Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, bus drivers, schools earn $36,970 at the median, or about $17.77 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $41,779 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,095/month, about 42.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Pay for bus drivers, school in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,095/month, which is 43.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, 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, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $4K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 43.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,016/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $37K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $36,970 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,600, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $37,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,507/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 43.7% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 $41,779 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.