How Much Do Uber Drivers Make? (After Expenses)

Thinking about driving Uber for some extra cash? Before committing to start working as a rideshare driver, consider what you can make.

you can also consider making money by being the delivery person for DoorDash, or become a GrubHub shopper if you prefer to drive alone.

In this article, we’re going to show you the national average of Uber Drivers’ yearly, monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly income. Then we will use Chicago, IL as an example and show you how much you can make before & after expenses.

Let’s take a look at the average Uber drivers’ annual salary in major cities.

Uber drivers annual salary in Los Angeles $26,265
Uber drivers annual salary in New York $38,455
Uber drivers annual salary in Denver $32,961
Uber drivers annual salary in Miami $43,062
Uber drivers annual salary in Atlanta $27,141
Uber drivers annual salary in Boston $30,671
Uber drivers annual salary in Dallas$41,042

Data Source: indeed.com

Here is a chart with data from trusted salary website on Uber driver’s national average income per year:

Source	Average Hourly	Average Annual
Salary.com	$18.00	$36,502
ZipRecruiter.com	$18.00	$37,223
Indeed.com	$19.83	$28,772
TheStreet.com	$11.77	$36,525
GlassDoor.com	$18.00	$37,000
Combined Average	$17.12	$35,204

Some city has different income for a few possible reasons such as more part timers and unbalanced supply & demand, meaning more drivers for riders in comparison to other cities. Let’s take a look at Chicago:

Uber drivers in Chicago can make between $22,000 and $54,000a year, with an average making about $37,000. Their hourly rate is about $5 to $27 an hour, with the average driver earning $20 an hour.

Source: glassdoor.com

Expected monthly income for Full Time Drivers: $3200
Expected monthly income for Part Time Drivers: $1600
Expected monthly income for Weekend Drivers: $1280

Keep in mind that actual pay depends on how many hours you will spend driving, what time of day, what locations, etc.

It also depends on how many trips you take per hour, since the more trips you take the more you can make per hour.

But here’s how to estimate your salary after expenses, given the number of hours you can put it.

How Much do Uber Drivers Make After Expenses?

While you may make $20 an hour driving Uber in Chicago, which is certainly more than most minimum wage jobs, you will also have to subtract any expenses from that including gas and car maintenance.

Signing up with some of the best gas rewards programs is always a good idea to save money if you’re constantly on the road. As an independent contractor, you have to cover all your overhead costs and taxes.

Your actual costs may vary depending on your car make and model, how many hours you drive, and many other factors. But, here’s an estimate of a Chicago Uber driver’s monthly expenses.

Expense	Average Monthly Cost
Gas and Tolls	$450
Car Payment	$391-$550
Insurance	$100-$200
Maintenance	$83 (based on an average $1000 annually)
Other	$100
Taxes	$600
Total	$1,850

Monthly Earnings (At $20/Hr full time)	$3,200
Total Expenses	-$1,850
Take Home Pay	=$1,350

Gas and Tolls

You will inevitably have to spend more on gas if you start driving Uber in Chicago. Full time drivers average at least 1,000 miles a week, or easily over 50,000 miles a year.

Your cost will depend on your car’s miles per gallon (MPG), and if your car doesn’t get at least 25 MPG then most drivers agree it isn’t worth it.

Right now, the average price of gas in Chicago is $2.75 which means if you’re driving 1,000 miles a week, getting 25 MPG, you can expect to pay about $110 a week in gas, or $440 a month.

Additionally, Uber does cover tolls while completing a trip, but if you’re driving back through the toll without a passenger, you’ll be on your own to pay it.

Car Payment

Rideshares require a car in top condition. You may already have a vehicle that fits the bill, but if not you’ll be paying monthly payments for a new vehicle which average about $550 for a new car and $391 for a used car.

Maintenance and Repairs

Even if you don’t purchase a new car, the number of miles you put on your car will depreciate its value. When you’re driving 1,000 miles a week, that adds up quickly.

As your car mileage increases, so will the cost of upkeep. You’ll need an oil change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles which cost about $50 each time, and at certain mile marks car parts such as batteries, air conditioner, tires and brake pads need to be replaced.

So, you should plan for a monthly oil change of $50 and the possibility of every six months to a year needing to replace additional car parts like tires and breaks, which each cost about $500 to replace.

Insurance

All drivers need auto insurance, but rideshare drivers typically have more risks than the average driver.

Accidents happen, and Uber and Lyft are usually not liable to pay for accidents which means you are responsible for getting insurance to cover any accidents.

As such, you will need rideshare insurance. Check out this list for the best rideshare insurance by state.

It costs between $100 and $200 a month for rideshare insurance, depending on where you live and your driving history.

Taxes

Your actual tax payments will vary, but based on the average yearly income of $37,000 Chicago Uber driver salary, you can expect to pay several thousand dollars in taxes.

However, if you track your expenses you can use some as deductibles to reduce how much taxes you owe. You can use this tax calculator to get more specific numbers and consult with a CPA if you have questions.

Other

Additional rideshare driving expenses can easily cost $100 a month. Some of these include:

Cell phone payment (required for using the app and navigating)
Car washes
Parking
Melas
Music streaming
Passenger amenities like water or snacks

What’s Considered High & Low Income for Uber Drivers

Chicago Uber drivers have reported making as much as $54,000 a year on Salary.com. While the lowest reported income for a Chicago Uber Driver on Glassdoor is $22,000.

However, the average is about $37,000 to $38,000 a year which does come out to about $20 an hour.

However, you can also make extra cash on Uber with referrals, which can get you a $200 bonus for every driver you refer.

Uber also offers promotional times where you can earn more than the average rate. And, you can earn tips which add to your income total as well.

Uber vs Uber Eats Income

Uber Eats drivers in Chicago earn about $14.49 per trip on average. However, compared to Uber driving, which rarely can get in two trips an hour, Uber Eats drivers average two trips per hour.

That means Chicago Uber Eats drivers make an average $28 an hour, compared to the average $20 an hour for Chicago Uber drivers.

Driving Uber Eats full time for a month at $28 an hour comes out to about $4,480 a month. While Uber drivers make about $3,200 a month.

Of course, an Uber Eats driver has similar expenses to an Uber driver. Assuming the same expenses for an Uber Eats driver, they earn on average about $2,630 a month after expenses compared to $1,350 for a regular Uber Driver in Chicago.

Uber Driver Income vs Lyft Driver Income

According to Glassdoor, Lyft drivers in Chicago report a high of $23 an hour and a low of $17 an hour. With an average of just under $20 an hour.

In the end, Uber and Lyft drivers in Chicago can make about the same amount. Uber is extremely popular in Chicago, although Lyft is known to pay drivers better.

How much does Uber drivers make on average?

So, what do you think? Is becoming an Uber driver in Chicago worth it? At the end of the day, it really depends on a variety of factors like how many hours you can work, expenses, and more.

You’ll have to actually do the numbers with your own expenses and estimated hours working, but we’ve done an average estimate for you. Here are a few of the main points we’ve covered in this article:

The average Uber driver in Chicago makes $20 an hour, or about $37,000 a year
Uber drivers have to cover their own overhead costs, which can cost about $1,650 a month in Chicago
According to our calculations, a full time Chicago Uber driver making an average of $20 an hour can make $1,350 a month after all expenses, but the actual take home will vary
The average Uber Eats driver in Chicago earns $28 an hour because they can get in more trips per hour than an Uber driver
How much you actually make as an Uber driver in Chicago depends on several factors like how many hours you work, your expenses, tips, and how many trips you take per hour
Lyft and Uber drivers in Chicago make about the same amount per hour