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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

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)
371,530 0.9 % $ 21.74 $ 45,210 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Bus Drivers, School:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.16 $ 17.45 $ 21.95 $ 25.43 $ 29.48
Annual Wage (2) $ 27,380 $ 36,290 $ 45,660 $ 52,900 $ 61,320


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 193,780 2.25 $ 20.47 $ 42,580
School and Employee Bus Transportation 129,330 65.47 $ 23.70 $ 49,290
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 31,620 0.57 $ 22.59 $ 46,980
Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation 4,660 4.72 $ 18.75 $ 39,010
Child Care Services 3,720 0.40 $ 16.95 $ 35,260

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 129,330 65.47 $ 23.70 $ 49,290
Charter Bus Industry 1,190 5.39 $ 22.67 $ 47,150
Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation 4,660 4.72 $ 18.75 $ 39,010
Urban Transit Systems 1,040 2.50 $ 26.42 $ 54,960
Elementary and Secondary Schools 193,780 2.25 $ 20.47 $ 42,580

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 80 0.02 $ 30.38 $ 63,200
Grantmaking and Giving Services (8) (8) $ 30.18 $ 62,780
Urban Transit Systems 1,040 2.50 $ 26.42 $ 54,960
School and Employee Bus Transportation 129,330 65.47 $ 23.70 $ 49,290
Educational Support Services (8) (8) $ 23.32 $ 48,510


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 2023


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 34,340 3.66 1.49 $ 26.43 $ 54,970
Texas 30,020 2.21 0.90 $ 20.35 $ 42,330
Pennsylvania 24,150 4.06 1.66 $ 20.66 $ 42,970
Illinois 19,310 3.21 1.31 $ 22.99 $ 47,830
California 16,970 0.95 0.39 $ 26.11 $ 54,300


Map of location quotient of bus drivers, school by state, May 2023


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)
Alabama 11,800 5.75 2.35 $ 9.44 $ 19,630
Wyoming 1,180 4.30 1.76 $ 20.19 $ 42,000
Pennsylvania 24,150 4.06 1.66 $ 20.66 $ 42,970
North Dakota 1,630 3.89 1.59 $ 30.51 $ 63,470
Kentucky 7,330 3.73 1.53 $ 19.87 $ 41,330


Map of annual mean wages of bus drivers, school by state, May 2023


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 3.89 1.59 $ 30.51 $ 63,470
Washington 9,080 2.60 1.06 $ 27.36 $ 56,910
New York 34,340 3.66 1.49 $ 26.43 $ 54,970
California 16,970 0.95 0.39 $ 26.11 $ 54,300
Massachusetts 10,870 2.98 1.22 $ 26.04 $ 54,170



Map of employment of bus drivers, school by area, May 2023


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 28,700 3.02 1.24 $ 27.56 $ 57,310
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 13,220 2.93 1.20 $ 23.75 $ 49,400
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 8,720 3.08 1.26 $ 22.63 $ 47,080
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 7,960 2.58 1.05 $ 25.44 $ 52,920
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 7,900 2.86 1.17 $ 26.04 $ 54,160
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 7,570 1.91 0.78 $ 22.20 $ 46,170
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 7,410 2.63 1.07 $ 19.61 $ 40,790
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 7,380 2.32 0.95 $ 19.82 $ 41,220
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 5,490 2.87 1.17 $ 23.41 $ 48,690
Pittsburgh, PA 5,440 5.08 2.08 $ 20.27 $ 42,170


Map of location quotient of bus drivers, school by area, May 2023


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)
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 290 7.05 2.88 $ 21.93 $ 45,610
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 1,430 6.78 2.77 $ 22.45 $ 46,690
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY 360 6.76 2.76 $ 19.66 $ 40,900
Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA 350 6.14 2.51 $ 18.61 $ 38,700
Kankakee, IL 250 5.98 2.45 $ 21.90 $ 45,560
Rochester, NY 2,940 5.96 2.44 $ 23.71 $ 49,320
California-Lexington Park, MD 280 5.93 2.43 $ 22.79 $ 47,410
Kingston, NY 330 5.82 2.38 $ 24.25 $ 50,440
Lynchburg, VA 560 5.73 2.34 $ 20.56 $ 42,760
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 220 5.69 2.33 $ 23.92 $ 49,750


Map of annual mean wages of bus drivers, school by area, May 2023


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)
Racine, WI 130 1.76 0.72 $ 30.49 $ 63,420
Ames, IA 130 2.80 1.15 $ 29.82 $ 62,030
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 3,970 1.91 0.78 $ 29.61 $ 61,600
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 180 3.63 1.49 $ 29.61 $ 61,580
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,210 0.91 0.37 $ 29.49 $ 61,330
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 310 3.37 1.38 $ 29.37 $ 61,080
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 730 0.64 0.26 $ 29.15 $ 60,640
Bellingham, WA 270 3.00 1.23 $ 28.67 $ 59,630
Grand Forks, ND-MN 140 2.81 1.15 $ 28.59 $ 59,460
Syracuse, NY 1,340 4.53 1.85 $ 27.99 $ 58,220

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 1,640 4.22 1.73 $ 18.36 $ 38,190
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 1,440 9.68 3.95 $ 9.30 $ 19,340
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 1,290 6.85 2.80 $ 21.50 $ 44,710
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 1,260 9.01 3.68 $ 19.50 $ 40,560
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 1,150 7.08 2.89 $ 21.39 $ 44,490

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 1,440 9.68 3.95 $ 9.30 $ 19,340
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 640 9.50 3.88 $ 10.41 $ 21,650
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 1,260 9.01 3.68 $ 19.50 $ 40,560
Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 570 8.51 3.48 $ 8.44 $ 17,560
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 510 8.20 3.35 $ 32.83 $ 68,290

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 4.70 1.92 $ 33.54 $ 69,750
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 510 8.20 3.35 $ 32.83 $ 68,290
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 170 1.66 0.68 $ 30.15 $ 62,710
Central Utah nonmetropolitan area 130 2.32 0.95 $ 30.06 $ 62,520
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 500 5.11 2.09 $ 28.81 $ 59,930


About May 2023 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.

(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 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024