Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Virginia, bus drivers, schools earn $50,190 at the median, or about $24.13 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $52,949 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 49.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $50K get you in Virginia?
About bus drivers, schools
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What this looks like in Virginia
Bus drivers, school pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 49.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Virginia
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School salary by metro in Virginia
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $50K | +0% | 2,390 |
| Richmond | $49K | -2% | 2,070 |
| Lynchburg | $48K | -4% | 470 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $48K | -4% | 300 |
| Winchester | $48K | -5% | 300 |
| Roanoke | $46K | -8% | 550 |
| Charlottesville | $46K | -8% | 350 |
| Harrisonburg | $46K | -8% | 220 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $46K | -9% | 190 |
Compare to other states
Track bus drivers, school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 49.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,330/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 71% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Virginia pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Virginia?
The median is $50,190 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,830, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $67,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,333/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 49.4% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $52,949 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.