School Bus Monitors Salary
The median pay for a school bus monitors in Montana is $34,740/year ($16.7/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $35,814 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 47.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Montana. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $35K get you in Montana?
About school bus monitors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Montana
School bus monitors pay in Montana tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,129/month, which is 46.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97) 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, Montana
Entry-level school bus monitors (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track school bus monitors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a school bus monitor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 46.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/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 Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school bus monitors typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,837/month. At HUD’s $1,129/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 school bus monitor a high-paying job in Montana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Montana compare to the national average for school bus monitors?
Montana pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do school bus monitors make in Montana?
The median is $34,740 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,620, and experienced school bus monitors can clear $44,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,417/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 46.7% 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 school bus monitors salary go in Montana?
Montana has a Regional Price Parity of 97 (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 $35,814 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.