 | Burlington, NC | $40,475 | $19.46 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $40,472 | $19.46 |
Yard jockey salary details
A yard jockey's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $58,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a yard jockey's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| Average | $44,440 | $3,703 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying yard jockey jobs
The highest paying types of yard jockeys are operator and truck driver, driver/owner operator, and owner/operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver/Owner Operator | $169,793 | $14,149 | $81.63 | 170,784 |
| Owner/Operator | $167,288 | $13,941 | $80.43 | 119,599 |
| CDL Driver | $63,112 | $5,259 | $30.34 | 784,044 |
| Professional Driver | $49,556 | $4,130 | $23.83 | 1,043,986 |
| CDL Class A Driver | $52,203 | $4,350 | $25.10 | 696,903 |
| Commercial Driver | $46,852 | $3,904 | $22.53 | 1,016,123 |
Top companies hiring yard jockeys now:
Which companies pay yard jockeys the most?
Yard jockey salaries at Fortune Brands Home & Security and Ryder System are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average yard jockey salary at companies like Exel Inc. and Wells Enterprises are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fortune Brands Home & Security | $52,536 | $25.26 |
| 2 | Ryder System | $51,198 | $24.61 |
| 3 | Exel Inc. | $51,189 | $24.61 |
| 4 | Wells Enterprises | $51,157 | $24.59 |
| 5 | Tempur Sealy International | $51,081 | $24.56 |
| 6 | XPO Logistics | $50,902 | $24.47 |
| 7 | Dairy Farmers of America | $49,612 | $23.85 |
| 8 | Taylor Farms | $49,501 | $23.80 |
| 9 | Dayton Freight | $48,978 | $23.55 |
| 10 | R+L Carriers | $48,845 | $23.48 |
| 11 | United Natural Foods | $48,253 | $23.20 |
| 12 | Chico's FAS | $47,993 | $23.07 |
| 13 | Sauder's Eggs | $47,763 | $22.96 |
| 14 | Arconic | $47,680 | $22.92 |
| 15 | Clean Harbors | $47,583 | $22.88 |
| 16 | Estes Express Lines | $47,454 | $22.81 |
| 17 | Adidas America | $47,331 | $22.76 |
| 18 | Klosterman Bread | $47,235 | $22.71 |
| 19 | Cott | $47,157 | $22.67 |
| 20 | Harsco | $46,794 | $22.50 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Yard Jockey salary by industry
The average yard jockey salary varies across industries:
- The average yard jockey salary in the transportation industry is $46,844, the highest of any industry.
- The average yard jockey salary in the finance industry is $45,634.
- Yard jockeys in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $44,534, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for yard jockeys
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $46,844 | $22.52 |
| 2 | Education | $45,634 | $21.94 |
| 3 | Retail | $45,540 | $21.89 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $44,534 | $21.41 |
High paying yard jockey jobs
Yard jockey salary trends
The average yard jockey salary has risen by $8,675 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average yard jockey earned $35,765 annually, but today, they earn $44,440 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for yard jockeys over the last decade.
Compare yard jockey salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average yard jockey salary over time
Compare yard jockey salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Yard jockey salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,400 | $21.37 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $42,700 | $20.52 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $41,200 | $19.80 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $40,100 | $19.26 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $39,000 | $18.74 | +2.6% |
Recently added yard jockey salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste Connections | Yard Jockey | Miami, FL | 06/30/2025 | $41,740 |
| Target | Yard Driver (A2) | Indianapolis, IN | 06/30/2025 | $52,175 |
| Target | Yard Driver-Regional Distribution Center | Galesburg, MI | 06/30/2025 | $54,262 |
| Tyson Foods | Yard Driver 2Nd Shift Fort | Fort Smith, AR | 06/29/2025 | $44,975 |
| BJ's Wholesale Club | Yard Jockey | Covington, KY | 06/29/2025 | $56,349 |
| DHL (Deutsche Post | Yard Driver Non DOT | Vandalia, OH | 06/29/2025 | $48,001 |
| Pepsico | Yard Jockey | Columbia, MD | 06/28/2025 | $53,532 |
| Lasership | Warehouse Hostler/Yard Driver | Romeoville, IL | 06/28/2025 | $45,914 |
| Walmart | (USA) Yard Driver-On Property | Fort Worth, TX | 06/28/2025 | $47,166 |
| Domino's | Yard Driver | Denver, CO | 06/27/2025 | $54,262 |
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