How Much Do MnDOT Snow Plow Drivers Make?

Earlier this week, I was snow blowing when a plow turned to come down our street. I must have woke up on the right side of bed that day because instead of grumbling as I watched the tidal wave of snow pile up at the end of my driveway, I just waved and smiled. Then I started thinking about the job and wondered what kind of money a snowplow driver makes.

Everyone should be thankful for these men and women because our lives would stink without these dedicated professionals. Nights, weekends, holidays - It doesn't matter when Mother Nature decides to dump a ton of snow on us, we know we can always count on the snowplow operators to clear the roads in a timely manner. Not all heroes wear capes, right?

How Many Snowplows Does The Minnesota Department of Transportation Use?

MnDOT's fleet includes 800 snow plows.
The department employs 1,600 full and part-time plow drivers.

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Each new driver goes through a two-week training course to learn how to operate the giant trucks and veterans get refresher courses each year to keep their skills sharp.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is responsible for clearing roughly 12,000 miles of state highways and interstates.

How Much Do Snow Plow Operators Make in Minnesota?

MnDOT Plow on Hwy 14 W in Rochester

According to Indeed, "The average salary for Snow Plow Operator at Minnesota Department of Transportation is $23.11 per hour, which is 12% above the national average."

MnDOT Announces 'Name a Plow' Contest Winners

Each year, the Minnesota Department of Transportation calls on the public to help them name a snow plow in each district.

They received 10,000 clever suggestions late last year and recently counted nearly 65,000 votes to determine the winning names.

See The Winners of the 2023 MnDOT “Name a Snowplow” Contest Below

Yer a Blizzard, Harry – District 8 (Southwest Minnesota)

Blizzo – Metro District (Twin Cities)

Clearopathtra – District 1 (Northeast Minnesota)

Better Call Salt – District 3 (Central Minnesota)

Han Snowlo – District 7 (South Central Minnesota)

Blader Tot Hotdish – District 2 (Northwest Minnesota)

Scoop! There it is – District 6 (Southeast Minnesota)

Sleetwood Mac – District 4 (West Central Minnesota)

BRRRR: The 15 Coldest Cities in America

The list below is from Niche. They put together their list of the coldest cities in the county by looking at which ones had "the coldest average low temperatures during the winter months." Keep scrolling to see the 15 coldest cities in the United States.