Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Salary
In Ann Arbor, MI, bus drivers, transit and intercities earn $65,370 at the median, or about $31.43 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.88), that's roughly $64,800 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,656/month, about 38.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $65K get you in Ann Arbor?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ann Arbor’s Regional Price Parity (100.88). 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, transit and intercities
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What this looks like in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor sits well above the national pay line for bus drivers, transit and intercity, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,656/month, which is 38.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.88) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bus drivers, transit and intercities in metros near Ann Arbor, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $47K | $47K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $51K | $53K |
| Flint | $48K | $51K |
| Midland | $47K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ann Arbor, MI
Entry-level bus drivers, transit and intercities (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $84K | +43% | 16,770 |
| Washington | $72K | +22% | 6,960 |
| Hawaii | $69K | +16% | 2,190 |
| California | $67K | +14% | 24,380 |
| Oregon | $66K | +11% | 2,620 |
| Massachusetts | $65K | +11% | 3,970 |
| Maryland | $65K | +10% | 4,890 |
| Illinois | $65K | +10% | 8,650 |
| Alaska | $64K | +9% | 250 |
| Colorado | $63K | +7% | 3,540 |
| Ohio | $63K | +6% | 4,000 |
| Nevada | $62K | +4% | 2,540 |
| New Jersey | $61K | +4% | 6,420 |
| Missouri | $61K | +3% | 1,860 |
| Delaware | $61K | +2% | 380 |
| Connecticut | $60K | +2% | 1,830 |
| Indiana | $58K | -1% | 2,130 |
| Maine | $58K | -2% | 470 |
| District of Columbia | $56K | -6% | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $55K | -7% | 300 |
| Kentucky | $55K | -8% | 2,570 |
| Arizona | $54K | -9% | 3,240 |
| Vermont | $54K | -9% | 440 |
| Virginia | $53K | -10% | 3,800 |
| Wisconsin | $53K | -11% | 2,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -13% | 4,710 |
| Utah | $51K | -14% | 1,230 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -15% | 1,760 |
| Minnesota | $50K | -15% | 2,610 |
| Idaho | $49K | -17% | 520 |
| North Dakota | $49K | -17% | 250 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -17% | 1,490 |
| Texas | $49K | -17% | 11,600 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | -18% | 70 |
| Florida | $48K | -18% | 9,130 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -19% | 1,970 |
| Michigan | $48K | -19% | 3,620 |
| Iowa | $46K | -22% | 1,560 |
| Montana | $46K | -23% | 450 |
| Wyoming | $46K | -23% | 130 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -23% | 580 |
| Georgia | $46K | -23% | 3,700 |
| Nebraska | $45K | -24% | 460 |
| North Carolina | $44K | -25% | 2,900 |
| South Carolina | $43K | -27% | 630 |
| South Dakota | $42K | -30% | 410 |
| Kansas | $41K | -30% | 430 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -34% | 520 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -35% | 400 |
| Alabama | $38K | -36% | 960 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -36% | 570 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track bus drivers, transit and intercity salary changes
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Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, transit and intercity afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ann Arbor?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 38.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,656/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bus drivers, transit and intercities in Ann Arbor?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, transit and intercities typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,327/month. At HUD’s $1,656/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, transit and intercity a high-paying job in Ann Arbor?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $65K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Ann Arbor compare to the national average for bus drivers, transit and intercities?
Ann Arbor pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, transit and intercities make in Ann Arbor, MI?
The median is $65,370 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,790, and experienced bus drivers, transit and intercities can clear $65,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Ann Arbor?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,300/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,656/month, which eats 38.5% 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, transit and intercity salary go in Ann Arbor?
Ann Arbor has a Regional Price Parity of 100.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bus drivers, transit and intercity salary is worth about $64,800 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bus drivers, transit and intercities 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.