• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind

2

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'

3

An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948

1

College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind

2

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'

3

An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948
TechUber Technologies

Here’s How Much Money Uber Drivers Make in 3 U.S. Cities

By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 22, 2016, 9:05 PM ET
App Car Service Startups Continue To Irk Traditional Cab Companies And Regulators
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 12: A sticker with the Uber logo is displayed in the window of a car on June 12, 2014 in San Francisco, California. The California Public Utilities Commission is cracking down on ride sharing companies like Lyft, Uber and Sidecar by issuing a warning that they could lose their ability to operate within the state if they are caught dropping off or picking up passengers at airports in California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)Photograph by Justin Sullivan — Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

New data about the earnings of Uber drivers in three U.S. cities supports what many already suspected: Drivers don’t make a lot of money.

Average hourly driver earnings in Denver, Detroit, and Houston were the following, according to a combination of leaked internal data obtained by BuzzFeed and additional calculations from Uber:

  • Detroit: $8.77 per hour, after expenses, which are an estimated 31% of driver earnings. Detroit’s minimum wage is currently $8.50 per hour.
  • Houston: $10.75 per hour, after expenses, which are an estimated 24% of driver earnings. Houston’s minimum wage is currently $7.25.
  • Denver: $13.17 per hour, after expenses, which are an estimated 22% of driver earnings. Denver’s minimum wage is currently $8.31.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

The calculations, based on a two-week period in late 2015, are estimates, of course. The amounts reflect earnings after expenses like the estimated amount drivers spend on gas and insurance, as well as Uber’s commission from fares, but without accounting for taxes. They also neglect to take into account the skill level of various drivers. More experienced drivers can make more money by being more strategic about their work.

The calculations only cover Uber’s “peer-to-peer” rides. They do not reflect earnings by drivers for sister services like UberBlack and UberTaxi.

“It is difficult to know what drivers are doing while logged into the app, but not on a trip or en route to pick up a passenger,” an Uber spokesman told Fortune, adding that a driver could be actively waiting for a new fare or simultaneously doing something entirely different.

Nevertheless, the numbers published on Wednesday still offer a glimpse into the financial reality of many Uber drivers. Although drivers in Houston and Denver appear to make significantly more than their local minimum wage, those in Detroit barely exceed minimum wage.

Uber advertises much higher wages when trying to recruit drivers. But these findings undermine Uber’s advertised numbers, as BuzzFeed points out.

Moreover, Uber enacted fare cuts in January across 100 U.S. and Canadian cities despite the protests of drivers that could depress earnings even further. All three cities detailed in the article had their fares slashed in January, although Detroit’s have been partially reversed, according to an Uber spokesman. The company added that, after the January price cuts, driver earnings were stable or increased in all three cities.

The company argues that it cuts fares to spur demand for rides and ultimately increase driver earnings. If the changes fail to do so, Uber says it reverses course or adjust prices. Drivers, however, don’t seem convinced. In some cities, they have begun to create driver associations in the hopes of being able to negotiate with Uber over some of its policies. However, as independent contractors, drivers cannot form labor unions.

Uber is currently trying to settle a pair of lawsuits over its classification of drivers as contractors. It has already agreed to a proposed settlement of as much as $100 million, however that has yet to be approved in court. The settlement would result in payouts to eligible drivers in California and Massachusetts to reimburse some of their expenses.

The story has been updated with additional comments from Uber.

About the Author
By Kia Kokalitcheva
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

Workers help a traveler at a Trip.com tabling session booth.
Big TechChina
Trip.com struck with $765 million penalty from China over monopoly allegations
By The Associated PressJuly 27, 2026
30 minutes ago
Canadian intern at NATO’s military headquarters arrested on espionage charges
North AmericaNATO
Canadian intern at NATO’s military headquarters arrested on espionage charges
By Sam McNeil and The Associated PressJuly 27, 2026
1 hour ago
econ
AsiaChina
A Chinese chip maker’s shares surged 466% in their first day of trading as AI boom worm turns
By Chan Ho-Him and The Associated PressJuly 27, 2026
3 hours ago
canada
EconomyTariffs
Canada’s awkward tariff summer: Gordie Howe Bridge opens for traffic a week after Michigan and White House officials got uninvited
By The Associated PressJuly 27, 2026
3 hours ago
kimi
AIChina
Meet the American techies who don’t care where ‘good enough’ AI models come from, even China
By Chan Ho-Him, Matt O'Brien and The Associated PressJuly 27, 2026
4 hours ago
How an ex-AWS scientist plans to take on OpenAI and Meta in voice AI models
Startups & VentureTerm Sheet
How an ex-AWS scientist plans to take on OpenAI and Meta in voice AI models
By Sebastian HerreraJuly 27, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind
Economy
College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
2 days ago
An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948
Success
An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 25, 2026
2 days ago
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
Commentary
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
By Austin SaratJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
Retail
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
By Sarah GlodekJuly 27, 2026
9 hours ago
A Hims cofounder fired his marketing agency for an AI-powered team. Now his 24/7 online vet service is growing 20% a month
Success
A Hims cofounder fired his marketing agency for an AI-powered team. Now his 24/7 online vet service is growing 20% a month
By Sydney LakeJuly 25, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.