Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Salary
In Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, bus drivers, transit and intercities earn $61,360 at the median, or about $29.5 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $63,297 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,338/month, about 33.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Bus drivers, transit and intercity pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,338/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bus drivers, transit and intercities in metros near Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sheboygan | $53K | $56K |
| Janesville-Beloit | $44K | $47K |
| Wausau | $44K | $48K |
| Eau Claire | $60K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level bus drivers, transit and intercities (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $18K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track bus drivers, transit and intercity salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, transit and intercity afford a 2BR apartment alone in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 32.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, transit and intercities typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,761/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for bus drivers, transit and intercities?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, transit and intercities make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $61,360 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,010, and experienced bus drivers, transit and intercities can clear $63,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,095/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 32.7% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 $63,297 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.