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Salary comparison

School Bus Monitors vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: Who Earns More?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers out-earn School Bus Monitors by $41K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. School Bus Monitors land at $35,100 and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $76,210. The education gap is real: school bus monitor programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while police and sheriff's patrol officer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for School Bus Monitors is Washington ($42,330); for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers it's California ($118,880).

School Bus Monitors
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Median salary
$35,100
$76,210
Hourly rate
$16.88/hr
$36.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$28,130
$47,510
Senior level (90th %)
$43,250
$115,120
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
78,420
670,520
Job growth (10-year)
-2.7%
3.1%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
Washington
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by School Bus Monitors median pay.

State
School Bus Monitors
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Washington
$42,330
$102,080
District of Columbia
$41,720
$88,650
Oregon
$40,900
$88,140
Hawaii
$40,250
$83,820
Minnesota
$38,590
$83,360
California
$38,360
$118,880
New York
$36,910
$92,790
Delaware
$36,560
$92,970
New Jersey
$36,100
$92,610
Massachusetts
$36,020
$78,940
Connecticut
$35,350
$82,170
Pennsylvania
$35,290
$85,470
Alaska
$33,990
$99,130
Illinois
$33,840
$100,520
Colorado
$33,540
$97,350

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, School Bus Monitors or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn more nationally. The median is $35,100 for School Bus Monitors versus $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, a difference of $41K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, School Bus Monitors or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.1% projected growth, compared to -2.7% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, School Bus Monitors or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

School Bus Monitors typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do School Bus Monitors get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for School Bus Monitors at $42,330/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does School Bus Monitors vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, School Bus Monitors earn $42,330 vs. $102,080 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full School Bus Monitors salary breakdownView →Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Best cities for School Bus Monitors by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers by take-home payExplore →How to become a school bus monitorsGuide →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →