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Bus Drivers, School salary in the U.S.

Bus Drivers, School in the U.S. earn a median of $47,920 a year ($23.04 an hour), based on BLS data for 402,930 workers.

Median salary
$47,920
Hourly
$23.04
Average
$48,430
Top 10% earn
$65,730
Workers
402,930

Pay ranges from $29,240 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,730 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $48,430, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for bus drivers, school in the U.S.

$0$70,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$29,240$14.06
25th percentile$38,650$18.58
Median$47,920$23.04
75th percentile$58,430$28.09
90th percentile (top earners)$65,730$31.60
Average (mean)$48,430$23.28

Half of bus drivers, school earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$3,993.33
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$1,996.67
Biweekly (26 a year)$1,843.08
Weekly$921.54
Hourly$23.04

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Bus Drivers, School salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
Massachusetts$65,1709,330
Washington$63,3709,660
Connecticut$61,5207,970
California$61,04016,600
New Jersey$59,43013,670
Hawaii$59,090630
Rhode Island$58,7001,800
New York$56,64038,320
Vermont$56,580860
Maryland$56,4509,020
District of Columbia$55,450510
Alaska$54,200790
Utah$52,8901,920
Colorado$52,6203,840
Oregon$51,2705,210
New Hampshire$50,9902,040
North Dakota$50,7901,530
Virginia$50,19012,930
Illinois$49,09021,230
Minnesota$48,94013,110
Maine$48,6401,670
Indiana$48,02011,780
Nebraska$47,7602,330
Wisconsin$47,7607,840
Pennsylvania$47,53023,670
Missouri$46,8808,970
Michigan$46,3808,780
Iowa$46,3204,840
Idaho$46,2502,960
Montana$46,2201,630
Arizona$46,0505,020
Kansas$45,8604,830
Ohio$45,8605,540
Wyoming$45,5201,360
Arkansas$45,5004,340
New Mexico$45,4701,870
Georgia$44,95016,880
Kentucky$44,8306,820
Florida$44,69013,470
Tennessee$44,5107,050
Texas$44,49037,550
Delaware$42,3901,350
Guam$41,720110
Virgin Islands$40,12050
South Carolina$39,9005,900
South Dakota$39,7301,290
North Carolina$37,46012,390
Nevada$37,2802,590
Oklahoma$36,9203,710
West Virginia$33,3604,690
Mississippi$30,6403,790
Louisiana$29,4506,670
Puerto Rico$27,9501,280
Alabama$17,63010,410

Best-paying metro areas for bus drivers, school

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$75,230610
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$73,6802,350
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$72,070200
Bellingham, WA$69,640300
Napa, CA$67,43070
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$66,880330
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$66,3804,070
Springfield, MA$65,730770
Worcester, MA$65,6401,270
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$65,1706,470
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$63,7101,760
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$63,400720
Modesto, CA$62,870190
El Centro, CA$62,61060
Salinas, CA$62,390140

Metro areas with the most bus drivers, school

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ29,280$59,790
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN15,210$49,180
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA11,190$47,310
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX9,730$43,570
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX9,030$47,030
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD8,980$51,960
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV8,620$57,610
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI8,070$50,240
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH6,470$65,170
Pittsburgh, PA5,570$46,840
St. Louis, MO-IL4,470$48,100
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA4,090$61,580
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA4,070$66,380
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN4,020$49,890
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC3,970$46,020

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640$28.19
Light Truck Driver$44,860$21.57
Driver/Sales Worker$38,770$18.64
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$37,290$17.93
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity$59,050$28.39
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$37,180$17.87
Taxi Driver$42,100$20.24
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians$35,450$17.04
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240$19.35
Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330$17.95
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,420$22.32
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$62,890$30.23
Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,280$17.44
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$35,830$17.23

More: Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-3051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a bus drivers, school make in the U.S.?

The median salary for bus drivers, school in the U.S. is $47,920 a year, or $23.04 an hour. Pay ranges from $29,240 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,730 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid bus drivers, school make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of bus drivers, school in the U.S. earn at least $65,730 a year. The top 25% earn $58,430 or more.

What is the starting pay for bus drivers, school in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $29,240 a year, and a quarter of bus drivers, school earn $38,650 or less.

How many bus drivers, school work in the U.S.?

About 402,930 bus drivers, school are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.