The median pay for Taxi Drivers is $42,100 a year ($20.24/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 11.5% through 2035, with about 20,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 53-3054
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Taxi Driver in four numbers
- Median pay
- $42,100a year, or $20.24/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $35KTop 10% $76K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +11.5%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+11.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +11.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 20,400204,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025204.2K
- Projected 2035227.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 204.2K Projected 2035 227.7K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Cab Driver, Taxi Cab Driver, Taxi Driver.
Pay
How much do Taxi Drivers make?
Every taxi driver in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$42,100
Middle half earn $37,790 to $60,960
- 10th
- $34,650
- 25th
- $37,790
- 75th
- $60,960
- 90th
- $75,800
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $34,650 |
| 25th | $37,790 |
| Median | $42,100 |
| 75th | $60,960 |
| 90th | $75,800 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $42,100
- Median hourly wage
- $20.24/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $49,930
- People employed
- 41,050
Versus all US occupations
At $42,100, Taxi Drivers earn 17% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $8,880 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 33% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $75,800 or more while the bottom 10% earn $34,650, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 9% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Texas pays the most at $48,740, and still leads at $50,218 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Taxi Drivers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Texas | $48,740 | $50,218 | 460 |
| 2Nevada | $44,800 | $44,809 | 2,980 |
| 3Colorado | $43,490 | $42,202 | 60 |
| 4New York | $41,570 | $38,519 | N/A |
| 5New Hampshire | $41,510 | $39,850 | 80 |
| 6California | $39,260 | $35,459 | 3,880 |
| 7Missouri | $37,560 | $41,358 | 200 |
| 8Oregon | $37,120 | $35,913 | 240 |
| 9Maine | $36,960 | $38,083 | 50 |
| 10North Carolina | $36,950 | $39,173 | 120 |
Job outlook
Is Taxi Driver a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +11.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Taxi Drivers | +11.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Taxi Drivers to change 11.5% over 2025–2035, roughly 3.3× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 23,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 20,400 openings are projected each year, 10.0% of the 204,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of taxi drivers, shuttle drivers, and chauffeurs is projected to grow 9 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Strong employment growth is expected as people continue to rely on these drivers for their transportation needs.
Demand for shuttle drivers and chauffeurs will be driven by an increasing population of older adults who need nonemergency healthcare transportation and by people with disabilities who require paratransit services. These workers also will be needed to meet the continued demand for special events transportation, tours, and business and luxury travel.
Getting in
How to become a Taxi Driver
Taxi drivers, shuttle drivers, and chauffeurs typically have no formal educational requirements, although many drivers have a high school diploma or equivalent. They typically get brief on-the-job training. They also may need a special driver’s license, such as a taxi or limousine license. Clean driving records and background checks are sometimes required.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Taxi Driver do?
Drive a motor vehicle to transport passengers on an unplanned basis and charge a fare, usually based on a meter.
Taxi drivers (including ride-hailing drivers), shuttle drivers, and chauffeurs drive people to and from the places they need to go, such as homes, workplaces, airports, and shopping centers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Collect fares or vouchers from passengers, and make change or issue receipts as necessary.
- Communicate with dispatchers by radio, telephone, or computer to exchange information and receive requests for passenger service.
- Complete accident reports when necessary.
- Determine fares based on trip distances and times, using taximeters and fee schedules, and announce fares to passengers.
- Drive taxicabs or privately owned vehicles to transport passengers.
- Follow relevant safety regulations and state laws governing vehicle operation, and ensure that passengers follow safety regulations.
- Notify dispatchers or company mechanics of vehicle problems.
- Perform minor vehicle repairs, such as cleaning spark plugs, or take vehicles to mechanics for servicing.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Work hours vary for taxi drivers, shuttle drivers, and chauffeurs. Some work part time. Evening and weekend work is common. Some drivers work early in the morning or late at night.
Taxi and ride-hailing drivers’ work schedules are often flexible.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition.
Where taxi drivers work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Other transit and ground passenger transportation25%
- Automobile dealers7%
- Taxi and limousine service7%
- Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities6%
- Local government, excluding education and hospitals5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Other transit and ground passenger transportation | 25% |
| Automobile dealers | 7% |
| Taxi and limousine service | 7% |
| Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 6% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 5% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Mobile location based services software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Taxi Driver?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Taxi Driver |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.7
- Conventional4.8
- Social2.8
- Enterprising2.5
- Investigative1.1
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Taxi Driver
O*NET related occupations
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with taxi drivers highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
- Taxi Driver$42,100
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
| Taxi Driver | $42,100 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Taxi Driver appears on
Questions
Taxi Driver: frequently asked questions
How much do Taxi Drivers make?
Taxi Drivers earn a median of $42,100 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 17% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $20.24/hr. The middle half earn between $37,790 and $60,960. The top 10% earn $75,800 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Taxi Driver?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Taxi Drivers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Taxi Driver a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 11.5% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 20,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Taxi Driver do?
Taxi drivers (including ride-hailing drivers), shuttle drivers, and chauffeurs drive people to and from the places they need to go, such as homes, workplaces, airports, and shopping centers. A core O*NET task: collect fares or vouchers from passengers, and make change or issue receipts as necessary. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Operating system software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Taxi Drivers the most?
The highest state medians for Taxi Drivers are Texas ($48,740), Nevada ($44,800), Colorado ($43,490) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Taxi Driver?
O*NET scores Taxi Drivers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.