Bus Drivers, School
Also called: Bus Drive Coordinator, Bus Driver Route Coordinator, Campus Driver, CDL Bus Driver (Commercial Driver's License Bus Driver), CDL School Bus Driver (Commercial Driver's License School Bus Driver), Public School Bus Driver, School Bus Driver, School Bus Operator
Drive a school bus to transport students.
What bus drivers, school do
Typical 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.
- Maintain knowledge of first-aid procedures.
- Prepare and submit reports that may include the number of students or trips, hours worked, mileage, or fuel consumption.
- Report delays, accidents, or other traffic and transportation situations, using telephones or mobile two-way radios.
- Record bus routes.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Bus Drivers, School salary
The median annual wage for bus drivers, school is $47,920 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $29,240 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $65,730. The mean annual wage is $48,430.
The mean hourly wage of $23.00 is 3.2× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Bus Drivers, School (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $47,920 → in 3 years $52,200 → in 5 years $55,200 → in 10 years $63,600 (10-year range $54,700–$73,800). The model assumes pay growth of +2.9% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Bus Drivers, School
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Bus Drivers, School? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Bus Drivers, School
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Bus Drivers, School
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become bus drivers, school
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as bus drivers, school
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.