Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Indiana, bus drivers, schools earn $48,020 at the median, or about $23.09 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $52,304 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 34.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Indiana?
About bus drivers, schools
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What this looks like in Indiana
Bus drivers, school pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 35.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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, Indiana
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School salary by metro in Indiana
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $50K | +4% | 4,020 |
| Michigan City-La Porte | $50K | +4% | 170 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $49K | +3% | 410 |
| Bloomington | $48K | +1% | 230 |
| Evansville | $48K | +0% | 270 |
| Fort Wayne | $48K | +0% | 740 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $47K | -1% | 240 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $47K | -2% | 440 |
| Terre Haute | $46K | -5% | 180 |
| Muncie | $44K | -8% | 240 |
| Kokomo | $43K | -11% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
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Track bus drivers, school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 35.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,374/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 83% 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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Indiana pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Indiana?
The median is $48,020 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,900, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $65,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,263/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 35.1% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $52,304 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.