Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Idaho, bus drivers, schools earn $46,250 at the median, or about $22.24 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.88), which stretches that salary to about $49,265 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,136/month, about 36% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Idaho. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $46K actually covers in Idaho, month by month
About bus drivers, schools
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What this looks like in Idaho
Bus drivers, school pay in Idaho tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,136/month, which is 36.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.88 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Idaho
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School salary by metro in Idaho
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise City | $48K | +3% | 1,490 |
| Twin Falls | $46K | +0% | 200 |
| Coeur d'Alene | $46K | +0% | 180 |
| Lewiston | $46K | -1% | 80 |
| Idaho Falls | $44K | -4% | 140 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Idaho numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Idaho?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 36.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,136/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 Idaho?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,519/month. At HUD’s $1,136/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Idaho?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Idaho compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Idaho pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Idaho?
The median is $46,250 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,380, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $56,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Idaho?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,132/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,136/month, which eats 36.3% 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 Idaho?
Idaho has a Regional Price Parity of 93.88 (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 $49,265 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.