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Transit Bus Driver Salary by State (2026)
How much does a Transit Bus Driver make? The median Transit Bus Driver salary in the US is about $60,583 per year (roughly $29.00 an hour), across 159,230 jobs (Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $37,520 in Arkansas to $84,480 in New York. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Transit Bus Driver salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| New York | $84,480 | 16,770 |
| Washington | $72,280 | 6,960 |
| Hawaii | $68,500 | 2,190 |
| California | $67,130 | 24,380 |
| Oregon | $65,510 | 2,620 |
| Massachusetts | $65,460 | 3,970 |
| Maryland | $65,220 | 4,890 |
| Illinois | $65,200 | 8,650 |
| Alaska | $64,150 | 250 |
| Colorado | $63,010 | 3,540 |
| Ohio | $62,760 | 4,000 |
| Nevada | $61,700 | 2,540 |
| New Jersey | $61,140 | 6,420 |
| Missouri | $60,660 | 1,860 |
| Delaware | $60,510 | 380 |
| Connecticut | $60,100 | 1,830 |
| Indiana | $58,410 | 2,130 |
| Maine | $57,870 | 470 |
| District of Columbia | $55,580 | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $54,830 | 300 |
| Kentucky | $54,550 | 2,570 |
| Arizona | $53,870 | 3,240 |
| Vermont | $53,830 | 440 |
| Virginia | $52,940 | 3,800 |
| Wisconsin | $52,660 | 2,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,360 | 4,710 |
| Utah | $50,730 | 1,230 |
| Oklahoma | $50,300 | 1,760 |
| Minnesota | $50,200 | 2,610 |
| Idaho | $49,000 | 520 |
| North Dakota | $48,890 | 250 |
| Louisiana | $48,860 | 1,490 |
| Texas | $48,740 | 11,600 |
| Rhode Island | $48,610 | 70 |
| Florida | $48,300 | 9,130 |
| Tennessee | $47,770 | 1,970 |
| Michigan | $47,660 | 3,620 |
| Iowa | $45,890 | 1,560 |
| Montana | $45,640 | 450 |
| Wyoming | $45,630 | 130 |
| New Mexico | $45,610 | 580 |
| Georgia | $45,500 | 3,700 |
| Nebraska | $45,120 | 460 |
| North Carolina | $44,060 | 2,900 |
| South Carolina | $43,330 | 630 |
| South Dakota | $41,590 | 410 |
| Kansas | $41,340 | 430 |
| West Virginia | $39,260 | 520 |
| Mississippi | $38,570 | 400 |
| Alabama | $37,700 | 960 |
| Arkansas | $37,520 | 570 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Transit Bus Driver make?
- A Transit Bus Driver makes a median of about $60,583 per year in the US (roughly $29.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $37,520 in Arkansas to $84,480 in New York depending on the state.
- What is the average Transit Bus Driver salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Transit Bus Driver salary in the US is about $60,583 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 159,230 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Transit Bus Drivers the most?
- New York has the highest median Transit Bus Driver salary at $84,480 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Transit Bus Drivers the least?
- Arkansas has the lowest median at $37,520 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, Transit and Intercity, code 53-3052). “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.