SalariesWhat the occupation covers
All motor vehicle operators not listed separately.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-3099.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $26,540 | $2,212 | $510 | $12.76 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $31,220 | $2,602 | $600 | $15.01 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $37,180 | $3,098 | $715 | $17.87 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $48,980 | $4,082 | $942 | $23.55 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $66,500 | $5,542 | $1,279 | $31.97 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other is $37,180, which is 27% lower. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 45 by median pay. With 46,880 jobs, it makes up about 3.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($42,430) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other pay by state
The highest median pay was in Alaska ($74,710), District of Columbia ($69,870) and Hawaii ($61,110). The lowest was in Kentucky ($23,870), Nevada ($25,290) and Indiana ($26,920). The most jobs were in California (3,580), New York (3,540) and Colorado (3,430). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 4.6 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 100 | $74,710 | $64,970 | $35.92 |
| District of Columbia | 980 | $69,870 | $66,370 | $33.59 |
| Hawaii | 230 | $61,110 | $54,220 | $29.38 |
| Washington | 310 | $59,730 | $60,560 | $28.72 |
| Oklahoma | 180 | $57,550 | $51,090 | $27.67 |
| Utah | 70 | $56,140 | $58,130 | $26.99 |
| Arizona | 360 | $55,680 | $57,310 | $26.77 |
| New Mexico | 160 | $54,270 | $49,680 | $26.09 |
| South Dakota | 100 | $53,790 | $48,800 | $25.86 |
| Alabama | 200 | $52,100 | $47,700 | $25.05 |
| Puerto Rico | not published | $51,420 | $46,860 | $24.72 |
| New Jersey | 1,790 | $50,680 | $65,180 | $24.37 |
| Kansas | 70 | $49,880 | $44,870 | $23.98 |
| Wyoming | 80 | $48,530 | $49,540 | $23.33 |
| Iowa | 50 | $48,300 | $50,390 | $23.22 |
| Mississippi | 160 | $46,500 | $42,930 | $22.36 |
| California | 3,580 | $45,050 | $51,520 | $21.66 |
| Illinois | 840 | $44,810 | $54,860 | $21.54 |
| Rhode Island | 50 | $42,530 | $46,270 | $20.45 |
| Montana | 670 | $41,860 | $44,080 | $20.12 |
| Idaho | 70 | $41,190 | $43,750 | $19.80 |
| Colorado | 3,430 | $39,190 | $42,860 | $18.84 |
| New York | 3,540 | $38,950 | $43,910 | $18.72 |
| Delaware | not published | $38,790 | $41,310 | $18.65 |
| Louisiana | 280 | $37,730 | $40,390 | $18.14 |
| Connecticut | 450 | $37,440 | $39,370 | $18.00 |
| Florida | 2,590 | $37,330 | $39,350 | $17.95 |
| Massachusetts | 1,210 | $36,540 | $40,390 | $17.57 |
| Virginia | 910 | $36,520 | $42,860 | $17.56 |
| Texas | 2,570 | $36,340 | $39,410 | $17.47 |
| Georgia | 2,210 | $36,120 | $43,070 | $17.36 |
| Arkansas | 140 | $36,090 | $38,460 | $17.35 |
| Maryland | 570 | $35,440 | $42,360 | $17.04 |
| Oregon | 1,190 | $34,870 | $39,800 | $16.76 |
| Minnesota | 1,190 | $34,670 | $36,010 | $16.67 |
| North Dakota | 220 | $34,230 | $37,610 | $16.46 |
| Michigan | 2,600 | $33,990 | $34,410 | $16.34 |
| Wisconsin | 710 | $33,970 | $37,550 | $16.33 |
| Maine | 310 | $33,690 | $35,200 | $16.20 |
| Tennessee | 2,310 | $33,550 | $35,290 | $16.13 |
| Nebraska | 760 | $33,280 | $39,680 | $16.00 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,320 | $32,790 | $41,780 | $15.76 |
| Missouri | 1,400 | $32,330 | $36,470 | $15.54 |
| West Virginia | 240 | $31,790 | $39,480 | $15.28 |
| New Hampshire | 150 | $31,770 | $33,650 | $15.28 |
| Ohio | 2,430 | $31,040 | $37,060 | $14.92 |
| Vermont | 130 | $29,290 | $33,450 | $14.08 |
| North Carolina | 2,000 | $29,000 | $29,940 | $13.94 |
| South Carolina | 450 | $27,840 | $34,020 | $13.38 |
| Indiana | 560 | $26,920 | $36,800 | $12.94 |
| Nevada | 320 | $25,290 | $41,540 | $12.16 |
| Kentucky | 450 | $23,870 | $33,320 | $11.48 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Passenger Attendants$37,720 a year
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330 a year
- Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$37,290 a year
- Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,280 a year
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$35,830 a year
- Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$35,670 a year
Common questions
How much do Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other earn in the United States?
The median pay was $37,180 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $26,540 and the highest-paid 10% more than $66,500.
How many people work as Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other?
About 46,880 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.