School Bus Driver salary

The median pay for a school bus driver nationally is $23.04 an hour — about $47,920 a year full time. That figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for U.S. (2025). Half of the roles pay more than this and half pay less, so treat it as the middle of the market rather than a target.

Most school bus drivers nationally earn between $14.06 an hour and $31.60 an hour — that is the 10th to the 90th percentile. The spread usually reflects experience, shift, certifications and employer size more than anything else.

Pay at the bottom of the range — roughly what someone starting out can expect — is around $14.06 an hour. A quarter of school bus drivers earn below $18.58 an hour, so the first year or two typically sits in that band.

The top 10% of school bus drivers nationally earn about $31.60 an hour or more, roughly 1.4× the median. Getting there usually means experience plus something specific — advanced certification, supervisory responsibility, or specialising in higher-paying work.

School bus drivers transport students on fixed routes. Split shifts and the school calendar define the job, and districts will usually pay for your licence. Day to day, that means drive an assigned route safely, morning and afternoon, manage student behaviour and safety, complete pre-trip and post-trip inspections and keep to a tight timetable.

The usual route is: (1) apply to a district that trains new drivers, (2) get your CDL with P and S endorsements — usually district-funded, (3) complete route and student-management training, (4) add athletics or field trip runs for extra hours. Employers typically look for CDL with passenger (P) and school bus (S) endorsements, DOT medical certificate and background check and fingerprinting — mandatory.

Yes. Working as a school bus driver requires formal certification or licensing — specifically CDL with passenger (P) and school bus (S) endorsements and DOT medical certificate. Requirements are set at state level in most cases, so check your own state's rules before committing to a programme.

Districts recruit persistently and most will fund the licence outright, because the shortage has been running for years.

Usually yes. Most districts cover the full cost of CDL training and the P and S endorsements for new hires, often with pay during training, in return for a commitment to drive for a set period. It is one of the few licensed roles you can enter at no cost.

Most routes are split shifts — a morning run and an afternoon run with a gap between, typically 4–6 paid hours a day, and unpaid over the summer. Drivers who want more hours usually pick up field trips, athletics runs or a midday route.