348 metro areas

Bus Driver, School Salary by City (2026)

Bus drivers earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $70,910 a year, against $48,430 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Ames, IA ($69,100 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.

US average (mean): $48,430BLS OEWS, May 2025
Highest-paying city: $70,910San Jose, CA
Best after cost of living: $69,100Ames, IA
Metro areas: 348With their own estimate

Top cities

Highest-paying cities for bus drivers

Mean annual wage

Top 10 metro areas

San Jose, CA$70,910
San Francisco, CA$69,180
Napa, CA$68,140
Mount Vernon, WA$68,100
Seattle, WA$67,350
Bellingham, WA$66,960
Bremerton, WA$65,770
Trenton, NJ$64,310
Boulder, CO$62,030
Springfield, MA$62,000

Top 10 metro areas by mean wage for bus drivers
Item	Value
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$70,910
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$69,180
Napa, CA	$68,140
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	$68,100
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$67,350
Bellingham, WA	$66,960
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	$65,770
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$64,310
Boulder, CO	$62,030
Springfield, MA	$62,000

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

At national-average prices

Mean wage ÷ BEA price level

Ames, IA$61,380 nominal$69,100
Minot, ND$59,220 nominal$68,050
Mount Vernon, WA$68,100 nominal$66,480
Grand Forks, ND-MN$56,600 nominal$65,310
Bellingham, WA$66,960 nominal$64,800
Springfield, MA$62,000 nominal$64,540
San Jose, CA$70,910 nominal$64,220
Decatur, IL$56,450 nominal$63,840
Waterloo, IA$55,100 nominal$63,290
El Centro, CA$59,630 nominal$62,650

Top 10 metro areas by price-adjusted mean wage for bus drivers
Item	Value
Ames, IA	$69,100
Minot, ND	$68,050
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	$66,480
Grand Forks, ND-MN	$65,310
Bellingham, WA	$64,800
Springfield, MA	$64,540
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$64,220
Decatur, IL	$63,840
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	$63,290
El Centro, CA	$62,650

Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024

Every city

Bus Driver, School salary in every metro area

Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.

Bus Driver, School pay in every metro area with a BLS estimate
#	Metro area	Mean	Entry (Level I)	Experienced (Level IV)	At US prices
1	San Jose, CA	$70,910	$57,620	$77,440	$64,220
2	San Francisco, CA	$69,180	$55,490	$75,940	$59,840
3	Napa, CA	$68,140	$59,590	$72,360	$60,540
4	Mount Vernon, WA	$68,100	$58,930	$72,630	$66,480
5	Seattle, WA	$67,350	$58,240	$71,820	$60,600
6	Bellingham, WA	$66,960	$59,180	$70,800	$64,800
7	Bremerton, WA	$65,770	$58,930	$69,140	$62,280
8	Trenton, NJ	$64,310	$54,720	$69,060	$62,330
9	Boulder, CO	$62,030	$57,390	$64,310	$58,960
10	Springfield, MA	$62,000	$52,620	$66,640	$64,540
11	Boston, MA-NH	$61,670	$48,800	$68,020	$56,960
12	Ames, IA	$61,380	$39,980	$71,930	$69,100
13	Los Angeles, CA	$61,170	$49,520	$66,910	$53,860
14	Barnstable Town, MA	$60,920	$49,520	$66,520	$61,940
15	Santa Maria, CA	$60,650	$50,380	$65,710	$55,750
16	Medford, OR	$60,530	$47,170	$67,120	$59,670
17	Longview, WA	$60,240	$54,230	$63,190	$61,760
18	Santa Rosa, CA	$60,130	$52,330	$63,960	$55,790
19	New York, NY-NJ	$60,110	$48,570	$65,790	$53,400
20	Olympia, WA	$60,090	$53,440	$63,360	$57,960
21	Modesto, CA	$60,070	$48,650	$65,710	$57,700
22	Portland, OR-WA	$60,030	$50,020	$64,960	$56,940
23	Oxnard, CA	$59,900	$48,070	$65,730	$54,190
24	Salinas, CA	$59,680	$48,610	$65,120	$54,730
25	El Centro, CA	$59,630	$46,840	$65,960	$62,650
26	Bridgeport, CT	$59,570	$46,590	$65,980	$55,740
27	Worcester, MA	$59,320	$48,240	$64,770	$57,860
28	Minot, ND	$59,220	$44,720	$66,350	$68,050
29	Urban Honolulu, HI	$58,880	$47,630	$64,420	$53,060
30	San Diego, CA	$58,860	$47,630	$64,380	$52,610
31	Stockton, CA	$58,860	$48,400	$64,000	$56,010
32	Merced, CA	$58,720	$46,970	$64,520	$59,750
33	Syracuse, NY	$58,700	$44,950	$65,480	$61,310
34	Sheboygan, WI	$58,470	$42,620	$66,270	$62,190
35	Chico, CA	$58,200	$41,020	$66,660	$57,510
36	Denver, CO	$58,180	$47,240	$63,540	$55,000
37	Kiryas Joel, NY	$57,910	$48,260	$62,670	$52,920
38	Riverside, CA	$57,890	$44,410	$64,540	$54,390
39	Hanford, CA	$57,640	$47,860	$62,440	$56,730
40	Providence, RI-MA	$57,410	$47,030	$62,520	$56,410
41	Santa Cruz, CA	$57,220	$49,590	$61,010	$52,070
42	Sacramento, CA	$57,140	$44,600	$63,290	$53,570
43	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$57,030	$40,520	$65,190	$61,270
44	Visalia, CA	$56,870	$46,280	$62,090	$56,970
45	Elmira, NY	$56,720	$46,550	$61,730	$60,090
46	Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV	$56,660	$43,700	$63,020	$52,040
47	Grand Forks, ND-MN	$56,600	$42,060	$63,750	$65,310
48	Bend, OR	$56,580	$47,720	$60,940	$54,610
49	Kennewick, WA	$56,490	$48,670	$60,340	$56,450
50	Decatur, IL	$56,450	$41,790	$63,670	$63,840
51	New Haven, CT	$56,180	$46,550	$60,920	$53,730
52	Pittsfield, MA	$55,910	$44,080	$61,730	$58,790
53	Wenatchee, WA	$55,890	$50,650	$58,470	$53,820
54	Lexington Park, MD	$55,870	$45,760	$60,840	$55,450
55	Hartford, CT	$55,680	$45,180	$60,860	$54,190
56	Racine, WI	$55,620	$41,770	$62,440	$57,960
57	Greeley, CO	$55,330	$44,680	$60,590	$55,230
58	Norwich, CT	$55,290	$45,260	$60,240	$55,050
59	Waterbury, CT	$55,160	$44,100	$60,630	$55,280
60	Baltimore, MD	$55,120	$46,400	$59,430	$52,750
61	Waterloo, IA	$55,100	$30,720	$67,120	$63,290
62	Atlantic City, NJ	$54,930	$42,970	$60,820	$55,570
63	Fort Collins, CO	$54,640	$50,920	$56,470	$54,030
64	Provo, UT	$54,330	$43,390	$59,700	$55,310
65	Valdosta, GA	$54,330	$22,670	$69,910	$61,550
66	Ithaca, NY	$54,310	$46,880	$57,970	$52,570
67	Vallejo, CA	$54,270	$42,870	$59,900	$50,030
68	Lexington, KY	$53,930	$45,760	$57,970	$58,060
69	Bismarck, ND	$53,750	$43,330	$58,880	$59,050
70	Amherst Town, MA	$53,730	$41,290	$59,860	$53,600
71	Kingston, NY	$53,680	$46,470	$57,240	$53,300
72	Ogden, UT	$53,350	$42,240	$58,820	$53,160
73	Portland, ME	$53,230	$45,240	$57,160	$52,260
74	Salem, OR	$53,190	$47,220	$56,120	$51,320
75	Burlington, VT	$53,120	$41,370	$58,910	$52,620
76	Buffalo, NY	$53,060	$45,760	$56,660	$55,360
77	Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$52,890	$41,850	$58,320	$51,570
78	Virginia Beach, VA-NC	$52,890	$42,910	$57,800	$54,000
79	Spokane, WA	$52,810	$46,030	$56,140	$52,630
80	Bakersfield, CA	$52,770	$44,640	$56,780	$52,310
81	La Crosse, WI-MN	$52,710	$39,000	$59,450	$57,440
82	Walla Walla, WA	$52,600	$50,460	$53,680	$53,390
83	Helena, MT	$52,420	$42,540	$57,260	$54,790
84	Yakima, WA	$52,420	$41,890	$57,620	$54,860
85	Rochester, NY	$52,290	$45,200	$55,790	$53,890
86	Fargo, ND-MN	$52,270	$41,700	$57,490	$57,520
87	Chicago, IL-IN	$52,250	$42,970	$56,830	$50,440
88	Corvallis, OR	$52,170	$46,780	$54,830	$50,160
89	Salt Lake City, UT	$52,150	$38,980	$58,640	$51,700
90	Albany, NY	$52,120	$45,470	$55,390	$52,350
91	Allentown, PA-NJ	$52,020	$41,720	$57,100	$52,040
92	Lincoln, NE	$51,560	$42,200	$56,160	$56,300
93	Bozeman, MT	$51,540	$40,730	$56,870	$50,280
94	Appleton, WI	$51,380	$40,060	$56,930	$55,590
95	Minneapolis, MN-WI	$51,170	$39,350	$56,990	$48,820
96	Omaha, NE-IA	$50,960	$40,750	$55,970	$55,440
97	Madison, WI	$50,860	$41,520	$55,470	$52,280
98	Williamsport, PA	$50,750	$34,960	$58,550	$54,950
99	St. George, UT	$50,690	$43,530	$54,230	$52,090
100	Albany, OR	$50,650	$45,050	$53,390	$49,610
101	Springfield, IL	$50,520	$40,870	$55,270	$54,470
102	Eugene, OR	$50,420	$45,180	$53,000	$49,640
103	Milwaukee, WI	$50,340	$44,430	$53,250	$51,930
104	Anchorage, AK	$50,230	$41,430	$54,580	$47,650
105	Watertown, NY	$50,190	$43,260	$53,600	$57,240
106	Utica, NY	$50,090	$44,700	$52,750	$54,050
107	Fresno, CA	$49,960	$38,630	$55,540	$48,900
108	Oshkosh, WI	$49,960	$41,520	$54,120	$53,760
109	Naples, FL	$49,920	$43,310	$53,160	$48,370
110	Staunton, VA	$49,920	$42,390	$53,640	$54,780
111	Ann Arbor, MI	$49,820	$42,270	$53,520	$49,390
112	Cedar Rapids, IA	$49,610	$35,730	$56,450	$55,760
113	Columbus, OH	$49,590	$30,990	$58,740	$51,940
114	Glens Falls, NY	$49,590	$41,060	$53,790	$52,270
115	St. Louis, MO-IL	$49,500	$41,660	$53,370	$52,060
116	Elkhart, IN	$49,400	$34,200	$56,890	$54,690
117	Harrisonburg, VA	$49,300	$41,790	$53,000	$51,950
118	Richmond, VA	$49,300	$37,340	$55,180	$50,380
119	Eau Claire, WI	$49,250	$40,060	$53,770	$53,070
120	Blacksburg, VA	$49,030	$37,340	$54,790	$52,890
121	St. Cloud, MN	$48,980	$36,920	$54,930	$55,890
122	Jackson, TN	$48,920	$25,810	$60,320	$57,200
123	Green Bay, WI	$48,900	$42,270	$52,170	$52,530
124	Nashville, TN	$48,900	$29,950	$58,220	$50,760
125	Manchester, NH	$48,760	$39,620	$53,270	$46,150
126	Colorado Springs, CO	$48,630	$42,540	$51,650	$48,290
127	Des Moines, IA	$48,610	$33,950	$55,810	$53,010
128	Kansas City, MO-KS	$48,590	$38,830	$53,370	$52,510
129	Lewiston, ME	$48,570	$40,790	$52,420	$51,270
130	Peoria, IL	$48,570	$36,420	$54,560	$53,240
131	South Bend, IN-MI	$48,550	$35,880	$54,790	$52,280
132	Indianapolis, IN	$48,530	$30,830	$57,240	$50,710
133	Pueblo, CO	$48,240	$38,420	$53,060	$52,570
134	Harrisburg, PA	$48,170	$37,630	$53,370	$48,830
135	Monroe, MI	$48,010	$38,900	$52,480	$51,350
136	Wausau, WI	$48,010	$35,730	$54,060	$51,820
137	Yuba City, CA	$48,010	$39,890	$52,000	$46,060
138	Charlottesville, VA	$47,990	$37,190	$53,290	$48,400
139	Bloomington, IL	$47,960	$42,080	$50,860	$51,270
140	Traverse City, MI	$47,960	$42,220	$50,790	$51,360
141	Coeur d'Alene, ID	$47,880	$43,140	$50,230	$48,710
142	Akron, OH	$47,800	$35,980	$53,600	$51,190
143	Rochester, MN	$47,800	$36,670	$53,270	$52,630
144	Iowa City, IA	$47,780	$31,140	$55,970	$52,210
145	Davenport, IA-IL	$47,760	$42,180	$50,500	$53,620
146	Lynchburg, VA	$47,720	$34,990	$53,980	$53,400
147	Athens, GA	$47,630	$32,140	$55,240	$51,030
148	Port St. Lucie, FL	$47,570	$34,340	$54,100	$47,460
149	Casper, WY	$47,550	$41,870	$50,360	$50,680
150	Monroe, LA	$47,550	$39,850	$51,330	$56,880
151	Cape Girardeau, MO-IL	$47,530	$32,660	$54,870	$55,220
152	Kingsport, TN-VA	$47,510	$35,650	$53,330	$54,960
153	Fort Wayne, IN	$47,470	$33,860	$54,180	$51,280
154	Lewiston, ID-WA	$47,470	$41,600	$50,360	$52,070
155	Cleveland, OH	$47,440	$33,130	$54,500	$50,510
156	State College, PA	$47,400	$31,510	$55,220	$48,990
157	Detroit, MI	$47,220	$40,250	$50,650	$47,080
158	Kankakee, IL	$47,090	$38,750	$51,190	$48,850
159	Fayetteville, AR	$47,010	$30,100	$55,330	$51,460
160	Phoenix, AZ	$46,990	$40,270	$50,320	$45,480
161	Reading, PA	$46,970	$37,520	$51,630	$48,390
162	Bangor, ME	$46,950	$39,250	$50,710	$48,650
163	Duluth, MN-WI	$46,880	$36,320	$52,080	$52,810
164	Abilene, TX	$46,760	$36,000	$52,060	$51,750
165	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$46,760	$33,970	$53,060	$49,030
166	Billings, MT	$46,650	$36,690	$51,560	$49,880
167	Saginaw, MI	$46,650	$39,770	$50,040	$51,330
168	Pittsburgh, PA	$46,630	$34,150	$52,770	$49,250
169	Salisbury, MD	$46,590	$36,090	$51,750	$48,730
170	Springfield, MO	$46,570	$35,090	$52,230	$52,570
171	Michigan City, IN	$46,450	$29,640	$54,720	$50,660
172	Charleston, SC	$46,430	$37,210	$50,980	$45,990
173	Hinesville, GA	$46,380	$39,500	$49,770	$49,380
174	Longview, TX	$46,380	$29,270	$54,810	$51,830
175	Boise City, ID	$46,320	$39,210	$49,840	$47,080
176	Missoula, MT	$46,300	$43,510	$47,670	$48,010
177	Flagstaff, AZ	$46,280	$41,810	$48,510	$46,130
178	Evansville, IN	$46,260	$35,260	$51,690	$50,540
179	Sebastian, FL	$46,200	$41,250	$48,630	$47,000
180	Lansing, MI	$46,180	$41,660	$48,400	$48,620
181	Grand Rapids, MI	$46,130	$39,080	$49,610	$48,280
182	Elizabethtown, KY	$46,110	$39,040	$49,610	$50,910
183	Winchester, VA-WV	$46,050	$31,450	$53,250	$47,740
184	Lakeland, FL	$46,030	$31,570	$53,140	$47,380
185	Austin, TX	$45,990	$31,990	$52,870	$46,900
186	Lancaster, PA	$45,990	$37,000	$50,420	$46,810
187	Dayton, OH	$45,930	$31,680	$52,960	$49,550
188	Jefferson City, MO	$45,930	$37,020	$50,320	$52,210
189	Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	$45,910	$32,260	$52,620	$53,100
190	Champaign, IL	$45,860	$36,460	$50,480	$49,470
191	Tampa, FL	$45,860	$37,190	$50,130	$45,460
192	Albuquerque, NM	$45,800	$33,990	$51,600	$47,940
193	Dallas, TX	$45,760	$30,120	$53,480	$44,390
194	Binghamton, NY	$45,740	$38,750	$49,190	$49,260
195	Wichita Falls, TX	$45,720	$32,360	$52,290	$51,080
196	Bloomington, IN	$45,640	$31,350	$52,670	$48,000
197	Gainesville, FL	$45,530	$37,610	$49,420	$47,070
198	Wildwood, FL	$45,490	$31,280	$52,500	$53,250
199	Niles, MI	$45,470	$38,290	$49,030	$49,230
200	Roanoke, VA	$45,390	$35,440	$50,270	$48,480
201	Hot Springs, AR	$45,360	$30,390	$52,750	$52,910
202	Chambersburg, PA	$45,340	$34,440	$50,690	$47,910
203	Battle Creek, MI	$45,220	$35,900	$49,820	$49,940
204	York, PA	$45,220	$33,680	$50,920	$47,100
205	Jacksonville, FL	$45,070	$35,090	$49,980	$45,300
206	McAllen, TX	$44,870	$29,180	$52,580	$52,240
207	Columbia, MO	$44,800	$37,610	$48,340	$50,090
208	Rockford, IL	$44,720	$34,260	$49,880	$48,530
209	Topeka, KS	$44,660	$36,070	$48,880	$50,280
210	Santa Fe, NM	$44,620	$34,490	$49,590	$45,180
211	Lawrence, KS	$44,550	$40,810	$46,400	$49,370
212	Jackson, MI	$44,530	$39,560	$46,990	$48,520
213	Farmington, NM	$44,510	$31,970	$50,670	$50,750
214	Bowling Green, KY	$44,450	$40,850	$46,220	$49,290
215	Mankato, MN	$44,430	$33,860	$49,630	$48,850
216	Idaho Falls, ID	$44,390	$38,110	$47,490	$47,020
217	Flint, MI	$44,350	$38,600	$47,200	$47,670
218	Bay City, MI	$44,320	$36,820	$48,030	$48,220
219	El Paso, TX	$44,280	$28,660	$51,960	$49,250
220	Joplin, MO-KS	$44,200	$32,590	$49,900	$51,560
221	Scranton, PA	$44,200	$27,730	$52,310	$47,240
222	Spartanburg, SC	$44,120	$35,710	$48,260	$48,460
223	Jonesboro, AR	$43,990	$28,290	$51,730	$51,230
224	Atlanta, GA	$43,970	$25,900	$52,870	$43,940
225	Reno, NV	$43,890	$37,610	$46,990	$43,450
226	Lafayette, IN	$43,870	$32,640	$49,400	$46,950
227	Miami, FL	$43,780	$35,710	$47,760	$38,350
228	Wichita, KS	$43,760	$35,800	$47,670	$49,200
229	Homosassa Springs, FL	$43,680	$36,650	$47,130	$46,730
230	Houston, TX	$43,680	$28,580	$51,130	$44,290
231	Rapid City, SD	$43,660	$38,020	$46,430	$48,970
232	Dover, DE	$43,580	$35,690	$47,490	$44,690
233	Muskegon, MI	$43,580	$39,170	$45,740	$47,100
234	Tucson, AZ	$43,490	$38,360	$46,030	$44,880
235	Charlotte, NC-SC	$43,450	$35,510	$47,360	$44,630
236	St. Joseph, MO-KS	$43,450	$35,650	$47,280	$50,300
237	Fort Smith, AR-OK	$43,370	$25,210	$52,330	$50,500
238	Erie, PA	$43,260	$30,910	$49,340	$47,560
239	Waco, TX	$43,160	$30,350	$49,460	$46,630
240	Victoria, TX	$43,100	$26,790	$51,150	$47,970
241	Twin Falls, ID	$43,060	$34,960	$47,030	$46,750
242	North Port, FL	$42,970	$36,210	$46,280	$41,960
243	Terre Haute, IN	$42,930	$26,310	$51,130	$48,900
244	Crestview, FL	$42,890	$36,170	$46,200	$44,200
245	Logan, UT-ID	$42,890	$32,930	$47,780	$44,710
246	Little Rock, AR	$42,850	$26,620	$50,860	$47,950
247	Muncie, IN	$42,810	$28,790	$49,710	$48,570
248	Palm Bay, FL	$42,790	$40,270	$44,030	$42,790
249	Deltona, FL	$42,640	$36,610	$45,640	$42,910
250	Lubbock, TX	$42,640	$35,150	$46,340	$46,690
251	Owensboro, KY	$42,560	$39,060	$44,280	$48,030
252	Great Falls, MT	$42,450	$36,090	$45,590	$43,830
253	Greenville, SC	$42,450	$34,260	$46,490	$45,520
254	Cape Coral, FL	$42,390	$39,770	$43,680	$41,420
255	Kalamazoo, MI	$42,330	$36,630	$45,120	$44,630
256	Orlando, FL	$42,290	$35,010	$45,880	$41,700
257	Durham, NC	$42,270	$36,520	$45,090	$43,320
258	Cheyenne, WY	$41,950	$38,270	$43,760	$43,480
259	Beaumont, TX	$41,850	$27,410	$48,960	$46,480
260	Kokomo, IN	$41,750	$24,940	$50,020	$46,570
261	New Orleans, LA	$41,720	$28,250	$48,360	$45,060
262	Lake Havasu City, AZ	$41,700	$39,020	$43,010	$44,320
263	Sierra Vista, AZ	$41,700	$34,800	$45,120	$46,730
264	Manhattan, KS	$41,500	$32,740	$45,800	$46,030
265	Yuma, AZ	$41,350	$36,400	$43,780	$44,600
266	Tallahassee, FL	$41,270	$33,720	$44,990	$43,940
267	Youngstown, OH	$41,120	$27,020	$48,070	$47,050
268	Altoona, PA	$41,100	$30,640	$46,260	$45,920
269	Hagerstown, MD-WV	$41,100	$31,510	$45,800	$43,640
270	Killeen, TX	$41,020	$27,080	$47,880	$45,010
271	Rome, GA	$40,890	$25,520	$48,460	$45,350
272	Gainesville, GA	$40,870	$24,040	$49,150	$42,240
273	Johnstown, PA	$40,830	$32,260	$45,030	$47,520
274	Paducah, KY-IL	$40,790	$36,630	$42,830	$47,380
275	Lake Charles, LA	$40,710	$21,720	$50,040	$47,420
276	Prescott Valley, AZ	$40,620	$36,110	$42,830	$41,340
277	Columbia, SC	$40,540	$29,430	$46,010	$43,280
278	Greensboro, NC	$40,370	$34,590	$43,220	$43,470
279	Pensacola, FL	$40,290	$37,150	$41,830	$41,230
280	Brownsville, TX	$40,140	$29,100	$45,570	$46,690
281	Amarillo, TX	$39,980	$25,270	$47,220	$43,540
282	Albany, GA	$39,560	$24,210	$47,110	$45,120
283	Las Vegas, NV	$39,400	$37,270	$40,440	$39,320
284	Chattanooga, TN-GA	$39,250	$24,730	$46,400	$42,910
285	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$39,230	$25,380	$46,070	$42,560
286	Asheville, NC	$39,190	$32,220	$42,620	$40,610
287	College Station, TX	$38,900	$23,460	$46,490	$42,770
288	Raleigh, NC	$38,900	$31,700	$42,430	$39,630
289	Tulsa, OK	$38,730	$30,450	$42,830	$43,410
290	Sioux Falls, SD-MN	$38,380	$32,760	$41,140	$42,350
291	Oklahoma City, OK	$38,110	$28,620	$42,790	$42,150
292	San Antonio, TX	$38,020	$24,150	$44,840	$40,140
293	Sherman, TX	$37,670	$19,010	$46,860	$40,170
294	Columbus, GA-AL	$37,420	$21,530	$45,220	$41,910
295	Burlington, NC	$37,270	$32,990	$39,400	$39,990
296	Pinehurst, NC	$37,110	$32,760	$39,250	$42,010
297	Winston, NC	$37,090	$33,200	$39,000	$40,300
298	Enid, OK	$36,960	$31,140	$39,830	$43,860
299	Lawton, OK	$36,960	$26,870	$41,910	$43,010
300	Rocky Mount, NC	$36,960	$30,240	$40,290	$41,990
301	Wilmington, NC	$36,770	$32,140	$39,060	$38,130
302	Macon, GA	$36,710	$21,010	$44,450	$41,470
303	Hickory, NC	$36,650	$34,110	$37,900	$41,420
304	Fayetteville, NC	$36,590	$29,970	$39,850	$39,780
305	Knoxville, TN	$36,380	$24,690	$42,140	$39,300
306	Laredo, TX	$36,380	$26,350	$41,330	$41,840
307	Greenville, NC	$36,300	$33,920	$37,480	$41,060
308	San Angelo, TX	$36,300	$22,460	$43,100	$39,260
309	Brunswick, GA	$36,210	$19,320	$44,550	$41,280
310	Toledo, OH	$36,150	$25,830	$41,250	$39,530
311	Panama City, FL	$35,860	$31,890	$37,810	$36,860
312	Warner Robins, GA	$35,820	$23,730	$41,790	$38,190
313	Goldsboro, NC	$35,550	$30,700	$37,940	$40,190
314	Huntington, WV-KY-OH	$35,380	$32,010	$37,040	$40,010
315	Florence, SC	$35,300	$23,670	$41,040	$40,680
316	Wheeling, WV-OH	$35,260	$31,890	$36,900	$39,920
317	Jackson, MS	$34,050	$21,800	$40,080	$38,240
318	Morgantown, WV	$33,860	$30,410	$35,570	$36,280
319	Charleston, WV	$33,780	$30,370	$35,440	$38,080
320	Tyler, TX	$33,720	$21,510	$39,730	$36,590
321	Lafayette, LA	$33,630	$26,150	$37,320	$38,560
322	Clarksville, TN-KY	$33,470	$25,540	$37,380	$36,800
323	Baton Rouge, LA	$33,430	$21,820	$39,150	$36,830
324	Gulfport, MS	$33,430	$21,900	$39,100	$37,140
325	Canton, OH	$33,400	$23,860	$38,110	$37,360
326	Beckley, WV	$33,090	$29,520	$34,840	$37,450
327	Weirton, WV-OH	$32,510	$28,230	$34,630	$36,520
328	San Juan, PR	$32,360	$22,940	$37,000	N/A
329	Savannah, GA	$32,260	$21,990	$37,320	$33,880
330	Slidell, LA	$32,160	$29,680	$33,380	$34,680
331	Texarkana, TX-AR	$31,050	$22,070	$35,460	$36,960
332	Hilton Head Island, SC	$29,830	$22,650	$33,360	$30,430
333	Myrtle Beach, SC	$29,560	$24,860	$31,870	$31,570
334	Aguadilla, PR	$29,450	$22,190	$33,030	N/A
335	Houma, LA	$28,620	$23,460	$31,160	$33,630
336	Shreveport, LA	$28,330	$23,440	$30,740	$33,420
337	Ponce, PR	$27,870	$21,880	$30,830	N/A
338	Augusta, GA-SC	$23,570	$16,490	$27,040	$25,650
339	Huntsville, AL	$22,920	$17,720	$25,500	$24,630
340	Florence, AL	$20,920	$16,660	$23,030	$24,660
341	Birmingham, AL	$19,950	$17,490	$21,150	$21,770
342	Daphne, AL	$19,610	$17,220	$20,800	$20,710
343	Anniston, AL	$19,550	$16,390	$21,110	$22,750
344	Mobile, AL	$19,280	$17,350	$20,240	$21,880
345	Decatur, AL	$18,550	$17,330	$19,180	$21,270
346	Tuscaloosa, AL	$18,240	$16,970	$18,840	$20,790
347	Montgomery, AL	$18,120	$16,740	$18,780	$20,200
348	Dothan, AL	$17,180	$16,450	$17,510	$20,490

More on bus drivers

Bus Driver, School career profile Bus Driver, School salary by state Will AI replace bus drivers?Cost of living calculator

Method

About these numbers

Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.

Questions

Bus Driver, School salary by city: FAQ

Which city pays bus drivers the most?

San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $70,910 a year, followed by San Francisco, CA ($69,180), Napa, CA ($68,140), Mount Vernon, WA ($68,100). The national mean is $48,430 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Where do bus drivers earn the most after cost of living?

Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Ames, IA ($69,100 at national prices, $61,380 nominal), Minot, ND ($68,050 at national prices, $59,220 nominal), Mount Vernon, WA ($66,480 at national prices, $68,100 nominal).

How much do bus drivers make in the biggest cities?

New York, NY-NJ: $60,110; Los Angeles, CA: $61,170; Chicago, IL-IN: $52,250; Dallas, TX: $45,760; Houston, TX: $43,680 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).

Where do bus drivers earn the least?

Of the 348 metro areas with their own estimate, Dothan, AL has the lowest mean wage, $17,180. At local prices that is worth $20,490.