Why We Love It
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$69,180Potential Avg. Salary
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3.3%Job Growth Rate
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Growing DemandJob Outlook
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Don't Take Work HomeCareer Attribute
A DMV examiner is appointed by the Department of Motor Vehicles to check and assess driving skills of those who apply for driving licenses. It is a relatively relaxed life with predictable workload. As a government employee one gets entitled to a lot of perks and retirement benefits too.
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What is a DMV Examiner?
A DMV examiner handles the following duties in their day to day work:
- Selecting a venue for conducting the tests. The stretch to be used should possess a careful mix of turns and lanes to test driving under optimum conditions with not too much traffic or obstacles on the road.
- Interacting with the applicants and making them feel relaxed before the exam as most are too tensed while taking the exam and is in the best interest of safety of both the applicant and the examiner.
- Assessing the applicant on various parameters such as control of the steering wheel, ability to ride the clutch and apply gears in perfect synchronisation, ability to evaluate distances accurately and brake when required, handling of lanes and lane switching. Examiners have to notice every little detail during the test including, if the applicant is looking in to the mirrors while braking and changing lanes.
- Preparing assessment reports on the applicants and recommending the exam takers to whom the driving license is to be granted.
- Ensuring that road safety signs are understood by the student driver.
Day in the life
As a DMV examiner, one has to meet several people in the course of the day. Most are young teens who are getting their first driving license. Other kinds of candidates include those who are getting a renewal, those who are getting their first licenses post immigration from other countries. As such, it is a very people skill intensive work.
One has to be familiar with multiple car models if they are to examine candidates in their own cars. Being an examiner, one has to sit right in the front with the applicant while taking the exam and is as such exposed to the risks of foul driving. So most examiners try to calm the nerves of the learners before they step on the pedal. Most of the day is usually spent on the outdoors rather than in office.
It is a very exciting job which is rated high on job satisfaction scales by most. It does not involve complex computing or decision making and thus makes for a relaxed work-life balance.
Work schedule and typical hours
It is a full time job which would take up regular eight hours of the day. The work is constant throughout the year and may have higher load around vacation times when schools are off.
Growth of the job
It is relatively decent paying job that comes with many perks of being in a government job. Salary in the job is higher than most jobs and much higher than minimum wages. Once one becomes a DMV examiner and has worked for a couple of years one can apply for more senior positions within the department. Career growth is assured with increase in experience and as slots open up in the promotion hierarchy. Rest assured job safety and financial security are taken care of when one becomes a DMV examiner.
Typical employers
Government is the typical employer for this job role. The DMV examiners are tied to the state department where they work and are sometimes expected to do the testing with the police and state highways department. Tie ups with companies are done sometimes where the DMV examiner is stationed at the company for sometimes to assess its employees instead of all of them having to step into the DMV office together.
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How To Become a DMV Examiner
Becoming a DMV certified examiner is a fairly simple process. One has to possess a valid commercial driving license of the vehicle category in which one wants to work as a DMV examiner as a basic qualification. As a government employee one is also expected to possess a High school diploma as a bare minimum requirement.
Those who meet the above conditions can directly contact the HR department of Department of motor vehicles or state employment offices for information on vacancies in the post of DMV examiner. Post sending the application the candidate awaits basic examination on road safety signs and driving and is given a basic training upon joining the job. From there on, it is a journey of secured job in a government department for the DMV examiner.
DMV Examiner Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
National Anual Salary
Low Range
$48,810Average
$69,180High Range
$102,940National Hourly Wage
Low Range
$23/hrAverage
$33/hrHigh Range
$49/hrHow do DMV Examiner salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, DMV Examiner's can make an average annual salary of $69,180, or $33 per hour. On the lower end, they can make $48,810 or $23 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.
Salary Rankings And Facts
#204 Nationally for All Careers
Above Average Salary Nationally
Highest Education Among DMV Examiners
- 5.4% Doctorate
- 15.9% Masters
- 39.4% Bachelors
- 9.9% Associates
- 18.4% College
- 9.8% High School
- 1.1% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs
260,3002024 Est. Jobs
269,000Job Growth Rate
3.3%Est. New Jobs
8,700How does DMV Examiner job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 8,700 jobs for a total of 269,000 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 3.3% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Above Average.
Growth Rankings And Facts
#507 Nationally for All Careers
Above Avg. Growth Nationally
What Companies Employ The Most DMV Examiners
| Industry | Current Jobs | New Jobs Needed | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal government, excluding postal service | 57,100 | -5,500 | -6% |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 35,500 | 600 | 1% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 28,900 | 1,600 | 2% |
