Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Salary
In California, bus drivers, transit and intercities earn $67,130 at the median, or about $32.27 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $91K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $63,247 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 56.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $67K get you in California?
About bus drivers, transit and intercities
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for bus drivers, transit and intercity, local pay runs about 14% 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 $2,471/month, which is 55.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level bus drivers, transit and intercities (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $91K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salary by metro in California
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $79K | +18% | 5,540 |
| Salinas | $71K | +6% | 180 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $71K | +5% | 810 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $68K | +1% | 10,140 |
| Fresno | $62K | -7% | N/A |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $61K | -9% | 1,720 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $60K | -10% | 180 |
| Napa | $60K | -11% | 170 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $58K | -14% | 370 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $57K | -15% | 1,550 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $54K | -19% | 100 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $54K | -20% | 190 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $49K | -27% | 330 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, transit and intercity afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 55.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/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 California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, transit and intercities typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,916/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 California?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $67K here vs. $59K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for bus drivers, transit and intercities?
California pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, transit and intercities make in California?
The median is $67,130 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,600, and experienced bus drivers, transit and intercities can clear $90,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,429/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 55.8% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 $63,247 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.