Bus Drivers, School Salary
In Wisconsin, bus drivers, schools earn $47,760 at the median, or about $22.96 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $50,631 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 36.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Wisconsin?
About bus drivers, schools
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Wisconsin
Bus drivers, school pay in Wisconsin 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 $1,202/month, which is 37.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Wisconsin
Entry-level bus drivers, schools (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, School salary by metro in Wisconsin
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheboygan | $55K | +16% | 100 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $53K | +10% | 190 |
| Madison | $48K | +1% | 790 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $48K | +1% | 1,880 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $47K | -1% | 270 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $47K | -2% | 240 |
| Appleton | $47K | -2% | 230 |
| Green Bay | $47K | -2% | 440 |
| Wausau | $46K | -3% | 240 |
| Eau Claire | $46K | -4% | 320 |
Compare to other states
Track bus drivers, school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 37.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/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 Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, schools typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,336/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for bus drivers, schools?
Wisconsin pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, schools make in Wisconsin?
The median is $47,760 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,930, and experienced bus drivers, schools can clear $62,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,244/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 37.1% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $50,631 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.