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Bus Drivers, School: Career Overview
Drive a school bus to transport students. Ensure adherence to safety rules. May assist students in boarding or exiting.
What Do Bus Drivers, School Do?
Typical responsibilities of bus drivers, school include:
- Comply with traffic regulations to operate vehicles in a safe and courteous manner.
- Follow safety rules as students board and exit buses or cross streets near bus stops.
- Check the condition of a vehicle's tires, brakes, windshield wipers, lights, oil, fuel, water, and safety equipment to ensure that everything is in working order.
- Report any bus malfunctions or needed repairs.
- Pick up and drop off students at regularly scheduled neighborhood locations, following strict time schedules.
- Drive gasoline, diesel, or electrically powered multi-passenger vehicles to transport students between neighborhoods, schools, and school activities.
- Maintain order among students during trips to ensure safety.
- Prepare and submit reports that may include the number of students or trips, hours worked, mileage, or fuel consumption.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top bus drivers, school draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Bus Drivers, School Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Bus Drive Coordinator
- Bus Driver
- Bus Monitor
- CDL Bus Driver (Commercial Driver's License Bus Driver)
- CDL School Bus Driver (Commercial Driver's License School Bus Driver)
- Campus Driver
- Public School Bus Driver
- SPED Bus Driver (Special Education Bus Driver)
Job Outlook
There are about 383,655 bus drivers, school working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +6.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Bus Drivers, School
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $47,746 |
| Hourly median | $22.96 |
| 10th percentile | $29,933 |
| 25th percentile | $38,840 |
| 75th percentile | $56,653 |
| 90th percentile | $65,560 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Bus Drivers, School Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $63,030 |
| Washington | $60,250 |
| Connecticut | $59,340 |
| New Jersey | $59,140 |
| California | $58,280 |
| New York | $56,510 |
| District of Columbia | $54,450 |
| Oregon | $52,090 |
| Utah | $51,270 |
| Hawaii | $51,210 |
| Maryland | $51,040 |
| North Dakota | $50,420 |
| Alaska | $49,880 |
| Vermont | $49,800 |
| Illinois | $49,760 |
| Minnesota | $49,600 |
| Colorado | $49,490 |
| Rhode Island | $49,430 |
| Virginia | $48,600 |
| New Hampshire | $47,700 |
| Wisconsin | $47,480 |
| Maine | $47,390 |
| Nebraska | $47,320 |
| Indiana | $47,070 |
| Ohio | $46,900 |
| New Mexico | $46,240 |
| Wyoming | $45,960 |
| Montana | $45,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,710 |
| Michigan | $45,670 |
| Iowa | $45,380 |
| Kansas | $44,720 |
| Delaware | $44,360 |
| Arizona | $43,610 |
| Missouri | $43,520 |
| Texas | $42,780 |
| South Carolina | $42,330 |
| Idaho | $42,070 |
| Arkansas | $42,020 |
| Tennessee | $41,100 |
| Kentucky | $40,610 |
| Virgin Islands | $39,360 |
| Florida | $39,170 |
| South Dakota | $38,710 |
| Georgia | $37,510 |
| Oklahoma | $37,430 |
| North Carolina | $36,620 |
| Nevada | $36,380 |
| Louisiana | $32,030 |
| West Virginia | $30,080 |
| Mississippi | $28,940 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,830 |
| Alabama | $17,620 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for bus drivers, school vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $57,744 | 6.2% | 1.34 |
| Far Western US | $56,073 | 8.2% | 0.65 |
| Middle Atlantic | $53,099 | 21.4% | 1.45 |
| Great Lakes | $47,885 | 13.9% | 1.12 |
| Rocky Mountains | $47,233 | 2.6% | 0.84 |
| Plains States | $46,248 | 8.9% | 1.31 |
| Southwest | $42,592 | 11.4% | 0.93 |
| Southeast | $36,890 | 27.0% | 1.27 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $67,040 | 170 |
| Medford, OR | OR | $66,060 | 210 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $65,480 | 310 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $65,110 | 640 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $65,110 | 3,910 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $64,750 | 60 |
| Springfield, MA | MA | $64,570 | 710 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $64,080 | 270 |
Top Industries Employing Bus Drivers, School
Most bus drivers, school are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 201,110 | $42,630 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 142,760 | $49,200 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 5,200 | $38,900 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 630 | $41,200 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 100 | $44,020 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for bus drivers, school is shaped by the following characteristics:
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Spend Time Sitting
- Contact With Others
How to Become Bus Drivers, School
Entry-level bus drivers, school positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Emergency Medical Technicians (Supplemental)
- Parking Enforcement Workers (Supplemental)
- Transit and Railroad Police (Supplemental)
- Crossing Guards and Flaggers (Primary-Long)
- School Bus Monitors (Primary-Short)
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (Primary-Long)
- Commercial Pilots (Supplemental)
- Air Traffic Controllers (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Aspiring bus drivers, school often complete programs in:
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-3051.00 (Bus Drivers, School).
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