Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Louisiana, bus drivers, schools earn $29,450 at the median, or about $14.16 an hour. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $33,742 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 57.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in Louisiana?
About bus drivers, schools
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for bus drivers, school in Louisiana 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 $1,191/month, which is 57.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School salary by metro in Louisiana
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe | $50K | +70% | 450 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $48K | +62% | 1,100 |
| Lake Charles | $40K | +34% | 370 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $34K | +14% | 370 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $30K | +0% | 250 |
| Lafayette | $29K | -1% | 690 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $27K | -8% | 270 |
| Baton Rouge | $25K | -15% | 1,630 |
Compare to other states
Track bus drivers, school salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 57.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/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 Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,260/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 95% 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 Louisiana?
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 Louisiana compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Louisiana pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Louisiana?
The median is $29,450 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,000, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $50,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,073/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 57.5% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $33,742 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.