How much do self-employed taxi, limo and rideshare drivers make?

Taxi, limo and rideshare drivers. Census data for 2024, IRS data for tax year 2023. Figures are revenue before costs, not income.

Driver's hand on a steering wheel with a satnav mounted on the windscreen

Businesses

1,602,297

Revenue per firm

$29,924

Under $25,000

62.9%

Sole proprietors

98.5%

Census code 4853, "Taxi and Limousine Service", is where taxi, limo and many rideshare drivers who file as businesses are counted. Drivers on the same app can land in different codes depending on how they filed, so this is not a count of Uber or Lyft drivers.

In 2024, 1,602,297 US businesses with no paid employees were classified under this code. Between them they reported $47.9 billion in revenue, an average of $29,924 per firm, 49% below the $58,194 average for all businesses with no employees.

What stands out

This is the largest trade on this list by number of businesses. 62.9% reported under $25,000 in revenue, close to the all-industry share of 60.4%, and 6.1% reached $100,000.

The IRS row for taxi, limousine and ridesharing sole proprietors is a close match, and it shows one of the thinnest ratios in the data: see the section on what is left after costs. 98.5% of these firms are sole proprietors, the second-highest share of the 21 trades.

By business mailing address, New York holds 1.8 times its national share of these firms, Massachusetts 1.8 and Nevada 1.7. Among states with at least 500 firms, Vermont (0.21) and Wyoming (0.18) have the lowest relative concentrations.

What a typical firm brings in

The average hides a wide spread. 38.2% of firms reported under $10,000 (all industries: 37.3%), 62.9% under $25,000 (all: 60.4%) and 80.5% under $50,000. 6.1% reached $100,000 or more (all: 13.3%). The middle firm falls in the "$10,000 to $24,999" bracket.

Share of 1,602,297 US firms in each revenue bracket, 2024. Shares use the national firm total and are rounded to one decimal; a band shown as 0% can hold a small number of firms, and bands without a published count are left out. Source: Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics.

Under $5,00021.8%
$5,000 to $9,99916.3%
$10,000 to $24,99924.7%
$25,000 to $49,99917.6%
$50,000 to $99,99913.4%
$100,000 to $249,9995.9%
$250,000 to $499,9990.2%
$500,000 to $999,9990%

How much is left after costs

The IRS publishes tax-return totals for sole proprietors by industry. For "Taxi, limousine service, and ridesharing service", which matches this trade's Census code, sole proprietors reported $44.2 billion in business receipts in tax year 2023. After netting losses against profits, they reported $2.8 billion in net business income: 6.3 cents for every dollar of receipts, or $2,141 per return, before personal income tax. 31.4% of returns showed no positive net income. This is an industry ratio for 2023 sole proprietorship returns, including businesses with paid employees. It is before personal income tax and is not a typical owner's margin; the Census figures above cover 2024 businesses with no paid employees.

How it varies by state

California has the most firms, at 220,322. Among the 51 states (including DC) with at least 500 firms, revenue per firm is highest in New York ($57,949) and lowest in West Virginia ($14,222). The Census assigns each business to a state by its mailing address, which may not be where the work is done. These data do not explain state differences or show take-home pay.


Alabama	6,265	$16,395	-45%
Alaska	2,189	$27,109	-9%
Arizona	29,291	$24,587	-18%
Arkansas	3,764	$16,427	-45%
California	220,322	$29,857	-0%
Colorado	27,652	$30,425	+2%
Connecticut	17,182	$27,077	-10%
Delaware	3,519	$25,005	-16%
District of Columbia	4,391	$31,747	+6%
Florida	193,716	$21,592	-28%
Georgia	54,260	$21,995	-26%
Hawaii	7,443	$33,691	+13%
Idaho	3,234	$18,926	-37%
Illinois	80,799	$30,401	+2%
Indiana	18,523	$19,155	-36%
Iowa	4,466	$17,180	-43%
Kansas	5,542	$19,560	-35%
Kentucky	10,022	$19,833	-34%
Louisiana	13,084	$23,654	-21%
Maine	2,341	$19,207	-36%
Maryland	44,757	$30,904	+3%
Massachusetts	57,425	$32,108	+7%
Michigan	23,302	$20,441	-32%
Minnesota	20,000	$30,213	+1%
Mississippi	3,850	$14,295	-52%
Missouri	15,315	$23,989	-20%
Montana	1,360	$18,957	-37%
Nebraska	3,822	$18,463	-38%
Nevada	26,722	$33,827	+13%
New Hampshire	2,363	$23,043	-23%
New Jersey	76,629	$29,029	-3%
New Mexico	3,123	$17,976	-40%
New York	189,034	$57,949	+94%
North Carolina	32,289	$21,624	-28%
North Dakota	1,435	$17,286	-42%
Ohio	31,292	$22,008	-26%
Oklahoma	7,449	$17,128	-43%
Oregon	9,869	$28,966	-3%
Pennsylvania	51,188	$26,903	-10%
Rhode Island	6,461	$27,489	-8%
South Carolina	15,019	$20,603	-31%
South Dakota	1,296	$15,352	-49%
Tennessee	22,675	$23,527	-21%
Texas	143,735	$22,215	-26%
Utah	10,548	$22,747	-24%
Vermont	705	$23,552	-21%
Virginia	51,643	$30,278	+1%
Washington	26,298	$40,129	+34%
West Virginia	1,663	$14,222	-52%
Wisconsin	12,390	$23,101	-23%
Wyoming	635	$20,573	-31%

* Fewer than 500 firms, so the average is less stable. Click a column heading to sort. Receipts are modified by the Census Bureau to protect privacy.

What this can and cannot tell you

If you drive, the IRS ratio above is the most useful number here: it shows how little of the money taken in was left as business income across 2023 sole proprietorship returns in this industry. It cannot calculate a personal hourly rate or compare own-car and leased-vehicle work.

Census Nonemployer Statistics covers businesses with no paid employees that are subject to federal income tax, including sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations. Receipts must be at least $1,000 ($1 in construction), and some industries are out of scope. It reports revenue, not profit or take-home pay.
These industry totals do not identify workers by app or platform.
The Census Bureau adds small random changes to receipts to protect privacy, and hides cells with fewer than three businesses.
Revenue is before business expenses and does not measure hours worked or personal take-home pay.

Frequently asked questions