In this section, I am going to lay down some UPS salaries and position summaries to give you an idea of what a job at UPS consists of.

While I have obviously not held every position or am even familiar with the ins and outs of all of them, I do have some knowledge of a select group of positions that I will share with you.

If you are interested in pursuing one of these positions, check out this post.

UPS Salaries

UPS is known for paying their employees generously for most positions within the company. Some of the entry-level jobs start somewhat low, but increase quickly.

Salaries can range widely depending on your position and time with the company, so here are some UPS salaries broken down by job position.

UPS Seasonal Jobs

UPS offers many great seasonal jobs that usually run in the summer and during the holiday season. Here are a few details.

Seasonal Driver

As a seasonal UPS driver, you will be called upon to drive deliver routes to assist the company during the busy holiday season or to fill in for vacationing drivers during the summer.

Whether you drive every day or just when they call upon you really depends on the needs of the center you work for.

Hours: Generally a driver works from 8:30 AM to around 5 or 6 PM. During peak season (holidays) it can be as late as 9 or 10 PM at times. Seasonal drivers can expect to work whenever they need you.

UPS Seasonal Driver Salary: Usually the starting wage for drivers which would be around $18 an hour. This varies by location.

Seasonal Package Handler

There are many different positions that this could entail. You could be unloading trailers in the early AM pre-load, loading trailers at the twilight shift, loading trucks, sorting, or just assisting someone doing one of these things. The possibilities are endless, but the jobs are all physical and fast-paced.

Hours: They can range anywhere from 3 AM to as late as midnight. It depends on your specific role. Usually shifts last no longer than five hours to avoid overtime. But if they need you to work longer, they’ll work you.

Seasonal Package Handler Salary: Whatever the starting wage is at your location. Currently it should be around $10.00 per hour. Pre-load positions pay $1.00 an hour more because of the early start time. If you work over five hours in a day, you are in overtime and will make time and a half.

Seasonal Driver Helper

Driver helpers are great roles to have. You will work Monday through Friday, usually from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas.

You are assigned to a driver and meet him/her every morning at a predetermined location, hop in the passenger seat and run packages to houses and inside businesses to collect signatures and complete deliveries. Some drivers will even train you how to use the DIAD, but not all of them.

You get to build a nice rapport with a driver and play Santa Claus to all of the happy people receiving packages. It is a great workout and sometimes you may receive tips from certain customers.

Hours: This depends on your driver’s needs, but usually start around 9-10:30 and finish at 2-3 PM Monday through Friday. As you get closer to Christmas, you will find yourself working much later. Some days could run past 7 PM.

UPS Driver Helper Salary: When I did it I was paid $12.88 per hour, but as of the new Union contract I believe it is now closer to $15 per hour.

Permanent UPS Positions

If you are interested in learning more about working for UPS, check out this post. If you are wondering how to land one of these jobs, check here.

Package Handler

A package handler is a general term that means you are working inside of a UPS facility handling packages in one manner or another. Usually you start unloading trailers, sorting, or loading.

No matter the position, you will be worked hard and sweat A LOT. Expect to lose weight and get in the best shape of your life. That is, if you stay long enough. People lacking a solid work ethic are usually weened out quickly.

Hours: Pre-load hours are advertised as 3 AM to 8 AM, but usually start at 4 or 5 and run until 8:30 AM. Twilight shifts usually run from 5 PM until 9 PM. During peak season, the hours are a little longer.

Another thing about your schedule as a package handler is that there may be days where you aren’t needed at all. They make no guarantee for how many hours you will work. Some days a driver isn’t needed on the road and they are bumped down to load, bumping you out all together. Again, this depends on the needs of your UPS center.

UPS Package Handler Salary: The standard starting rate varies by location, but expect around $10.00 per hour. Pre-load will earn $1.00 an hour more due to the early start time. If you work over five hours in a day, you will make time and a half.

Air Package Driver

Air drivers can be someone who runs an Air Route on a daily basis, or a pre-loader that runs air on Saturdays. You may be delivering to residences, running packages to drivers, or even transferring packages from one facility to another.

This is a pretty broad job title that can mean a lot of things. It just depends on the facility’s needs where you work.

Hours: Air drivers can work very sporadic hours. Sometimes it can be for a few hours in the morning or afternoon. Some people are put on a regular schedule or even run air full-time. It’s all about the needs of the center.

UPS Air Driver Salary: Again, this depends on your location, but usually starts around $13.00 per hour.

Full-Time Driver

Full-time drivers are expected to work every day, delivering packages on an assigned route that shouldn’t change much day-to-day. In the AM, you start by delivering the Air packages, followed by commercial businesses, and later the residential stops.

Some drivers are assigned rural routes where they make 60 stops per day and run over 200 miles. Others run metro areas, making 200 stops and driving 60 miles. How your day will go will depend on the route assigned to you.

Along with making deliveries, you will be making pick-ups as well. How many you make can vary widely. Some drivers make a couple while others can make fifty. Depends on the route.

Hours: You will always start at 8:30 Am and will finish anywhere from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM on a normal day. Again, it depends on your route. Expect to work overtime every week and A LOT of overtime during peak season.

UPS Driver Salary: This, of course, depends on your location. Expect to make around $18.75 to start. This will increase very quickly. After four years of driving you will reach top pay, which will be around $30-$32 per hour! This is why it’s good to wear brown shorts.

Feeder Driver

A feeder driver is the most coveted position in the company for some. This consists of driving tractor-trailers to and from UPS facilities. You will need a CDL and A TON of seniority to land this job.

From what I have been told, these jobs are hard to get and consist of long hours and overnight driving.

UPS Feeder Driver Salary: I’m not clear on this one. From what I hear, though, you may be making close to six figures here.