Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Goldsboro, NC, bus drivers, schools earn $35,190 at the median, or about $16.92 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $41K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.46), which stretches that salary to about $39,781 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,244/month, about 50.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K get you in Goldsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Goldsboro’s Regional Price Parity (88.46). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Goldsboro
Pay for bus drivers, school in Goldsboro runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,244/month, which is 52% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.46 (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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bus drivers, schools in metros near Goldsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $46K | $47K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $39K | $39K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $37K | $40K |
| Winston-Salem | $37K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Goldsboro, NC
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $41K or more, a $10K 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 Goldsboro numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Goldsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 52% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,244/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Goldsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,877/month. At HUD’s $1,244/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 Goldsboro?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $35K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Goldsboro compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Goldsboro pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — below the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Goldsboro, NC?
The median is $35,190 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,290, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $40,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Goldsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,394/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,244/month, which eats 52% 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 Goldsboro?
Goldsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 88.46 (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 $39,781 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.