Autonomous Vehicle Operator

Autonomous Vehicle Operator Salary

$29K

$48.5K

$64.5K

$49,725

/year

$23.91

/hour

Autonomous Vehicle Operator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$49,725

Columbus

Ohio

$48,029

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    How much does an Autonomous Vehicle Operator make?

    As of Aug 7, 2026, the average annual pay for an Autonomous Vehicle Operator in the United States is $49,725 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $23.91 an hour. This is the equivalent of $956/week or $4,143/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $64,500 and as low as $29,000, the majority of Autonomous Vehicle Operator salaries currently range between $43,500 (25th percentile) to $54,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $61,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Autonomous Vehicle Operator varies greatly (by as much as 11000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    An Autonomous Vehicle Operator in your area makes on average $48,029 per year, or $1,696 (3.411%) less than the national average annual salary of $49,725. Ohio ranks number 40 out of 50 states nationwide for Autonomous Vehicle Operator salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Autonomous Vehicle Operator jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as an Autonomous Vehicle Operator on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Autonomous Vehicle Operator Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Autonomous Vehicle Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Sumner, MS, , with Rome, MS, and Pine Grove, LA, close behind in the second and third positions. Pine Grove, LA, beats the national average by $32,796 (66.0%), and Sumner, MS, furthers that trend with another $57,151 (114.9%) above the $49,725 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Autonomous Vehicle Operator appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Additionally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies as much as 55% between Sumner, MS, and Center, MS, , suggesting a strong potential for positive wage variance in an Autonomous Vehicle Operator role. Cost of living should also be factored in when balancing location and salary.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Sumner, MS

    $106,876

    $51.38

    Rome, MS

    $100,189

    $48.17

    Pine Grove, LA

    $82,521

    $39.67

    Lambert, MS

    $66,475

    $31.96

    Nome, AK

    $61,683

    $29.66

    Point, TX

    $61,204

    $29.43

    Newport Beach, CA

    $60,893

    $29.28

    Redwood City, CA

    $60,880

    $29.27

    Berkeley, CA

    $60,619

    $29.14

    Center, MS

    $60,360

    $29.02

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Autonomous Vehicle Operator Jobs in the U.S.

    We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Autonomous Vehicle Operator category.

    For example Ups Owner Operator jobs pay as much as $178,850 (359.7%) more than the average Autonomous Vehicle Operator salary of $49,725. If you're qualified, finding work as an Ups Owner Operator may help you make more money than that of the average Autonomous Vehicle Operator position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Ups Owner Operator

    $228,575

    $109.89

    Sap Plant Maintenance Consultant

    $150,424

    $72.32

    Buyers Edge Platform

    $99,704

    $47.93

    Utility Plant Operator

    $54,276

    $26.09

    Heavy Machinery Operator

    $49,330

    $23.72

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Autonomous Vehicle Operator salary across the United States as of August 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $49,725 per year or $23.91 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.