Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs in California

Is California a good place for you to work as a Taxi Driver or Chauffeur?

You’re in luck! Jobs for Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs in California are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs in California is growing faster than average.

• Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs in California earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

How Many Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs Work in California?

In 2018, there were 27,790 Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs working in the state.

There were 24,370 Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs employed in this state in 2017.

That’s growth of 3,420 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 2,110 Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs working in it, which means California has more Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs than average.

Job Projections for California

Jobs for Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs in this state are growing at a rate of 34.8% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 5.0%.

California Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 4,370 annual job openings, and a total of 38,700 jobs for California Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs in 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 32,700 annual jobs and 320,300 total jobs in 2026.

What do Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs Make in California?

In 2018 wages for Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs ranged from $23,240 to $47,270 with $30,640 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $11.17 to $22.73. The median hourly rate was $14.73.

Workers in this field were paid a median of $13.76 an hour in 2017.

The hourly rate grew by $0.97.

The median salary in California is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top California Metros for Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	9,690	$37,920
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	8,710	$29,900
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	2,120	$27,420
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	1,550	$25,660
Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA	1,230	$26,450
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	870	$26,720
Fresno, CA	480	$24,750
Santa Rosa, CA	330	$35,880
Bakersfield, CA	310	$29,250
Napa, CA	280	$34,010
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	230	$28,330
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	210	$27,890
Stockton-Lodi, CA	190	$26,260
Modesto, CA	170	$29,760
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	160	$36,880
Salinas, CA	150	$27,060
Chico, CA	130	$24,890
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	120	$27,220
Redding, CA	110	$25,510
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA	90	$24,210

Top States for Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs Employment

View the list below to see where most Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
California	27,790	$30,640
New York	16,650	$29,160
Texas	12,000	$24,720
Massachusetts	11,410	$29,670
Florida	9,880	$23,550
Nevada	8,820	$24,140
Pennsylvania	8,720	$24,690
New Jersey	8,510	$27,450
Illinois	7,980	$27,090
Ohio	7,700	$22,870
Arizona	6,680	$25,330
Virginia	5,470	$26,600
Wisconsin	5,020	$22,160
Michigan	4,750	$23,220
Georgia	4,270	$20,770
Maryland	4,030	$27,230
Washington	3,860	$32,710
Missouri	3,850	$23,250
Connecticut	3,770	$26,460
North Carolina	3,460	$24,400

Below are the states where Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
District of Columbia	$35,560
Washington	$32,710
California	$30,640
Massachusetts	$29,670
Colorado	$29,360
New York	$29,160
Minnesota	$27,640
Alaska	$27,460
New Jersey	$27,450
Maryland	$27,230

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies.