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Chauffeur: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$37,290median pay per year, or $17.93 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $28,090lowest 10% earn less
  2. $32,71025th percentile
  3. $37,290median
  4. $45,70075th percentile
  5. $55,070top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Chauffeurs and shuttle drivers had a median pay of $37,290 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 7.1% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+7.1%[2]
Openings per year
35,500[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do chauffeurs make?

The BLS category is Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs. In May 2025, the median wage was $37,290 a year, or $17.93 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) wage was $39,880 a year, or $19.17 an hour[7].

For all occupations in the US, the median annual wage was $50,980[4]. So the median for this job sat below that figure.

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $28,090 $13.51
25th[3][8] $32,710 $15.73
Median[1] $37,290 $17.93
75th[3][8] $45,700 $21.97
90th[3][8] $55,070 $26.47

A percentile is a boundary. For example, the lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $28,090[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[10].

Pay by state and city

Hawaii had the highest median annual wage at $50,310, followed by the District of Columbia at $45,700 and California at $44,730[11]. Mississippi had the lowest listed median at $26,900[11].

California also had the most jobs, at 29,940[12]. New York (18,130), Florida (15,490), Pennsylvania (14,410) and Texas (13,240) came next[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Urban Honolulu, HI had the highest median at $57,050[13]. Kahului-Wailuku, HI ($54,340) and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA ($51,860) followed[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, at 18,760, with a median of $45,410[14].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Hawaii[11]$50,3102,490
District of Columbia$45,700440
California$44,73029,940
Washington$44,6604,780
New York$44,16018,130
Massachusetts$43,59012,620
Vermont$42,270470
Colorado$41,0204,710
Minnesota$39,8106,500
Alaska$39,800960
Maryland$39,7505,480
New Jersey$39,4709,330
Virginia$38,6707,760
Connecticut$38,5403,410
Maine$38,0601,190
Utah$37,8901,060
Delaware$37,880880
Illinois$37,5907,840
North Dakota$37,560660
Oregon$37,3103,510
Missouri$37,0504,700
Arizona$36,8405,620
Montana$36,620590
Michigan$36,3305,870
South Dakota$36,310620
Rhode Island$36,300790
Idaho$36,1901,110
Nevada$36,1703,460
Texas$35,60013,240
Nebraska$35,2801,570
New Mexico$34,9701,490
Kansas$34,6702,680
Florida$34,66015,490
Pennsylvania$34,23014,410
Georgia$34,1105,810
New Hampshire$34,0901,220
Wisconsin$34,0006,820
Kentucky$33,5802,630
Wyoming$33,540560
Ohio$33,53010,450
Tennessee$33,4503,240
Indiana$32,7804,810
Oklahoma$32,5901,270
Iowa$32,5801,880
North Carolina$31,9805,520
Alabama$30,9601,850
Louisiana$30,6402,140
South Carolina$30,4902,500
Arkansas$29,7401,910
West Virginia$27,9501,000
Mississippi$26,9001,150

How to become a chauffeur

BLS lists no formal educational credential and no related work experience as the typical way in. It lists short-term on-the-job training[6].

Drivers who carry 16 or more passengers, including the driver, need a commercial driver's license with a passenger endorsement[16]. Some employers prefer a high school diploma or more education[18]. Some jobs also ask for a clean driving record or a background check[19].

The training details come from a BLS profile that covers taxi drivers, shuttle drivers and chauffeurs together, so they describe a wider group[20].

What chauffeurs and shuttle drivers do

O*NET describes the job as driving passengers on a planned or scheduled basis. It includes nonemergency medical transporters and hearse drivers[21]. Typical tasks include:

Workers in O*NET reported job titles such as Airport Shuttle Driver, Limo Driver and Special Needs Bus Driver[23].

Where they work

In 2025, 1.8% of shuttle drivers and chauffeurs were self-employed[24]. The BLS profile for the wider group lists other transit and ground passenger transportation as the largest employer, at 25%[25].

Hours vary, and some drivers work part time. Evening and weekend work is common, and some drivers start early in the morning or work late at night[26]. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs usually have more structured schedules than taxi drivers. They may have a set schedule or hours based on client needs, and some chauffeurs are on call during the day[27].

Heavy traffic and bad weather can be stressful. Drivers may lift heavy luggage, and most injuries come from traffic accidents[28].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 7.1% from 2025 to 2035[2], from about 251,500 to 269,400 jobs, a gain of 17,900[2]. These counts include the self-employed[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[29].

BLS expects about 35,500 openings a year, on average[5]. Openings include jobs that come open when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 8% of workers leave the labor force and 4.9% move to a different occupation[30].

OEWS counted about 248,530 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[31]. The projection counts include the self-employed, and the OEWS count does not[31][2].

Is it a good fit?

The facts point to a job with a low barrier to entry. BLS lists no formal education or related experience as typical, and training is short[6][17]. Pay is lower than the all-occupations median, with a median of $37,290 against $50,980[1][4]. Pay also varies by place, from a $50,310 state median in Hawaii to $26,900 in Mississippi[11]. Projected growth of 7.1% is above the 3.5% rate for all occupations[2][29]. Schedules can include evenings and weekends[26].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[32].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a chauffeur make an hour?
The median wage was $17.93 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $19.17[1][7].
What education do you need to be a chauffeur?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as typical[6]. Some companies prefer a high school diploma[18].
How long does training take?
Employer training usually takes from 1 day to 2 weeks, according to a BLS profile covering a wider group[17][20].
Is chauffeur work in demand?
BLS projects 7.1% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, and about 35,500 openings a year[2][29][5].
Which state pays chauffeurs the most?
Hawaii had the highest median annual wage at $50,310[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs in the US was $37,290 per year and $17.93 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs is projected to grow 7.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 251,500 to 269,400 jobs (a change of +17,900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs: 10th percentile $28,090, 25th percentile $32,710, 75th percentile $45,700, 90th percentile $55,070. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 35,500 openings for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs was $39,880 per year and $19.17 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs: 10th percentile $13.51, 25th percentile $15.73, 75th percentile $21.97, 90th percentile $26.47. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs jobs: California 29,940; New York 18,130; Florida 15,490; Pennsylvania 14,410; Texas 13,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs (areas with at least 100 jobs): Urban Honolulu, HI $57,050; Kahului-Wailuku, HI $54,340; Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $51,860; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $50,040; Boulder, CO $49,500; Modesto, CA $48,770; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $48,370; Springfield, MA $47,720. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 18,760 (median $45,410); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 11,590 (median $44,460); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 7,970 (median $43,590); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 6,620 (median $34,610); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 6,390 (median $36,760); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 6,370 (median $38,290). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Taxi Drivers, Shuttle Drivers, and Chauffeurs" covers Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET description of Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET task list for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET 53-3053.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Airport Shuttle Driver, Chauffeur, Driver, Limo Driver (Limousine Driver), Motor Coach Driver, Shuttle Bus Driver, Shuttle Driver, Special Needs Bus Driver. O*NET OnLine
  24. BLS Employment Projections: 1.8% of Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  25. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of taxi drivers, shuttle drivers, and chauffeurs in 2025: Other transit and ground passenger transportation 25%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  30. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs: 8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 248,530 people were employed as Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  32. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.