$Who Earns What

How much does a school bus driver make?

US Bus Drivers, School

Answer: A typical school bus driver in the United States makes $47,920 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$47,920

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 403,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$29,240
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$47,920
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$65,730
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

45 of 100
not many

School bus driver pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

School bus driver pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$29,240$47,920$65,730about 403,000
States where school bus drivers earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Massachusetts$65,170about 9,000
Washington$63,370about 10,000
Connecticut$61,520about 8,000
California$61,040about 17,000
New Jersey$59,430about 14,000

Why does pay differ?

In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, location, and whether someone works for a school district or a bus company. Many jobs are part-time and follow the school calendar, so hours and extra trips matter; added qualifications or more complex duties can also affect pay.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$47,920
Massachusetts$65,170
Washington$63,370
Connecticut$61,520
California$61,040
New Jersey$59,430
Mississippi$30,640
Louisiana$29,450
Alabama$17,630

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a school bus driver do?

Drive a school bus to transport students. Ensure adherence to safety rules. May assist students in boarding or exiting.

What's a typical day like?

Before dawn, they inspect the bus, then follow a neighborhood route, stopping to pick up children and help them board safely. After school, they drive children home or to activities, keep order, and report bus problems.

How to get this job

In the U.S., finish high school and meet your state's age and safety rules (18 in Pennsylvania; 21 in Illinois). Get a learner's permit, complete required training, and pass the CDL skills and passenger and school-bus endorsement tests.

High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)

Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.

Did you know?

Fewer than 1% of U.S. traffic deaths involve children riding in school transportation vehicles; NHTSA calls school buses among the safest vehicles on the road.

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Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY