School Bus Monitors Salary
The median pay for a school bus monitors in Michigan is $32,480/year ($15.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $34,594 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 57.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $32K get you in Michigan?
About school bus monitors
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What this looks like in Michigan
School bus monitors pay in Michigan tracks closely to the national median, $32K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 57% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (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, Michigan
Entry-level school bus monitors (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
School Bus Monitors salary by metro in Michigan
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $37K | +14% | 70 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $36K | +12% | 540 |
| Flint | $32K | -2% | N/A |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $30K | -9% | 430 |
Compare to other states
Track school bus monitors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a school bus monitor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 57% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for school bus monitors in Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school bus monitors typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,718/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 74% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is school bus monitor a high-paying job in Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $32K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for school bus monitors?
Michigan pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do school bus monitors make in Michigan?
The median is $32,480 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,630, and experienced school bus monitors can clear $42,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,230/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 57% 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 school bus monitors salary go in Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 school bus monitors salary is worth about $34,594 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do school bus monitors 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.