Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Lafayette, LA, bus drivers, schools earn $29,130 at the median, or about $14 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $33,402 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,019/month, about 49.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $29K get you in Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 Lafayette
Pay for bus drivers, school in Lafayette runs about 39% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,019/month, which is 49.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $25K | $27K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $48K | $51K |
| Monroe | $50K | $60K |
| Lake Charles | $40K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette, LA
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $23K 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 |
| Ohio | $46K | -4% | 5,540 |
| Kansas | $46K | -4% | 4,830 |
| 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 states
Track bus drivers, school salary changes
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Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 49.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,019/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,369/month. At HUD’s $1,019/month FMR, rent would take 74% 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 Lafayette?
Local pay runs 39% below the national median — $29K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lafayette compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Lafayette pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Lafayette, LA?
The median is $29,130 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,810, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $45,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,053/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,019/month, which eats 49.6% 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 Lafayette?
Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $33,402 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.