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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

53-3051 Bus Drivers, School

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


National estimates for Bus Drivers, School
Industry profile for Bus Drivers, School
Geographic profile for Bus Drivers, School

National estimates for Bus Drivers, School:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Bus Drivers, School:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
366,550 1.3 % $ 20.39 $ 42,400 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Bus Drivers, School:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 12.21 $ 16.27 $ 19.84 $ 23.66 $ 28.07
Annual Wage (2) $ 25,390 $ 33,850 $ 41,270 $ 49,210 $ 58,390


Industry profile for Bus Drivers, School:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Bus Drivers, School are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Bus Drivers, School, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Bus Drivers, School:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Elementary and Secondary Schools 193,220 2.30 $ 19.45 $ 40,460
School and Employee Bus Transportation 125,740 65.91 $ 21.87 $ 45,480
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 32,480 0.60 $ 21.32 $ 44,340
Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation 3,860 4.15 $ 18.72 $ 38,930
Child Care Services 3,420 0.39 $ 14.90 $ 30,990

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Bus Drivers, School:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
School and Employee Bus Transportation 125,740 65.91 $ 21.87 $ 45,480
Charter Bus Industry 1,110 5.47 $ 20.91 $ 43,480
Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation 3,860 4.15 $ 18.72 $ 38,930
Urban Transit Systems 1,340 3.40 $ 22.05 $ 45,870
Elementary and Secondary Schools 193,220 2.30 $ 19.45 $ 40,460

Top paying industries for Bus Drivers, School:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 110 0.03 $ 25.43 $ 52,900
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 60 (7) $ 22.50 $ 46,810
Urban Transit Systems 1,340 3.40 $ 22.05 $ 45,870
School and Employee Bus Transportation 125,740 65.91 $ 21.87 $ 45,480
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 32,480 0.60 $ 21.32 $ 44,340


Geographic profile for Bus Drivers, School:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Bus Drivers, School are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Bus Drivers, School, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of bus drivers, school by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Bus Drivers, School:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 35,820 3.93 1.59 $ 24.76 $ 51,490
Texas 28,250 2.17 0.88 $ 19.09 $ 39,700
Pennsylvania 21,830 3.76 1.52 $ 20.34 $ 42,310
Illinois 17,750 3.02 1.22 $ 21.97 $ 45,690
California 15,980 0.91 0.37 $ 24.27 $ 50,480


Map of location quotient of bus drivers, school by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Bus Drivers, School:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wyoming 1,480 5.51 2.22 $ 18.59 $ 38,670
West Virginia 3,050 4.50 1.82 $ 13.82 $ 28,740
Alabama 8,840 4.41 1.78 $ 10.72 $ 22,300
Kansas 5,780 4.19 1.69 $ 19.56 $ 40,680
Kentucky 7,640 4.02 1.62 $ 18.84 $ 39,180


Map of annual mean wages of bus drivers, school by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Bus Drivers, School:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 1,630 4.02 1.62 $ 28.53 $ 59,340
Washington 8,680 2.55 1.03 $ 26.11 $ 54,300
New York 35,820 3.93 1.59 $ 24.76 $ 51,490
Alaska 640 2.08 0.84 $ 24.57 $ 51,100
California 15,980 0.91 0.37 $ 24.27 $ 50,480



Map of employment of bus drivers, school by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Bus Drivers, School:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 29,100 3.17 1.28 $ 25.59 $ 53,230
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 11,700 2.65 1.07 $ 22.71 $ 47,250
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 9,350 3.09 1.25 $ 24.42 $ 50,790
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 7,700 2.78 1.12 $ 20.84 $ 43,350
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 7,380 1.94 0.78 $ 20.72 $ 43,090
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 6,990 2.29 0.92 $ 19.31 $ 40,160
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 6,790 2.49 1.00 $ 18.75 $ 39,000
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 5,590 2.07 0.83 $ 23.42 $ 48,720
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 5,010 2.66 1.07 $ 21.86 $ 45,460
St. Louis, MO-IL 4,870 3.72 1.50 $ 20.85 $ 43,370


Map of location quotient of bus drivers, school by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Bus Drivers, School:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Johnstown, PA 440 9.23 3.72 $ 16.87 $ 35,080
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY 380 7.23 2.92 $ 18.63 $ 38,740
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 260 6.61 2.67 $ 18.15 $ 37,760
Rome, GA 260 6.59 2.66 $ 17.88 $ 37,190
Terre Haute, IN 410 6.39 2.58 $ 19.08 $ 39,680
Beckley, WV 260 6.32 2.55 $ 15.08 $ 31,370
Kankakee, IL 260 6.27 2.53 $ 21.02 $ 43,720
Rochester, NY 2,990 6.16 2.49 $ 21.89 $ 45,540
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 580 5.77 2.33 $ 18.02 $ 37,490
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 220 5.73 2.31 $ 21.51 $ 44,740


Map of annual mean wages of bus drivers, school by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Bus Drivers, School:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 170 3.47 1.40 $ 28.23 $ 58,710
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 300 3.36 1.35 $ 28.21 $ 58,670
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 3,940 1.94 0.78 $ 28.08 $ 58,400
Ames, IA 130 2.87 1.16 $ 27.25 $ 56,670
Elkhart-Goshen, IN 280 1.97 0.79 $ 27.09 $ 56,350
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 880 0.86 0.35 $ 26.89 $ 55,940
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,740 0.73 0.29 $ 26.88 $ 55,910
Syracuse, NY 1,220 4.26 1.72 $ 26.40 $ 54,910
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 610 0.54 0.22 $ 26.27 $ 54,640
Bellingham, WA 270 3.11 1.26 $ 26.26 $ 54,610

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Bus Drivers, School:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 1,690 4.42 1.78 $ 16.70 $ 34,740
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 1,530 10.55 4.25 $ 10.21 $ 21,230
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 1,350 7.34 2.96 $ 21.50 $ 44,720
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 1,180 5.67 2.29 $ 17.48 $ 36,370
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 1,180 6.99 2.82 $ 20.15 $ 41,910

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Bus Drivers, School:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 1,530 10.55 4.25 $ 10.21 $ 21,230
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 660 10.34 4.17 $ 13.05 $ 27,140
Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 630 9.44 3.81 $ 10.24 $ 21,310
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 530 8.58 3.46 (8) (8)
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 810 8.30 3.35 $ 17.48 $ 36,350

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Bus Drivers, School:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 540 4.89 1.97 $ 30.08 $ 62,570
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 210 2.06 0.83 $ 27.23 $ 56,630
Central Utah nonmetropolitan area 100 1.80 0.73 $ 26.15 $ 54,380
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 660 3.15 1.27 $ 26.04 $ 54,160
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 200 1.66 0.67 $ 25.76 $ 53,580


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023