Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Florida, bus drivers, schools earn $44,690 at the median, or about $21.48 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $45,334 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 51.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Florida?
About bus drivers, schools
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What this looks like in Florida
Bus drivers, school pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 52.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School salary by metro in Florida
19 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island | $50K | +11% | 300 |
| Port St. Lucie | $48K | +8% | 460 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $48K | +8% | 110 |
| Homosassa Springs | $48K | +7% | 130 |
| Jacksonville | $47K | +6% | 1,680 |
| Gainesville | $47K | +5% | 370 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $47K | +4% | 190 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $46K | +3% | 580 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $46K | +3% | 1,720 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $46K | +2% | 2,810 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $44K | -1% | 390 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $43K | -4% | 360 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $40K | -10% | 590 |
| Wildwood-The Villages | $40K | -12% | 60 |
| Tallahassee | $39K | -12% | 390 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $39K | -13% | 1,600 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $38K | -14% | 290 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $37K | -18% | 360 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $34K | -24% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 19 metros
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Track bus drivers, school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 52.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,131/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 78% 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 Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Florida pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Florida?
The median is $44,690 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,510, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $54,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,162/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 52.4% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $45,334 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.