Taxi Drivers Salary
In Arizona, taxi drivers earn $36,120 at the median, or about $17.37 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $37,465 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,437/month, about 57.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Arizona. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $36K get you in Arizona?
About taxi drivers
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What this looks like in Arizona
Pay for taxi drivers in Arizona runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,437/month, which is 57.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for taxi driverss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level taxi drivers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track taxi drivers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a taxi driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 57.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for taxi drivers in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new taxi drivers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,075/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 69% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is taxi driver a high-paying job in Arizona?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $36K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for taxi drivers?
Arizona pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do taxi drivers make in Arizona?
The median is $36,120 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,580, and experienced taxi drivers can clear $54,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,513/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 57.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a taxi drivers salary go in Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median taxi drivers salary is worth about $37,465 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do taxi drivers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.