Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Salary
In Arizona, bus drivers, transit and intercities earn $53,870 at the median, or about $25.9 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $55,876 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,437/month, about 39.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $54K get you in Arizona?
About bus drivers, transit and intercities
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What this looks like in Arizona
Bus drivers, transit and intercity pay in Arizona tracks closely to the national median, $54K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,437/month, which is 39.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level bus drivers, transit and intercities (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salary by metro in Arizona
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $57K | +6% | 2,180 |
| Flagstaff | $52K | -3% | 160 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $46K | -14% | 60 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $39K | -27% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track bus drivers, transit and intercity salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, transit and intercity afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 39.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, transit and intercities typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,361/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Arizona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $54K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for bus drivers, transit and intercities?
Arizona pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do bus drivers, transit and intercities make in Arizona?
The median is $53,870 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,350, and experienced bus drivers, transit and intercities can clear $72,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,665/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 39.2% 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 Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (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, transit and intercity salary is worth about $55,876 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.