GF Blue logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Public Sector Fleet Manager Salaries Rise Slightly

Most respondents in Government Fleet’s biennial Industry Handbook survey saw at least a minor salary increase. A breakdown and analysis of the data.

Christy Grimes
Christy GrimesFormer Senior Editor
November 28, 2023
Public Sector Fleet Manager Salaries Rise Slightly

More than half of respondents — 56.45% — make less than $100,001 annually.

Photo: Canva/Government Fleet

2 min to read


The 2023 Salaries survey in Government Fleet’s biennial Industry Handbook for public sector fleet managers provided a clear picture of what fleet managers are seeing on their paychecks.

The handbook can act as a good general gauge for the state of the industry, but there are a few things to keep in mind, including the respondents’ backgrounds.

Ad Loading...

Experienced Fleet Managers Make Up Majority of Survey Respondents

The vast majority of respondents have been in the workforce for several decades. Here’s how the age groups break down, based on what generation the respondents identify with:

  • Baby Boomer (born 1946-1964): 36.36%.

  • Generation X (born 1965-1980): 54.55%.

  • Millennial (born 1981-1994): 9.09%.

Additionally, the state where the most fleet managers responded to the survey from was California. The other state with the most respondents was Florida. Both age and geographical location can affect salary.

The average salary of fleet manager survey respondents was $105,080.65. Overall, that’s 6.45% higher than the average reported in 2021 — $98,514.

Breaking Down the Salaries

Nearly 13% of respondents make more than $150,000 annually. That’s the range that represented the highest number of survey respondents. After that was $65,001-$70,000, which represented 9.68% of respondents. Tied for third was 8.06% of respondents each making between $80,001-$85,000 and $100,001-$105,000.

Ad Loading...

More than half of respondents — 56.45% — make less than $100,001 annually.

Are Fleet Managers Seeing Raises?

Most survey respondents saw at least some sort of salary change within the last year. Nearly 41% of respondents had an increase of up to 3%, while almost 40% of respondents received a salary increase between 4% and 6%. Just over 3% of those surveyed saw an increase of 7% or more.

Still, 13.64% of respondents saw no change to their salary in the last year. Another 1.52% of respondents had a decrease of 7% or more.

Most survey respondents saw at least some sort of salary change within the last year.

Photo: Canva/Government Fleet

About the Data

In June and July 2023, Government Fleet magazine solicited responses to a biennial survey from its readership, receiving 81 qualified responses from a diverse group of public fleet professionals.

The information and analysis above come from this opt-in survey.

Ad Loading...

Want to participate in Government Fleet’s next survey? Government Fleet is teaming up with Work Truck and Automotive Fleet to conduct a salary survey for fleet managers to determine the average salary for a fleet management position in both commercial and public sector fleets. The deadline for responses is Jan. 31, 2024.

Check out more from the Industry Handbook here.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Operations

A cheat sheet thumbnail with images of a checklist.
Operations•October 16, 2026

Is Keeping Older Fleet Vehicles Really Saving Money?

Is keeping vehicles longer saving money, and what happens when a diagnostic test points to the wrong fix?

Read More →
A graphic with vehicles and fleet managers.
Operations•October 16, 2026

How Smart Fleet Strategy Can Help Local Government Agencies Do More with Less

Keeping a vehicle longer may ease this year’s budget, but what does it cost the next one? A closer look at fleet decisions can reveal opportunities to reduce spending while protecting essential services.

Read More →
linkedin logo on a computer driving people towards LinkedIn for Government Fleet
Operations•by Staff Writer•October 16, 2026

Connect with Government Fleet on LinkedIn

From industry news and fleet management strategies to conversations with peers, Government Fleet's LinkedIn page offers public-sector fleet professionals another way to stay informed and connected.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
RTA graphic announcing winner.
Operations•by News/Media Release•October 15, 2026

Town of Queen Creek Named Most Successful Fleet Award Winner of Inaugural RTA Fleet Success Awards

Five fleets were honored at RTA Connect 2026 in Chicago for excellence across resource efficiency, intentional culture, risk management, and stakeholder satisfaction.

Read More →
Chevin whitepaper cover A buyer's guide to fleet management software
Sponsored•October 14, 2026

A buyer's guide to fleet management software in 2027

Buying fleet management software in 2027 means looking beyond features and price. As fleet operations, technology and expectations evolve, this guide explores what today’s fleet professionals should consider when choosing a system that can deliver value now and adapt to what comes next.

Read More →
A youtube cheat sheet graphic.
Operations•October 11, 2026

Hazard Alerts, Fleet Car Sales Rise and a New Shuttle Concept

Fleet car sales doubled, but the bigger picture tells a different story in this week’s roundup.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an image with let the data drive text overlay
Operations•by Jeanny Abraham•October 9, 2026

How St. Johns County Turned Fleet Data Into Better Replacement Decisions

St. Johns County, Florida, had fleet data, but turning it into reliable decision guidance was another matter. Instead of starting over with a new fleet management system, the county connected existing tools and built a scoring system that gives managers an objective look at fleet health.

Read More →
A graphic of passes for Fleet Forward.
Operations•by Staff Writer•October 6, 2026

Fleet Forward Conference Introduces One-Day Passes for 2026 

New one-day registration lets fleet professionals attend Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, with passes available for $249.

Read More →
Two buses with a logo above them.
Operations•by News/Media Release•October 5, 2026

ENC Unveils its ZAVIR Medium-Duty Shuttle

Two variants of the concept shuttles were revealed: a low-floor configuration and a high-floor configuration.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A graphic of an auto shop and cheat sheet text.
Operations•October 2, 2026

Could Your Next Fleet Technician Start as an Intern?

What if your next technician hasn’t worked in a fleet shop yet? What fleets are doing to free up time.

Read More →