Bus Drivers, School Salary
In California, bus drivers, schools earn $61,040 at the median, or about $29.35 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $57,509 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 62% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in California?
About bus drivers, schools
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for bus drivers, school, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 60.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School salary by metro in California
23 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $75K | +23% | 610 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $74K | +21% | 2,350 |
| Napa | $67K | +10% | 70 |
| Modesto | $63K | +3% | 190 |
| El Centro | $63K | +3% | 60 |
| Salinas | $62K | +2% | 140 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $62K | +1% | 2,980 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $62K | +1% | 380 |
| Merced | $62K | +1% | 300 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $62K | +1% | 4,090 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $62K | +1% | 260 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $61K | -1% | 60 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $60K | -1% | 1,160 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $60K | -1% | 350 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $60K | -1% | 600 |
| Visalia | $59K | -3% | 270 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $59K | -3% | 140 |
| Chico | $58K | -5% | 60 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $57K | -7% | 190 |
| Vallejo | $54K | -11% | 140 |
| Fresno | $53K | -14% | 750 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $52K | -15% | 470 |
| Yuba City | $48K | -21% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 23 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 60.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,752/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 California?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $61K here vs. $48K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
California pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in California?
The median is $61,040 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,870, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $73,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,092/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 60.4% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bus drivers, school salary is worth about $57,509 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.