How much do delivery drivers make in a day, month, or year?
You may have this pressing question if you want to make your career in the delivery industry.
The good news is currently, delivery drivers are in high demand because of the driver shortage. This means you could make a good amount of money.
For example, last year Sisu Energy, a Texas-based trucking company, offered drivers $14,000 per week due to the nationwide truck driver shortage.
Specific product delivery jobs offer more compensation than other types of deliveries. For example, you may get paid more for transporting hazardous material than a food delivery driver.
Most importantly, how much can you make as a delivery driver depends on which US state you live in.
So, how would you know which is the best state to start your delivery career?
To make your job easier, we’ve compiled all the data on delivery driver compensation across states from several websites, including Indeed, Salary, ZipRecruiter, PayScale, Glassdoor, Zippia, and Talent, and put together a comprehensive list below.
Table of Contents
How Much Do Delivery Drivers Make in Every US State?
Below is a comprehensive list of the delivery driver pay in every US state.
Alabama
The average salary of a delivery driver in Alabama ranges between $16,000 to $59,500, or an hourly rate of $15.68.
Last year, Alabama lawmakers approved separate bills to allow alcohol deliveries across the state. This opened up new opportunities for delivery drivers.
Alaska
Alaska remains under the snow for eight months a year. So, there is always a need for delivery drivers who can ride over icy roads and snow, which is a risky job.
That’s why the delivery driver earnings in Alaska are higher than in some states. The average delivery driver pay in Alaska ranges between $43,879 and $48,893, or an hourly wage of $17.55.
Arizona
Arizona’s independent delivery drivers make between $28,500 and $39,957 annually. You’ll find plenty of delivery driver job opportunities in Arizona, especially in the food industry. Here’s a quick guide to contract delivery jobs.
Arkansas
There was a shortage of delivery drivers in Arkansas before the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, supply chain shortages ranged from toilet paper to chicken wings.
Experts say Arkansas-based companies need a high number of delivery drivers every day.
But how much do delivery drivers make in Arkansas?
The answer is between $32,050 and $37,247 annually or an hourly rate of $16.44.
California
California is home to many farms. Also, the state always has a high demand for food delivery drivers. The average delivery driver income per hour ranges between $20.90 and $21.71 or $43,481 to $45,167 annually.
Colorado
Colorado is another state where snowfalls happen pretty frequently. So, it’s a must for delivery drivers in the state to know about the winter driving techniques.
Like Alaska, driving in such harsh conditions is risky, so you may earn more compared to other states. The average delivery driver pay per hour in Colorado is $22.90.
Connecticut
The average pay of delivery drivers in Connecticut ranges between $20.71 and $21.03 per hour.
You’ll find many delivery driver jobs in Connecticut, such as package or furniture delivery. What’s more, the state is home to the ESPN sports channel. So, there may be a high demand for food and beverage delivery during bigger games for people watching games at home.
Delaware
Delaware has also been hit with a shortage of delivery drivers. Last year, The News Journal was struggling to deliver newspapers and even posted an ad in their paper asking for drivers to help out.
There are also opportunities to become a delivery driver for DoorDash or Pepsico. The average wage of a delivery driver in Delaware ranges between $18.45 and $19.13 an hour.
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Florida
Florida is a coastal state with 1,350 miles of coastline, making it a massive tourist destination. Additionally, it’s a state many students visit for spring break. This makes Florida an excellent market for delivery drivers because there are high demands.
So how much do delivery drivers make in Florida?
Depending on what you’re delivering, you could make $16.39 to $17.47 an hour.
Georgia
Georgia is a state with many farms that need products delivered to various areas. Additionally, the state has a booming restaurant industry requiring skilled delivery drivers.
Drivers expect to make between $17.25 and $18.80 an hour or $35,877 and $39,100 annually.
Hawaii
The state of Hawaii is also a massive tourist destination that provides excellent opportunities for delivery drivers. There are many takeaway shops and restaurants that people order from, which creates a high demand for delivery drivers.
It’s also one of the more pricey states, so you can expect to earn $20.47 per hour or $43,148 annually.
Idaho
In Idaho, there is a high demand for grocery delivery. The state now has two warehouses to meet grocery delivery needs, providing drivers excellent opportunities.
If you want to become a driver in Idaho, you can expect a delivery salary of $15.90 per hour or an annual wage of $32,373.
Illinois
Illinois is one of the largest cities in the US, with millions of residents in need of grocery, food, and package delivery. There are also over 72,000 farms in Illinois, giving you plenty of opportunities to deliver produce from farms to grocery stores or factories.
The average delivery driver wage is between $21.89 and $22.61 an hour.
Indiana
DoorDash delivery drivers in Indiana make $53,416 on an average in a year. However, ClusterTruck, a ghost kitchen pioneer, pays drivers up to $88,000 a year.
Package or grocery delivery drivers in Indiana make on average $20.99 an hour.
Iowa
Iowa is also going thru a shortage of truck drivers in the state. According to The Gazette, to combat the shortage of delivery drivers the state has increased wages and promised drivers more time at home.
With that being said, the delivery driver pay per hour in Iowa can be between $16.44 and $18.23.
Kansas
There are over 58,569 farms in Kansas, so you can choose to pick up crops as a delivery driver. There are also over 5000 restaurants in Kansas, so you can deliver food orders to customers.
The delivery driver earnings vary between $16.19 and $18.49 an hour.
Kentucky
Kentucky is home to 20 bourbon distilleries that make over 200 brands. These distilleries need professional delivery drivers to transport bourbon all over the state. However, you may need a permit to transport alcohol.
So, how much money does a delivery driver make in Kentucky?
You can expect a pay of $19.91 an hour if you deliver spirits. For other types of delivery work, such as grocery or food delivery, you can expect $16.25 per hour.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a major tourist destination because of its reputation as a party spot. The state is also famous for Mardis Gras and street parties which require delivery services for alcohol and food.
So how much do delivery drivers make an hour in Louisiana?
The average delivery driver pay rate in Louisiana is $20.92 an hour.
Maine
The average salary of truck drivers in Maine is around $18.69 an hour.
DoorDash and Uber drivers are in high demand for food delivery in Maine. Additionally, the state is also experiencing a shortage of truck drivers.
According to The Press Herald, potato farmers had a successful harvest in 2021, but the shortage of drivers made it difficult and expensive to get the spuds to market. There are many opportunities to become a successful delivery driver in Maine.
Maryland
Maryland is famous for its crab market. However, you need special coolers to prevent the crabs from spoiling. You can deliver crabs to restaurants and homes around Maryland or outside the state. What’s more, you can expect an hourly wage of $23.04.
Massachusetts
If you live in Massachusetts, you may earn more as a delivery driver than in other states. There are various types of delivery jobs available such as transporting cannabis to delivering food to locals. As a delivery driver in Massachusetts, you can make between $19.47 and $23.97 an hour.
Michigan
Michigan state authorities have made the use and transportation of marijuana legal. The state is also offering veterans cannabis delivery jobs where they can make up to $50,000 annually. You can also become a food delivery driver or a night route delivery driver that pays $200 per night. For other types of delivery, such as package couriers, you can expect an hourly pay of $17.44.
Minnesota
Minnesota is famous for its twin Cities: Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Both are home to many Fortune 500 companies, such as General Mills and Target. This gives you many options as a delivery driver. As a delivery driver in Minnesota, you can earn between $19.47 and $22.13 an hour.
Mississippi
Mississippi doesn’t have large cities with massive food chains, but it does have an excellent trucking industry. You could earn as much as $62,744 a year in Mississippi as a truck driver. For other jobs, such as local deliveries for packages, you can make $20 an hour.
Missouri
Missouri is another state with over 95,000 farms that grow soybeans and corn and hogs and turkeys. You can deliver farmed goods to schools or grocery stores and earn up to $68,000 annually as a trucker. And you can earn $21.82 an hour for food and package delivery services.
Montana
In Montana, companies are looking for delivery truck drivers for the agricultural industry. However, you can also become an Amazon delivery driver, where you can earn as much as $20 per hour. You can also work for companies such as Uber, where you can make $33,602 per year.
Nebraska
Nebraska has been experiencing employee and supply chain shortages. This could be why this state offers delivery drivers a higher wage than other states. As a delivery driver in Nebraska, you can earn between $18.59 and $21.05 an hour.
Nevada
You’ll never be short of customers in Nevada, no matter what delivery service you decide to go into. This state is home to Las Vegas, a major resort city that never sleeps. You can choose food, beverage, or package delivery. The average wage of a delivery driver in Nevada is $19.32 an hour.
New Hampshire
The average courier driver salary in New Hampshire is $21.75 an hour.
Last year, the New Hampshire governor committed to spending $4.6 million to support the commercial transportation and logistics industry to combat supply chain shortages. It will make it easier for delivery drivers to get their licenses.
New Jersey
There are about eight urban centers in New Jersey, making it one of the best places to become a food delivery driver. You can also choose to be a package delivery driver if you want more flexible hours.
So, how much does a delivery driver make per hour in New Jersey?
The delivery driver pay in New Jersey ranges between $18.08 and $21.95 an hour.
New Mexico
New Mexico has two urban centers that are excellent for food delivery or even alcohol delivery services to restaurants. Companies like GoPuff keep looking for drivers to deliver everyday essentials such as toiletries or cleaning aids. You can expect to earn $19.69 an hour as a delivery driver in New Mexico.
New York
New York has over 27,000 restaurants and more than 2000 bars and clubs. This makes New York an excellent place for delivery drivers who want to make decent money. You can earn at least $23.74 an hour for your services.
North Carolina
The most prominent industries in North Carolina are sawmills and logging. However, there is a shortage of truckers in the state, so recently, wages have increased.
The average annual salary for truck drivers is $67 753 per year. However, for other types of delivery, such as packages, groceries, or food, you can expect to earn an average hourly wage of $16.63.
North Dakota
In North Dakota, there are myriads of delivery jobs available. You can work as a food delivery driver for Pizza Hut or become a FedEx driver. There’s also a high demand for grocery delivery drivers. The delivery driver pay per hour ranges between $20 and $24.
Ohio
Ohio is currently dealing with a massive truck driver shortage, causing supply chain issues and delivery delays. You can help solve the problem by becoming a delivery driver in Ohio. You could earn an average yearly salary of $38,463.
Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, you can do local package deliveries or transport food orders for Uber. However, the state has a large trucking industry where you can earn as much as $36,101 per year. On the other hand, the average hourly wage of a delivery driver in Oklahoma is $21.32.
Oregon
Oregon is famous for its vineyards and wine products. Companies in the state that produce bottles of wine need delivery drivers to transport their products to stores. You can earn around $22.30 per hour as a delivery driver in Oregon.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has both urban and rural areas, which give you more options of delivery drivers jobs to choose from. The urban centers allow you to earn money by delivering food, while the rural areas need truckers to bring produce to markets. The average delivery driver earning in Pennsylvania is $21.94 per hour.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island is a small state that requires delivery drivers across several industries. It’s also home to Brown University, which means you have an opportunity to deliver food to students ordering in. As a delivery driver in Rhode Island, you can make $21.98 an hour.
South Carolina
South Carolina is another popular tourist destination in the United States. There is a need for drivers to deliver food to locals and visitors and alcohol or goods to grocers. You can earn as much as $14.93 an hour as a delivery driver in South Carolina.
South Dakota
Unfortunately, robots have become delivery drivers’ competition in South Dakota. South Dakota State University has a robotic delivery system to minimize the effort of humans traveling through the snow to deliver food to students. However, your market isn’t simply university students. You can also deliver goods to residents in urban areas. You can expect to earn $20.63 per hour in South Dakota.
Tennessee
There is a large rural area in Tennessee, but a thriving city like Nashville also provides plenty of opportunities for delivery drivers. It has many restaurants that require food delivery services. You can earn up to $16.68 an hour as a delivery driver in Tennessee.
Texas
You may experience a lower profit margin as a delivery driver in Texas. That’s because Texas typically has higher gas prices than any other state. However, as a delivery driver, you could make $22.09 per hour on average.
Utah
Delivery drivers can make up to $21.18 an hour in Utah.
Vermont
Over 300 small farms in Vermont allow drivers to deliver goods such as fresh produce, cheese, and dairy items to restaurants and grocery stores. The delivery drivers in Vermont earn a higher wage per hour compared to other states. As a delivery driver, you could earn up to $18.39 an hour in Vermont.
Virginia
The demand for delivery drivers in Virginia is increasing, especially for more giant corporations such as Amazon. This is because Amazon is establishing a large East Coast hub in the state. There are also other delivery jobs such as food and package delivery that you can apply for. The average delivery driver wage per hour in Virginia is $22.71.
Washington
Washington is a state that has a sizable population in a small area. This means it’s ideal for food delivery services because you can make more deliveries in less time.
You can make more money because of all the work you’ll have delivering food to residents or businesses. You can expect to earn $20.60 per hour, which is higher than states such as Tennessee or Maine.
West Virginia
West Virginia is a famous state for truck driving jobs. However, the number of accidents is high in the state due to extended driving hours. If you’d instead choose a less stressful delivery service, you can become a courier for DoorDash or Pizza Hut. You can earn up to $16.20 an hour in West Virginia.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is famous for its dairy farms. You can deliver cheese to residents, businesses, or grocery stores. In Wisconsin, the average delivery driver pay per hour is $21.40.
Wyoming
Wyoming is another state where alcohol delivery is legal. You can expect to earn as much as $20.90 per hour as a delivery driver in Wyoming.
Hourly Pay vs. Pay Per Delivery – Which Is Better?
Let’s take a quick look at the advantages and disadvantages of both payment modes so that you can make an informed decision.
The Pros and Cons of Hourly Pay
You could make a lot of money if you charge per hour, but this will depend on how far you travel to deliver packages. It’s best to charge per hour for long-haul deliveries because you’ll make more money on the road for more extended periods.
However, if you don’t clock certain hours, you won’t make as much money. Delivery driver earnings per hour will also depend on your rate. On the other hand, charging per hour makes it easier to account for variables and changes in your services.
For example, you can charge customers a waiting fee if you wait long for them to come and sign for their package.
The Pros and Cons of Pay Per Delivery
Charging per delivery is ideal for independent delivery drivers who are efficient enough to make hundreds of deliveries a day. If you finish deliveries on time and fast, you could boost your profits. Flat rates are easier for customers to understand because they’ll know exactly how much they must pay for delivery.
You can also charge more for heavier items or bulk loads. For example, you can have a standard rate for packages of 50lbs or under. Any weight above 50lbs you can charge an extra fee for.
The downside of charging per delivery is that you may not make as much money if you have smaller items and fewer deliveries to make in a day. You may also get haggled by customers to give them a lower price on deliveries which can be frustrating.
The Best Way to Increase Your Income
One of the best ways to increase your income is by making on-time deliveries. You can deliver more orders in less time and at the same time can have a work-life balance.
You can ensure timely deliveries by optimizing your route to travel from one stop to the next in the correct sequence without any challenges.
This may not be feasible to do manually, so you should use route optimization software. A route planner helps plan well-optimized routes with the best directions to work in 30 seconds.
The software considers weather, traffic, roadblocks, avoidance zones, one-ways, and more constraints that could slow you down.
Plus, a map route planner comes with many powerful features that help make deliveries seamlessly. It even enables you to save on fuel costs, ensure safe driving, and collect electronic proof of delivery.
Here are six reasons why you need delivery management software.
Final Thoughts: How Much Do Delivery Drivers Make
So, it’s clear that being a delivery driver, you can earn a decent income and, at the same time, can do the work that you enjoy.
You can start your career as a delivery driver, upgrade your skills, and switch to a different career. You can become a dispatcher or a fleet manager. Here’s a salary comparison for delivery drivers, dispatchers, and fleet managers.
Now that we’ve answered, how much do delivery drivers make? Sign up for Route4Me’s 7-day trial to make deliveries seamlessly, save time and boost your income.
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