Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Alabama, bus drivers, schools earn $17,630 at the median, or about $8.48 an hour. The range runs from $17K at the entry level to $22K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $19,952 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 87% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $18K get you in Alabama?
About bus drivers, schools
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for bus drivers, school in Alabama runs about 63% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 85.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for bus drivers, schools.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $17K. Mid-career wages sit at $18K. Top earners bring in $22K or more, a $5K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School salary by metro in Alabama
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $19K | +6% | 1,170 |
| Birmingham | $18K | +4% | 1,700 |
| Mobile | $18K | +2% | 770 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $18K | +1% | 270 |
| Decatur | $18K | +1% | 320 |
| Montgomery | $17K | -1% | 470 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $17K | -2% | 290 |
| Tuscaloosa | $17K | -3% | 680 |
| Dothan | $17K | -4% | 310 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $17K | -6% | 260 |
Compare to other states
Track bus drivers, school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $18K, rent takes 85.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bus drivers, schools in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $17K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $994/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 109% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is bus drivers, school a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 63% below the national median — $18K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Alabama pays $18K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -63%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $20K — below the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Alabama?
The median is $17,630 a year, that works out to about $8 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $16,560, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $21,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $18K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,275/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 85.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a bus drivers, school salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bus drivers, school salary is worth about $19,952 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bus drivers, schools get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.