Salaries › Bus Driver
Bus Driver Salary by State (2026)
Bus Drivers (Bus Drivers, School) hold 402,960 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $48,346 per year, but the median ranges from $17,630 in Alabama to $65,170 in Massachusetts. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Bus Driver salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Massachusetts | $65,170 | 9,330 |
| Washington | $63,370 | 9,660 |
| Connecticut | $61,520 | 7,970 |
| California | $61,040 | 16,600 |
| New Jersey | $59,430 | 13,670 |
| Hawaii | $59,090 | 630 |
| Rhode Island | $58,700 | 1,800 |
| New York | $56,640 | 38,320 |
| Vermont | $56,580 | 860 |
| Maryland | $56,450 | 9,020 |
| District of Columbia | $55,450 | 510 |
| Alaska | $54,200 | 790 |
| Utah | $52,890 | 1,920 |
| Colorado | $52,620 | 3,840 |
| Oregon | $51,270 | 5,210 |
| New Hampshire | $50,990 | 2,040 |
| North Dakota | $50,790 | 1,530 |
| Virginia | $50,190 | 12,930 |
| Illinois | $49,090 | 21,230 |
| Minnesota | $48,940 | 13,110 |
| Maine | $48,640 | 1,670 |
| Indiana | $48,020 | 11,780 |
| Nebraska | $47,760 | 2,330 |
| Wisconsin | $47,760 | 7,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,530 | 23,670 |
| Missouri | $46,880 | 8,970 |
| Michigan | $46,380 | 8,780 |
| Iowa | $46,320 | 4,840 |
| Idaho | $46,250 | 2,960 |
| Montana | $46,220 | 1,630 |
| Arizona | $46,050 | 5,020 |
| Kansas | $45,860 | 4,830 |
| Ohio | $45,860 | 5,540 |
| Wyoming | $45,520 | 1,360 |
| Arkansas | $45,500 | 4,340 |
| New Mexico | $45,470 | 1,870 |
| Georgia | $44,950 | 16,880 |
| Kentucky | $44,830 | 6,820 |
| Florida | $44,690 | 13,470 |
| Tennessee | $44,510 | 7,050 |
| Texas | $44,490 | 37,550 |
| Delaware | $42,390 | 1,350 |
| South Carolina | $39,900 | 5,900 |
| South Dakota | $39,730 | 1,290 |
| North Carolina | $37,460 | 12,390 |
| Nevada | $37,280 | 2,590 |
| Oklahoma | $36,920 | 3,710 |
| West Virginia | $33,360 | 4,690 |
| Mississippi | $30,640 | 3,790 |
| Louisiana | $29,450 | 6,670 |
| Alabama | $17,630 | 10,410 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Bus Driver salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Bus Driver salary in the US is about $48,346 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 402,960 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Bus Drivers the most?
- Massachusetts has the highest median Bus Driver salary at $65,170 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Bus Drivers the least?
- Alabama has the lowest median at $17,630 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Bus Drivers, School, code 53-3051). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.