Motor Vehicle Towing — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the motor vehicle towing industry earns $54,228 per year ($26.07/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Motor Vehicle Towing Workers Earn?
At $54,228/year (equivalent to $26.07/hour for a full-time worker), motor vehicle towing wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical motor vehicle towing business employs 7 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average motor vehicle towing business generating $870K/year with 7 employees at $54,228 each, total payroll represents roughly 43.6% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a motor vehicle towingbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $70,496/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 7 employees = ~$379,596/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $26.07/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $870K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Motor Vehicle Towing revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do motor vehicle towing employees make?
- The average motor vehicle towing employee earns $54,228 per year, which is equivalent to $26.07/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the motor vehicle towing industry?
- The motor vehicle towing industry employs 73,623 workers across 10,667 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 7 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).