Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Texas, bus drivers, schools earn $44,490 at the median, or about $21.39 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $48,628 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 44.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Texas?
About bus drivers, schools
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What this looks like in Texas
Bus drivers, school pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 44.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School salary by metro in Texas
22 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | $48K | +9% | 110 |
| Abilene | $47K | +6% | 120 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $47K | +6% | 9,030 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $47K | +5% | 3,050 |
| El Paso | $47K | +5% | 1,180 |
| Longview | $45K | +1% | 430 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $44K | -2% | 9,730 |
| Wichita Falls | $44K | -2% | 60 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $43K | -4% | 1,320 |
| Killeen-Temple | $41K | -7% | 710 |
| Lubbock | $41K | -8% | 330 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $41K | -9% | 410 |
| Waco | $40K | -9% | 310 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $38K | -14% | 720 |
| College Station-Bryan | $38K | -14% | 410 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $37K | -17% | 3,170 |
| Amarillo | $36K | -18% | 330 |
| Sherman-Denison | $35K | -20% | 160 |
| San Angelo | $35K | -21% | 110 |
| Laredo | $35K | -22% | 310 |
| Tyler | $27K | -40% | 330 |
| Texarkana | $23K | -48% | 240 |
Showing 1–10 of 22 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 44.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,421/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 100% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Texas pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Texas?
The median is $44,490 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,690, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $60,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,149/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 44.9% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $48,628 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.