Occupations · Transportation and Material Moving
Bus Drivers, School
Drive a school bus to transport students. Ensure adherence to safety rules. May assist students in boarding or exiting.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 53-3051.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 24% between 2021 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $59,600 | 27,980 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $50,630 | 13,910 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $37,510 | 9,810 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $48,610 | 8,850 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $41,730 | 8,700 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,150 | 8,500 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $52,200 | 8,420 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,590 | 7,270 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $50,220 | 6,320 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $45,130 | 5,550 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $59,240 | 4,420 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $47,570 | 4,120 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Comply with traffic regulations to operate vehicles in a safe and courteous manner.
- Follow safety rules as students board and exit buses or cross streets near bus stops.
- Check the condition of a vehicle's tires, brakes, windshield wipers, lights, oil, fuel, water, and safety equipment to ensure that everything is in working order.
- Report any bus malfunctions or needed repairs.
- Pick up and drop off students at regularly scheduled neighborhood locations, following strict time schedules.
- Escort small children across roads and highways.
- Drive gasoline, diesel, or electrically powered multi-passenger vehicles to transport students between neighborhoods, schools, and school activities.
- Maintain order among students during trips to ensure safety.
- Prepare and submit reports that may include the number of students or trips, hours worked, mileage, or fuel consumption.
- Maintain knowledge of first-aid procedures.
- Record bus routes.
- Report delays, accidents, or other traffic and transportation situations, using telephones or mobile two-way radios.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| trolley bus driver | 8331.1.1 | close |
| bus driver | 8331.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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