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! 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!!!
As a former truck driver, I have to tell you, you're WAY off the mark on the pay. The majority of truck drivers make more like 40 - 50k. Oh and yes that is living in a truck, never seeing your home or family, eating crappy truck stop food, paying to do your laundry (that is if your able to stop at a facility). I really could go on and on.
TRUCK DRIVING SUCKS. Did I mention how dangerous it is? Psh 100k. Hahahaha. If you could get a truck driving job making 100k after a 3 week education, everyone would be doing it. Instead there is a huge driver shortage (a true shortage) because it's truly not even worth the money. That's why I'm back in school.
One more thing, my husband recently interviewed with a "good company" delivering propane (local hazmat job). They offered $16.50/hour. He countered with $19/hour and they said good luck finding a job!
Last thing, I swear, trucking companies aren't required to pay overtime. Which really hurts seeing as the average work week is 60-70 hours.
Did I mention truck driving sucks? 😑
*this has been a public service announcement*
I married into a family of truckers. There is a lot more money in it if you drive your own truck open road. However, your take home pay will fluctuate a lot each week. It will depend on fuel costs, what season it is, and whether your broker likes you that week (if you use a broker). There can also be excellent money in towing if you do large commercial vehicles, but that's 24/7 on call and can be physically hard.
I have big respect for truck drivers. My spouse grew up with an absent father because his father was gone 3 weeks a month. They had a good life and wanted for nothing, but it's a hard way to live.
And for my own PSA - there is a reason why big truck operators are paid that well besides the physical labor and never being home. Trucking is one of the most dangerous jobs. I would not want to attempt defensively driving when a little A hole car zips in front of me thinking I can stop 40k lbs fast enough. My father in law lost a friend that way because a young woman cut him off on a massive bridge near us and the only way to not kill others around him was to go off the bridge.
It's hard for me to put UPS deliverers in the same category as truck drivers. When you see your FIL gone all week or you've had your husband called out to someplace 200 miles away during your first dinner together in months to go haul a tractor trailer to someplace 100 miles in the opposite direction, it makes package delivery seem like a nice and predictable gig with minimal fuss. I actually prefer that my husband is in law enforcement now. Class A truck driving sucks.
I have been a UPS driver for 19 years and make just under a 100k per year with free health insurance, pension plan, and 6 weeks paid vacation. However, we work 5 days a week, with 10 plus hour days. The job is extremely physical and we EARN every penny! I got this job straight out of college, which paid 3x more than what my college education would've earned at that time. The job is truly a love/hate relationship! I love the pay & benefits, working outdoors, staying physically active, but hate the long hours, late dinners, and lost time with family & friends throughout the week. Basically, if your kids participate in sports or other after school activities, you will miss most of it!
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
I see this kind of thing all the time and I don't get it. I mean the outrage that some profession makes a modest middle class income. I don't get that. I saw outrage on this site that fast food workers were making 15/hour, which is barely enough to live on. Now I'm seeing outrage that UPS workers make 75k.
The average NFL player makes 1.9 million. The average CEO of a fortune 500 company makes 10.5 million.
Which salary is outrageous, the CEO who made 10.5 million or the driver who made 75k?
I totally enjoyed your post on the amount of money the UPS drivers make a year ,not that I think there job is useless ,because by all means it is not! However your job is very meaningful and deserve a lot more then you get paid!! Now for my input ,,my husband is a mason,and has been doing masonry for 18 years. He Build's schools,academy's ,collages's,hospital's,urgent care's,rehab facilities, housing's including low income,all bussiness's including blood donation center's and that's just the tip of the ice burg!! And were not bragging but he does that 3 quarter's of the yearly income that they bring home!! So we completely understand what your saying in your post,you save lives and he builds the building's you save them in!!! Hope things change, and you and your family have a wonderful Christmas,and New Year, Tavis N Michelle Postell!!! ðŸ¸ðŸ˜ŠðŸ˜€
Oh a driver make the big bucks I make over a 102k every year. But we work very hard for it, long hours in any type of weather, and having to deal with people that believe you work for them only. I go out with over 200 stops per day
How about this. Don't compare jobs and wages. Demand what you think you should be paid. If the market will bear it, they will pay. If not, find another job.
I left a job making 75k a year to go become an RN...at my previous job I may have done 3 to 4hrs of actual work a day. My benefits were free and I only worked 8hrs a day, had weekends and holidays off.
Now I make less money and work more hours but I don't hate my life and I love what I do. Money is always nice but actually enjoying work is damn nice imo
I worked for UPS a few years ago, granted it was only seasonal, but it is a tough job. You need to be extremely in shape. They are also Union, not sure if that makes a difference with pay.
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!!!!
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ixchel
4,547 Posts
I married into a family of truckers. There is a lot more money in it if you drive your own truck open road. However, your take home pay will fluctuate a lot each week. It will depend on fuel costs, what season it is, and whether your broker likes you that week (if you use a broker). There can also be excellent money in towing if you do large commercial vehicles, but that's 24/7 on call and can be physically hard.
I have big respect for truck drivers. My spouse grew up with an absent father because his father was gone 3 weeks a month. They had a good life and wanted for nothing, but it's a hard way to live.
And for my own PSA - there is a reason why big truck operators are paid that well besides the physical labor and never being home. Trucking is one of the most dangerous jobs. I would not want to attempt defensively driving when a little A hole car zips in front of me thinking I can stop 40k lbs fast enough. My father in law lost a friend that way because a young woman cut him off on a massive bridge near us and the only way to not kill others around him was to go off the bridge.
It's hard for me to put UPS deliverers in the same category as truck drivers. When you see your FIL gone all week or you've had your husband called out to someplace 200 miles away during your first dinner together in months to go haul a tractor trailer to someplace 100 miles in the opposite direction, it makes package delivery seem like a nice and predictable gig with minimal fuss. I actually prefer that my husband is in law enforcement now. Class A truck driving sucks.