How much do Uber drivers make in New York City?

Uber drivers in New York City average $28–38/hr (TLC license required) before expenses. After the $0.67/mile federal mileage deduction and fuel, most full-time drivers net 60–70% of gross.

Where are the surge hotspots in New York City?

Midtown / Times Square (always on); Lower East Side + East Village nightlife; Williamsburg + Bushwick (Sat night); Meatpacking District; Penn Station / Port Authority commuter rush

Gig driver playbook · NY

Driving in New York City

NYC requires a TLC license to drive rideshare — that's the highest barrier to entry in the country, which is why hourly rates are the highest. NYC has a guaranteed minimum pay per trip (Local Law 184).

Population

8.4M city · 20M metro

Uber avg/hr

$28–38/hr (TLC license required)

DoorDash avg/hr

$24–32/hr (NYC min pay law)

Best hours to drive in New York City

Thu–Sat 6pm–3am, weekday 7–10am

Worst window: Late Sunday afternoon

New York City surge hotspots

Midtown / Times Square (always on)
Lower East Side + East Village nightlife
Williamsburg + Bushwick (Sat night)
Meatpacking District
Penn Station / Port Authority commuter rush

Airport strategy

JFK / LGA / EWR — JFK has the longest queue but biggest payouts

Recurring surge events

Knicks / Nets / Rangers / IslandersYankees / MetsBroadway curtain times (10:30pm)New Year's EveMarathon (Nov)

Taxes for NY drivers

NYC + NY state income tax can hit 14%+. Federal $0.67/mile + a separate NYC commercial vehicle tax credit — talk to a gig-savvy CPA, the math is non-trivial.

Run the NY tax calculator →