53 Series · SOC 53-3051
Bus Drivers, School Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $47,920
- Median / year
- +1.9%
- 2024→2025
- $65,730
- Top 10% earn
- +0.2%
- Growth '24–'34
- 402,930
- Estimated US jobs
Bus Drivers, School earn a median of $47,920 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $47,920, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $29,240 (10th percentile) to $65,730 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 402,930 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Massachusetts ($65,170).
The pay verdict
Bus Drivers, School earn a median of $47,920, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 27% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #30 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.2% by 2034.
- $47,920
- Median annual wage
- Top 73%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #30 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 2.2×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $65,170. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Bus Drivers, School (SOC 53-3051) has a national median of $47,920 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $29,240 to $65,730, and the published mean is $48,430. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 402,930 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 481 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $47,040 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $47,920 in May 2025, a rise of $880 (+1.9%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as slower than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 61,000 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Transportation and Material Moving Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $65,170, which is +36% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $75,230. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$47,920
per year
Median Hourly
$23.04/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$48,430
average
Employment
402,930
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Bus Drivers, School pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$47,920 Bottom 27% higher than 27% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$47,920 · 27th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Bus Drivers, School; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Laborers and Freight…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.5%, Median annual wage $40240
- Stockers and Order F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $37330
- Heavy and Tractor-Tr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $58640
- Light Truck Drivers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.3%, Median annual wage $44860
- Industrial Truck and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.1%, Median annual wage $46420
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $62890
- Packers and Packager…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.4%, Median annual wage $36280
- Driver/Sales Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.8%, Median annual wage $38770
- Bus Drivers, School: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $47920
- Cleaners of Vehicles…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $35830
- Shuttle Drivers and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.7%, Median annual wage $37290
- Bus Drivers, Transit…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $59050
- Refuse and Recyclabl…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.9%, Median annual wage $49690
- Parking Attendants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $35150
- Flight Attendants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.2%, Median annual wage $63580
- Airline Pilots, Copi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $232140
- Automotive and Water…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1%, Median annual wage $35670
- Commercial Pilots: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $123220
- Motor Vehicle Operat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6%, Median annual wage $37180
- Railroad Conductors …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.1%, Median annual wage $78000
- Crane and Tower Oper…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $68080
- Machine Feeders and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -13%, Median annual wage $41220
- Taxi Drivers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.1%, Median annual wage $42100
- Captains, Mates, and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $92460
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+0.2%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
61,000
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+900
387,300 (2024) → 388,200 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Transportation and Material Moving Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
17.5/100K
Injury Rate
4.8/100
Danger Index
28/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Bus Drivers, School roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Escort small children across roads and highways.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Maintain knowledge of first-aid procedures.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Bus Drivers, School pay history, 2021–2025
Published national median across 5 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $37,910 |
| 2022 | $41,270 |
| 2023 | $45,660 |
| 2024 | $47,040 |
| 2025 | $47,920 |
2021 median
$37,910
2025 median
$47,920
2021–2025 change
+$10,010 (+26.4%)
Avg/year
+6%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,910 | First banked release | 361,420 |
| May 2022 | $41,270 | +8.9% | 366,550 |
| May 2023 | $45,660 | +10.6% | 371,530 |
| May 2024 | $47,040 | +3.0% | 387,920 |
| May 2025 | $47,920 | +1.9% | 402,930 |
Across the 5 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $37,910 in May 2021 to $47,920 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2021–2025), the like-for-like change averages +6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 361,420 in May 2021 to 402,930 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 54 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $65,170 | +36% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $63,370 | +32% above national |
| 3 | Connecticut | $61,520 | +28% above national |
| 4 | California | $61,040 | +27% above national |
| 5 | New Jersey | $59,430 | +24% above national |
| 6 | Hawaii | $59,090 | +23% above national |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $58,700 | +22% above national |
| 8 | New York | $56,640 | +18% above national |
| 9 | Vermont | $56,580 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Maryland | $56,450 | +18% above national |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $55,450 | +16% above national |
| 12 | Alaska | $54,200 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Utah | $52,890 | +10% above national |
| 14 | Colorado | $52,620 | +10% above national |
| 15 | Oregon | $51,270 | +7% above national |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $50,990 | +6% above national |
| 17 | North Dakota | $50,790 | +6% above national |
| 18 | Virginia | $50,190 | +5% above national |
| 19 | Illinois | $49,090 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Minnesota | $48,940 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Maine | $48,640 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Indiana | $48,020 | same as national |
| 23 | Nebraska | $47,760 | same as national |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $47,760 | same as national |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $47,530 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Missouri | $46,880 | 2% below national |
| 27 | Michigan | $46,380 | 3% below national |
| 28 | Iowa | $46,320 | 3% below national |
| 29 | Idaho | $46,250 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Montana | $46,220 | 4% below national |
| 31 | Arizona | $46,050 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Kansas | $45,860 | 4% below national |
| 33 | Ohio | $45,860 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Wyoming | $45,520 | 5% below national |
| 35 | Arkansas | $45,500 | 5% below national |
| 36 | New Mexico | $45,470 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Georgia | $44,950 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Kentucky | $44,830 | 6% below national |
| 39 | Florida | $44,690 | 7% below national |
| 40 | Tennessee | $44,510 | 7% below national |
| 41 | Texas | $44,490 | 7% below national |
| 42 | Delaware | $42,390 | 12% below national |
| 43 | Guam | $41,720 | 13% below national |
| 44 | Virgin Islands | $40,120 | 16% below national |
| 45 | South Carolina | $39,900 | 17% below national |
| 46 | South Dakota | $39,730 | 17% below national |
| 47 | North Carolina | $37,460 | 22% below national |
| 48 | Nevada | $37,280 | 22% below national |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $36,920 | 23% below national |
| 50 | West Virginia | $33,360 | 30% below national |
| 51 | Mississippi | $30,640 | 36% below national |
| 52 | Louisiana | $29,450 | 39% below national |
| 53 | Puerto Rico | $27,950 | 42% below national |
| 54 | Alabama | $17,630 | 63% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 348 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $75,230 | +57% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $73,680 | +54% above national |
| 3 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $72,070 | +50% above national |
| 4 | Bellingham, WA | $69,640 | +45% above national |
| 5 | Napa, CA | $67,430 | +41% above national |
| 6 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $66,880 | +40% above national |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $66,380 | +39% above national |
| 8 | Springfield, MA | $65,730 | +37% above national |
| 9 | Worcester, MA | $65,640 | +37% above national |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $65,170 | +36% above national |
| 11 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $63,710 | +33% above national |
| 12 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $63,400 | +32% above national |
| 13 | Modesto, CA | $62,870 | +31% above national |
| 14 | El Centro, CA | $62,610 | +31% above national |
| 15 | Salinas, CA | $62,390 | +30% above national |
| 16 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $62,190 | +30% above national |
| 17 | New Haven, CT | $62,160 | +30% above national |
| 18 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $61,900 | +29% above national |
| 19 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $61,730 | +29% above national |
| 20 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $61,720 | +29% above national |
| 21 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $61,580 | +29% above national |
| 22 | Merced, CA | $61,580 | +29% above national |
| 23 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $61,570 | +28% above national |
| 24 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $61,560 | +28% above national |
| 25 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $61,550 | +28% above national |
| 26 | Pittsfield, MA | $61,330 | +28% above national |
| 27 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $61,220 | +28% above national |
| 28 | Boulder, CO | $60,950 | +27% above national |
| 29 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $60,600 | +26% above national |
| 30 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $60,460 | +26% above national |
| 31 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $60,440 | +26% above national |
| 32 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $60,420 | +26% above national |
| 33 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $60,390 | +26% above national |
| 34 | Barnstable Town, MA | $60,270 | +26% above national |
| 35 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $59,990 | +25% above national |
| 36 | Medford, OR | $59,850 | +25% above national |
| 37 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $59,790 | +25% above national |
| 38 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $59,610 | +24% above national |
| 39 | Visalia, CA | $59,490 | +24% above national |
| 40 | Bend, OR | $59,330 | +24% above national |
| 41 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $59,320 | +24% above national |
| 42 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $59,310 | +24% above national |
| 43 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $59,100 | +23% above national |
| 44 | Chico, CA | $58,080 | +21% above national |
| 45 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $57,850 | +21% above national |
| 46 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $57,610 | +20% above national |
| 47 | Syracuse, NY | $57,590 | +20% above national |
| 48 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $57,440 | +20% above national |
| 49 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $57,050 | +19% above national |
| 50 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $56,870 | +19% above national |
| 51 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $56,790 | +19% above national |
| 52 | Helena, MT | $56,760 | +18% above national |
| 53 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $56,640 | +18% above national |
| 54 | Lexington Park, MD | $55,990 | +17% above national |
| 55 | Minot, ND | $55,880 | +17% above national |
| 56 | Lincoln, NE | $55,760 | +16% above national |
| 57 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $55,640 | +16% above national |
| 58 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $55,580 | +16% above national |
| 59 | Sheboygan, WI | $55,290 | +15% above national |
| 60 | Decatur, IL | $54,830 | +14% above national |
| 61 | Ames, IA | $54,780 | +14% above national |
| 62 | Ithaca, NY | $54,620 | +14% above national |
| 63 | Vallejo, CA | $54,030 | +13% above national |
| 64 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $53,750 | +12% above national |
| 65 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $53,270 | +11% above national |
| 66 | Anchorage, AK | $52,930 | +10% above national |
| 67 | Ogden, UT | $52,890 | +10% above national |
| 68 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $52,670 | +10% above national |
| 69 | Fresno, CA | $52,650 | +10% above national |
| 70 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $52,480 | +10% above national |
| 71 | Yakima, WA | $52,480 | +10% above national |
| 72 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $52,260 | +9% above national |
| 73 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $52,250 | +9% above national |
| 74 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $51,960 | +8% above national |
| 75 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $51,910 | +8% above national |
| 76 | Greeley, CO | $51,890 | +8% above national |
| 77 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $51,880 | +8% above national |
| 78 | Walla Walla, WA | $51,840 | +8% above national |
| 79 | Rochester, NY | $51,780 | +8% above national |
| 80 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $51,600 | +8% above national |
| 81 | Salem, OR | $51,570 | +8% above national |
| 82 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $51,500 | +7% above national |
| 83 | Kingston, NY | $51,250 | +7% above national |
| 84 | Omaha, NE-IA | $50,850 | +6% above national |
| 85 | St. George, UT | $50,510 | +5% above national |
| 86 | Elmira, NY | $50,370 | +5% above national |
| 87 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $50,300 | +5% above national |
| 88 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $50,240 | +5% above national |
| 89 | Glens Falls, NY | $50,200 | +5% above national |
| 90 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $50,190 | +5% above national |
| 91 | Monroe, LA | $50,060 | +4% above national |
| 92 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $50,040 | +4% above national |
| 93 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $49,890 | +4% above national |
| 94 | Ann Arbor, MI | $49,780 | +4% above national |
| 95 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $49,770 | +4% above national |
| 96 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $49,760 | +4% above national |
| 97 | Hinesville, GA | $49,600 | +4% above national |
| 98 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $49,590 | +3% above national |
| 99 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $49,470 | +3% above national |
| 100 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $49,460 | +3% above national |
| 101 | Richmond, VA | $49,370 | +3% above national |
| 102 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $49,180 | +3% above national |
| 103 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $49,100 | +2% above national |
| 104 | Corvallis, OR | $49,030 | +2% above national |
| 105 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $48,820 | +2% above national |
| 106 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $48,760 | +2% above national |
| 107 | Rochester, MN | $48,660 | +2% above national |
| 108 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $48,630 | +1% above national |
| 109 | Iowa City, IA | $48,530 | +1% above national |
| 110 | Traverse City, MI | $48,480 | +1% above national |
| 111 | Bloomington, IN | $48,450 | +1% above national |
| 112 | Madison, WI | $48,450 | +1% above national |
| 113 | Victoria, TX | $48,380 | +1% above national |
| 114 | Utica-Rome, NY | $48,300 | +1% above national |
| 115 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $48,290 | +1% above national |
| 116 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $48,290 | +1% above national |
| 117 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $48,240 | +1% above national |
| 118 | Lynchburg, VA | $48,210 | +1% above national |
| 119 | St. Cloud, MN | $48,160 | +1% above national |
| 120 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $48,150 | same as national |
| 121 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $48,150 | same as national |
| 122 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $48,140 | same as national |
| 123 | Elizabethtown, KY | $48,110 | same as national |
| 124 | Evansville, IN | $48,110 | same as national |
| 125 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $48,110 | same as national |
| 126 | Peoria, IL | $48,100 | same as national |
| 127 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $48,100 | same as national |
| 128 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,060 | same as national |
| 129 | Fort Wayne, IN | $48,020 | same as national |
| 130 | Yuba City, CA | $48,010 | same as national |
| 131 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $47,980 | same as national |
| 132 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $47,970 | same as national |
| 133 | Winchester, VA-WV | $47,670 | 1% below national |
| 134 | Bismarck, ND | $47,590 | 1% below national |
| 135 | Albany, OR | $47,580 | 1% below national |
| 136 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $47,570 | 1% below national |
| 137 | Boise City, ID | $47,550 | 1% below national |
| 138 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $47,550 | 1% below national |
| 139 | Columbus, OH | $47,380 | 1% below national |
| 140 | Abilene, TX | $47,370 | 1% below national |
| 141 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $47,360 | 1% below national |
| 142 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $47,350 | 1% below national |
| 143 | Colorado Springs, CO | $47,330 | 1% below national |
| 144 | Reading, PA | $47,330 | 1% below national |
| 145 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $47,310 | 1% below national |
| 146 | Niles, MI | $47,210 | 1% below national |
| 147 | Jacksonville, FL | $47,180 | 2% below national |
| 148 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $47,150 | 2% below national |
| 149 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $47,120 | 2% below national |
| 150 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $47,100 | 2% below national |
| 151 | York-Hanover, PA | $47,060 | 2% below national |
| 152 | Gainesville, FL | $47,050 | 2% below national |
| 153 | Jefferson City, MO | $47,040 | 2% below national |
| 154 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,030 | 2% below national |
| 155 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $46,910 | 2% below national |
| 156 | Rome, GA | $46,890 | 2% below national |
| 157 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $46,870 | 2% below national |
| 158 | Fargo, ND-MN | $46,840 | 2% below national |
| 159 | Pittsburgh, PA | $46,840 | 2% below national |
| 160 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $46,840 | 2% below national |
| 161 | El Paso, TX | $46,800 | 2% below national |
| 162 | Appleton, WI | $46,790 | 2% below national |
| 163 | Jonesboro, AR | $46,790 | 2% below national |
| 164 | Duluth, MN-WI | $46,780 | 2% below national |
| 165 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $46,760 | 2% below national |
| 166 | Casper, WY | $46,740 | 2% below national |
| 167 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $46,720 | 3% below national |
| 168 | Missoula, MT | $46,650 | 3% below national |
| 169 | Albany, GA | $46,640 | 3% below national |
| 170 | Bangor, ME | $46,630 | 3% below national |
| 171 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $46,630 | 3% below national |
| 172 | Green Bay, WI | $46,610 | 3% below national |
| 173 | Logan, UT-ID | $46,600 | 3% below national |
| 174 | Lancaster, PA | $46,590 | 3% below national |
| 175 | Mankato, MN | $46,580 | 3% below national |
| 176 | Bozeman, MT | $46,510 | 3% below national |
| 177 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $46,460 | 3% below national |
| 178 | Flagstaff, AZ | $46,460 | 3% below national |
| 179 | Springfield, IL | $46,450 | 3% below national |
| 180 | Williamsport, PA | $46,420 | 3% below national |
| 181 | Salisbury, MD | $46,400 | 3% below national |
| 182 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $46,380 | 3% below national |
| 183 | Roanoke, VA | $46,380 | 3% below national |
| 184 | Joplin, MO-KS | $46,330 | 3% below national |
| 185 | Twin Falls, ID | $46,320 | 3% below national |
| 186 | Binghamton, NY | $46,270 | 3% below national |
| 187 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $46,270 | 3% below national |
| 188 | Charlottesville, VA | $46,260 | 3% below national |
| 189 | Farmington, NM | $46,260 | 3% below national |
| 190 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $46,230 | 4% below national |
| 191 | Billings, MT | $46,220 | 4% below national |
| 192 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $46,220 | 4% below national |
| 193 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $46,210 | 4% below national |
| 194 | Wausau, WI | $46,200 | 4% below national |
| 195 | Wichita, KS | $46,120 | 4% below national |
| 196 | Hot Springs, AR | $46,040 | 4% below national |
| 197 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $46,020 | 4% below national |
| 198 | Battle Creek, MI | $45,980 | 4% below national |
| 199 | Springfield, MO | $45,970 | 4% below national |
| 200 | Eau Claire, WI | $45,950 | 4% below national |
| 201 | Harrisonburg, VA | $45,950 | 4% below national |
| 202 | Lawrence, KS | $45,930 | 4% below national |
| 203 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $45,900 | 4% below national |
| 204 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $45,860 | 4% below national |
| 205 | Manhattan, KS | $45,850 | 4% below national |
| 206 | Monroe, MI | $45,830 | 4% below national |
| 207 | Cleveland, OH | $45,780 | 4% below national |
| 208 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $45,750 | 5% below national |
| 209 | Reno, NV | $45,700 | 5% below national |
| 210 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $45,700 | 5% below national |
| 211 | State College, PA | $45,660 | 5% below national |
| 212 | Spartanburg, SC | $45,630 | 5% below national |
| 213 | Terre Haute, IN | $45,610 | 5% below national |
| 214 | Gainesville, GA | $45,590 | 5% below national |
| 215 | Rockford, IL | $45,560 | 5% below national |
| 216 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $45,540 | 5% below national |
| 217 | Valdosta, GA | $45,540 | 5% below national |
| 218 | Topeka, KS | $45,510 | 5% below national |
| 219 | Bloomington, IL | $45,500 | 5% below national |
| 220 | Albuquerque, NM | $45,470 | 5% below national |
| 221 | Akron, OH | $45,440 | 5% below national |
| 222 | Jackson, MI | $45,440 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Saginaw, MI | $45,340 | 5% below national |
| 224 | Bowling Green, KY | $45,250 | 6% below national |
| 225 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $45,240 | 6% below national |
| 226 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $45,200 | 6% below national |
| 227 | Longview, TX | $45,110 | 6% below national |
| 228 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $45,010 | 6% below national |
| 229 | Columbus, GA-AL | $44,950 | 6% below national |
| 230 | Kankakee, IL | $44,870 | 6% below national |
| 231 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $44,670 | 7% below national |
| 232 | Owensboro, KY | $44,560 | 7% below national |
| 233 | Flint, MI | $44,520 | 7% below national |
| 234 | Idaho Falls, ID | $44,480 | 7% below national |
| 235 | Muncie, IN | $44,390 | 7% below national |
| 236 | Columbia, MO | $44,090 | 8% below national |
| 237 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $44,040 | 8% below national |
| 238 | Bay City, MI | $44,020 | 8% below national |
| 239 | Chambersburg, PA | $44,000 | 8% below national |
| 240 | Tucson, AZ | $43,990 | 8% below national |
| 241 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $43,940 | 8% below national |
| 242 | Pueblo, CO | $43,940 | 8% below national |
| 243 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $43,720 | 9% below national |
| 244 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $43,570 | 9% below national |
| 245 | Wichita Falls, TX | $43,510 | 9% below national |
| 246 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $43,490 | 9% below national |
| 247 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $43,090 | 10% below national |
| 248 | Erie, PA | $43,050 | 10% below national |
| 249 | Kokomo, IN | $42,920 | 10% below national |
| 250 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $42,890 | 10% below national |
| 251 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $42,680 | 11% below national |
| 252 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $42,460 | 11% below national |
| 253 | Great Falls, MT | $41,910 | 13% below national |
| 254 | Jackson, TN | $41,590 | 13% below national |
| 255 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $41,200 | 14% below national |
| 256 | Lubbock, TX | $41,080 | 14% below national |
| 257 | Santa Fe, NM | $40,760 | 15% below national |
| 258 | Altoona, PA | $40,750 | 15% below national |
| 259 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $40,720 | 15% below national |
| 260 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $40,710 | 15% below national |
| 261 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $40,660 | 15% below national |
| 262 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $40,650 | 15% below national |
| 263 | Rocky Mount, NC | $40,600 | 15% below national |
| 264 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $40,580 | 15% below national |
| 265 | Rapid City, SD | $40,330 | 16% below national |
| 266 | Waco, TX | $40,320 | 16% below national |
| 267 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $40,120 | 16% below national |
| 268 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $39,830 | 17% below national |
| 269 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $39,690 | 17% below national |
| 270 | Cheyenne, WY | $39,640 | 17% below national |
| 271 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $39,550 | 17% below national |
| 272 | Lake Charles, LA | $39,520 | 18% below national |
| 273 | Johnstown, PA | $39,460 | 18% below national |
| 274 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $39,330 | 18% below national |
| 275 | Tallahassee, FL | $39,270 | 18% below national |
| 276 | Yuma, AZ | $39,210 | 18% below national |
| 277 | Tulsa, OK | $38,940 | 19% below national |
| 278 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $38,790 | 19% below national |
| 279 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $38,740 | 19% below national |
| 280 | Asheville, NC | $38,620 | 19% below national |
| 281 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $38,610 | 19% below national |
| 282 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $38,570 | 20% below national |
| 283 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $38,530 | 20% below national |
| 284 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $38,320 | 20% below national |
| 285 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $38,250 | 20% below national |
| 286 | Lawton, OK | $38,250 | 20% below national |
| 287 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $38,220 | 20% below national |
| 288 | Oklahoma City, OK | $38,010 | 21% below national |
| 289 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $37,920 | 21% below national |
| 290 | Paducah, KY-IL | $37,750 | 21% below national |
| 291 | Dover, DE | $37,620 | 21% below national |
| 292 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $37,280 | 22% below national |
| 293 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $37,280 | 22% below national |
| 294 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $37,130 | 23% below national |
| 295 | Burlington, NC | $36,990 | 23% below national |
| 296 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $36,970 | 23% below national |
| 297 | Columbia, SC | $36,960 | 23% below national |
| 298 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $36,840 | 23% below national |
| 299 | Winston-Salem, NC | $36,820 | 23% below national |
| 300 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $36,780 | 23% below national |
| 301 | Greenville, NC | $36,500 | 24% below national |
| 302 | Amarillo, TX | $36,490 | 24% below national |
| 303 | Wilmington, NC | $36,490 | 24% below national |
| 304 | Enid, OK | $36,470 | 24% below national |
| 305 | Jackson, MS | $36,310 | 24% below national |
| 306 | Warner Robins, GA | $35,870 | 25% below national |
| 307 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $35,790 | 25% below national |
| 308 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $35,470 | 26% below national |
| 309 | Florence, SC | $35,460 | 26% below national |
| 310 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $35,350 | 26% below national |
| 311 | Goldsboro, NC | $35,190 | 27% below national |
| 312 | Beckley, WV | $35,070 | 27% below national |
| 313 | San Angelo, TX | $35,060 | 27% below national |
| 314 | Fayetteville, NC | $35,050 | 27% below national |
| 315 | Laredo, TX | $34,790 | 27% below national |
| 316 | Charleston, WV | $34,540 | 28% below national |
| 317 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $34,450 | 28% below national |
| 318 | Morgantown, WV | $34,330 | 28% below national |
| 319 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $34,050 | 29% below national |
| 320 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $33,850 | 29% below national |
| 321 | Toledo, OH | $33,810 | 29% below national |
| 322 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $33,620 | 30% below national |
| 323 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $31,650 | 34% below national |
| 324 | Knoxville, TN | $31,340 | 35% below national |
| 325 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $30,070 | 37% below national |
| 326 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $29,510 | 38% below national |
| 327 | Lafayette, LA | $29,130 | 39% below national |
| 328 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $28,190 | 41% below national |
| 329 | Savannah, GA | $28,180 | 41% below national |
| 330 | Aguadilla, PR | $27,950 | 42% below national |
| 331 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $27,240 | 43% below national |
| 332 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $27,070 | 44% below national |
| 333 | Tyler, TX | $26,780 | 44% below national |
| 334 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $26,620 | 44% below national |
| 335 | Baton Rouge, LA | $24,930 | 48% below national |
| 336 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $23,100 | 52% below national |
| 337 | Ponce, PR | $22,050 | 54% below national |
| 338 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $21,220 | 56% below national |
| 339 | Huntsville, AL | $18,750 | 61% below national |
| 340 | Birmingham, AL | $18,260 | 62% below national |
| 341 | Mobile, AL | $18,000 | 62% below national |
| 342 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $17,840 | 63% below national |
| 343 | Decatur, AL | $17,720 | 63% below national |
| 344 | Montgomery, AL | $17,490 | 64% below national |
| 345 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $17,260 | 64% below national |
| 346 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $17,130 | 64% below national |
| 347 | Dothan, AL | $16,970 | 65% below national |
| 348 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $16,570 | 65% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 53 (Transportation and Material Moving Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Air Traffic Controllers
SOC 53-2021
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
SOC 53-1041
Aircraft Service Attendants
SOC 53-6032
Airfield Operations Specialists
SOC 53-2022
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
SOC 53-2011
Showing 5 of 49 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Transportation and Material Moving Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($47,920 here) and reported employment (402,930 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
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What to do with this data
How to use Bus Drivers, School pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $58,430/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Massachusetts leads at $65,170/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.