Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC, bus drivers, schools earn $21,220 at the median, or about $10.2 an hour. The range runs from $17K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.9), which stretches that salary to about $23,090 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,261/month, about 84% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $21K get you in Augusta-Richmond County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Augusta-Richmond County’s Regional Price Parity (91.9). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About bus drivers, schools
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What this looks like in Augusta-Richmond County
Pay for bus drivers, school in Augusta-Richmond County runs about 56% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,261/month, which is 82.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bus drivers, schools in metros near Augusta-Richmond County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rome | $47K | $52K |
| Albany | $47K | $53K |
| Macon-Bibb County | $39K | $44K |
| Gainesville | $46K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $17K. Mid-career wages sit at $21K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Bus Drivers, School salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $65K | +36% | 9,330 |
| Washington | $63K | +32% | 9,660 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +28% | 7,970 |
| California | $61K | +27% | 16,600 |
| New Jersey | $59K | +24% | 13,670 |
| Hawaii | $59K | +23% | 630 |
| Rhode Island | $59K | +22% | 1,800 |
| New York | $57K | +18% | 38,320 |
| Vermont | $57K | +18% | 860 |
| Maryland | $56K | +18% | 9,020 |
| District of Columbia | $55K | +16% | 510 |
| Alaska | $54K | +13% | 790 |
| Utah | $53K | +10% | 1,920 |
| Colorado | $53K | +10% | 3,840 |
| Oregon | $51K | +7% | 5,210 |
| New Hampshire | $51K | +6% | 2,040 |
| North Dakota | $51K | +6% | 1,530 |
| Virginia | $50K | +5% | 12,930 |
| Illinois | $49K | +2% | 21,230 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +2% | 13,110 |
| Maine | $49K | +2% | 1,670 |
| Indiana | $48K | +0% | 11,780 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -0% | 2,330 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -0% | 7,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -1% | 23,670 |
| Missouri | $47K | -2% | 8,970 |
| Michigan | $46K | -3% | 8,780 |
| Iowa | $46K | -3% | 4,840 |
| Idaho | $46K | -3% | 2,960 |
| Montana | $46K | -4% | 1,630 |
| Arizona | $46K | -4% | 5,020 |
| Kansas | $46K | -4% | 4,830 |
| Ohio | $46K | -4% | 5,540 |
| Wyoming | $46K | -5% | 1,360 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -5% | 4,340 |
| New Mexico | $45K | -5% | 1,870 |
| Georgia | $45K | -6% | 16,880 |
| Kentucky | $45K | -6% | 6,820 |
| Florida | $45K | -7% | 13,470 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -7% | 7,050 |
| Texas | $44K | -7% | 37,550 |
| Delaware | $42K | -12% | 1,350 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -17% | 5,900 |
| South Dakota | $40K | -17% | 1,290 |
| North Carolina | $37K | -22% | 12,390 |
| Nevada | $37K | -22% | 2,590 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -23% | 3,710 |
| West Virginia | $33K | -30% | 4,690 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -36% | 3,790 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -39% | 6,670 |
| Alabama | $18K | -63% | 10,410 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track bus drivers, school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Augusta-Richmond County numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Augusta-Richmond County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $21K, rent takes 82.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,261/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $500/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 Augusta-Richmond County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $17K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $990/month. At HUD’s $1,261/month FMR, rent would take 127% 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 Augusta-Richmond County?
Local pay runs 56% below the national median — $21K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Augusta-Richmond County compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Augusta-Richmond County pays $21K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -56%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $23K — below the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC?
The median is $21,220 a year, that works out to about $10 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $16,500, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $37,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $21K enough to live in Augusta-Richmond County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,522/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,261/month, which eats 82.9% 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 Augusta-Richmond County?
Augusta-Richmond County has a Regional Price Parity of 91.9 (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 $23,090 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.