UPS Drivers make HOW much????

Nurses General Nursing

Published

It has been broadcast all over the news in my area that UPS is hiring, and that the average UPS driver makes around $76,000 annually! :idea: That just totally makes me feel devalued as a nurse. I am not sure what the national averages for nurse salaries are right now, but I am pretty sure it is not that much. I mean, seriously, these people deliver packages (not to devalue them, I have known a few and they work exceptionally hard), but we nurses deliver babies, we keep people alive, we take care of children and the elderly. We are highly educated, knowledgeable, and the responsibility we hold is immense. If the UPS guy screws up, someone might not get their package delivered on time. If a nurse screws up, someone could die. I just cannot reconcile this in my head!!!!

When I first saw this my initial thought was "screw nursing, I'm going to drive the brown truck!" My next thought was, how sad that we are so seriously devalued. What will it take before people realize our value to society? Am I overreacting to this? What are your thoughts?

Again, I want to add that I do not want to sound like I am putting down UPS drivers or similar careers. They work hard and do a great job. It is just that in comparison to the responsibility that we nurses hold, it does not seem that the pay is in line. Not that they deserve less, it is that we deserve at least as much or more for the work that we do!!!

Specializes in Gyn/STD clinic tech.

a guy i went to high school with is ups driver. i have not spoken with him in about 5 years, but he told me that ups drivers are "self contracted". they are only payed for delivery, so if there is a slow season, slow wages.. i believe he may have told me you have to buy or rent the truck for yourself too...

being a self contractor can sound nice, but all of the bs that comes along with it is not so great.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Working for UPS is backbreaking work. You have to load and unload heavy packages on those trucks every day. No thanks.

Pay is a nursing problem and has nothing to do with what UPS employees make.

3 Votes
Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.

One has to remember, we're living in a society in which kids who can barely read are paid millions a year to throw inflated rubber balls through metal hoops. UPS drivers making 70K? God bless 'em. :yeah:

One thing I would agree with the OP with though; what idiot chose their uniform color? I mean, brown? Big time face-palm.

Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

While I'll always want more, as we all do... I'm satisfied. The UPS driver doesn't impact lives like I do... so be it if he makes more and good for him... but I make more than that... and I'm satisfied in what I do. That's what matters.

Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.
good points. i did not think of this being the same media that tells us there is a nursing shortage. we all know what a joke that is! my husband also brought up about the high salary might be due to lots of ot. i bet somewhere out there a group of angry ups drivers are cursing that media report, just like we do when we hear yet another report of how "recession proof" nursing is :)

thanks for talking me off the ledge...i won't put in my application yet. besides, i look terrible in brown :)

ahhh, now you got it. look i cleared $120k with lots of ot, could be more if i traveled... all about choices and i too would not pull off the uniform... i hate brown.

Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.
working for ups is backbreaking work. you have to load and unload heavy packages on those trucks every day. no thanks.

sorry i'm on a roll, you should see the average weight of my total care icu patients, my lowest tonight was 376lbs, turn that every two hours...my other 459 lbs. i'm already doing the back breaking work. not meant to be snarky, just a comparison of what some of us really do and i wouldn't ever do that for $76k a year. nope!

Specializes in Peri-Op.

I made $130 last year and am happy with my job. I would not mind being a ups driver.... USPS letter carriers make the same and have a pension and free insurance. ....who cares I'm not wanting to do that either.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Argo - making 130K with 3 years experience??? Does your hospital have any job openings Lol?!

1 Votes
Um.

Some nurses, bedside, do make 100K.

I know of a few.

More than a few actually.....

Yes we all know that some nurses make more than 100K. But of course that is not the norm, and is highly dependent upon overtime, traveling, adding more than one job to your plate, and years of experience and service. The average nurse working 3 12s with a couple of years of experience is not making 100K. The average UPS driver with a couple of years of experience is not making 76K.

My god people, we all know there are exceptions to the rule.

Specializes in NA- LTC and PCT in Hosp. (current).

Before I was laid off from UPS, I made that much from their non-union driving division...trust me, I'm not in this for the money.

We don't make the money that we should because we allow ourselves to be underpaid, undervalued and in many cases abused. Sorry but thats a fact. Unfortunately Unions are not the answer either.

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