Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity (SOC 53-3052) earn a median $59,050 a year ($28.39 an hour) in the United States, with 159,240 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What bus drivers, transit and intercity do
Transit and intercity bus drivers operate buses and motor coaches that carry the public on scheduled routes, charters, and private trips. City transit drivers work a regular route with frequent stops, announce each stop, collect tickets or cash fares, and help riders who are elderly or have disabilities get on and off the bus and into their seats. Charter and motor coach drivers follow specified destinations and help carry baggage. Before departure the driver checks gas, oil, and water levels, and then runs to a timetable, parking at stops so passengers can board safely. Drivers answer questions about schedules and routes and handle passenger emergencies or disruptions, and report delays or accidents. School bus drivers are classed separately, as are shuttle drivers and chauffeurs.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Bus Driver, Bus Operator, CDL Bus Driver (Commercial Driver's License Bus Driver), Charter Bus Driver, Charter Coach Driver.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.25 | $22.85 | $28.39 | $33.99 | $40.72 | $28.98 | 159,240 |
| Annual | $40,030 | $47,530 | $59,050 | $70,700 | $84,700 | $60,280 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where bus drivers, transit and intercity earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $27.70 | $31.06 | $40.61 | $40.72 | $40.72 | $35.84 | 16,770 | 1.73 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $57,610 | $64,590 | $84,480 | $84,700 | $84,700 | $74,560 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $26.69 | $29.70 | $34.75 | $44.80 | $44.80 | $35.41 | 6,960 | 1.96 | 1.92 |
| Annual | $55,520 | $61,770 | $72,280 | $93,180 | $93,180 | $73,650 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $22.53 | $27.50 | $32.93 | $32.93 | $32.93 | $29.89 | 2,190 | 3.50 | 3.41 |
| Annual | $46,870 | $57,190 | $68,500 | $68,500 | $68,500 | $62,170 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $23.37 | $26.70 | $32.27 | $36.98 | $43.66 | $32.18 | 24,380 | 1.34 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $48,600 | $55,540 | $67,130 | $76,920 | $90,810 | $66,930 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $22.64 | $27.69 | $31.50 | $38.55 | $39.00 | $32.14 | 2,620 | 1.33 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $47,100 | $57,600 | $65,510 | $80,170 | $81,110 | $66,860 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $23.37 | $26.70 | $32.27 | $36.98 | $43.66 | $32.18 | 24,380 | 1.34 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $48,600 | $55,540 | $67,130 | $76,920 | $90,810 | $66,930 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $27.70 | $31.06 | $40.61 | $40.72 | $40.72 | $35.84 | 16,770 | 1.73 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $57,610 | $64,590 | $84,480 | $84,700 | $84,700 | $74,560 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.93 | $20.49 | $23.43 | $26.98 | $31.20 | $23.58 | 11,600 | 0.82 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $37,290 | $42,610 | $48,740 | $56,120 | $64,890 | $49,040 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.82 | $21.18 | $23.22 | $29.50 | $34.32 | $24.86 | 9,130 | 0.92 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $37,070 | $44,060 | $48,300 | $61,350 | $71,380 | $51,700 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $22.73 | $27.61 | $31.35 | $41.34 | $41.34 | $32.44 | 8,650 | 1.42 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $47,270 | $57,430 | $65,200 | $85,990 | $85,990 | $67,480 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $20.96 | $21.27 | $43.49 | $43.52 | $43.53 | $33.70 | 2,180 | 1.92 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $43,590 | $44,250 | $90,460 | $90,530 | $90,540 | $70,100 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $28.73 | $31.52 | $40.11 | $44.80 | $44.80 | $38.37 | 4,430 | 2.12 | 2.07 |
| Annual | $59,750 | $65,560 | $83,430 | $93,180 | $93,180 | $79,800 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $27.69 | $27.69 | $38.55 | $38.55 | $39.00 | $34.17 | 2,130 | 1.76 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $57,600 | $57,600 | $80,170 | $80,170 | $81,110 | $71,070 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $27.88 | $29.40 | $37.93 | $45.64 | $45.64 | $36.63 | 5,540 | 2.33 | 2.28 |
| Annual | $57,980 | $61,150 | $78,900 | $94,940 | $94,940 | $76,190 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $27.19 | $31.06 | $37.56 | $40.72 | $40.72 | $35.26 | 19,770 | 2.08 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $56,560 | $64,590 | $78,130 | $84,700 | $84,700 | $73,350 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $27.19 | $31.06 | $37.56 | $40.72 | $40.72 | $35.26 | 19,770 | 2.08 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $56,560 | $64,590 | $78,130 | $84,700 | $84,700 | $73,350 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.15 | $26.02 | $32.70 | $36.56 | $39.40 | $31.71 | 10,140 | 1.62 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $48,160 | $54,130 | $68,020 | $76,040 | $81,960 | $65,950 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $25.08 | $29.67 | $31.35 | $41.34 | $41.34 | $34.02 | 7,080 | 1.57 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $52,160 | $61,720 | $65,200 | $85,990 | $85,990 | $70,760 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $27.88 | $29.40 | $37.93 | $45.64 | $45.64 | $36.63 | 5,540 | 2.33 | 2.28 |
| Annual | $57,980 | $61,150 | $78,900 | $94,940 | $94,940 | $76,190 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $28.73 | $31.52 | $40.11 | $44.80 | $44.80 | $38.37 | 4,430 | 2.12 | 2.07 |
| Annual | $59,750 | $65,560 | $83,430 | $93,180 | $93,180 | $79,800 | ||||
Top industries employing bus drivers, transit and intercity
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 55.0% of bus drivers, transit and intercity nationally (87,530 jobs) at a median $64,590 a year ($31.06 an hour), followed by Urban Transit Systems (17.1%) and Charter Bus Industry (8.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 87,530 | 55.0% | $64,590 | $31.06 |
| Urban Transit Systems NAICS 485100 | 27,240 | 17.1% | $57,820 | $27.80 |
| Charter Bus Industry NAICS 485500 | 13,070 | 8.2% | $48,420 | $23.28 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation NAICS 485200 | 8,610 | 5.4% | $46,860 | $22.53 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 7,810 | 4.9% | $70,700 | $33.99 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (159,240). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,620 for bus drivers, transit and intercity in May 2021 and $59,050 in May 2025, with employment of 145,720 and 159,240.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,620 | $23.37 | 145,720 |
| May 2022 | $50,890 | $24.47 | 141,530 |
| May 2023 | $60,170 | $28.93 | 184,990 |
| May 2024 | $57,440 | $27.61 | 148,980 |
| May 2025 | $59,050 | $28.39 | 159,240 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York profile | $40.61 | $84,480 | $57,610 | $84,700 | 16,770 | 1.73 | 1.69 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $34.75 | $72,280 | $55,520 | $93,180 | 6,960 | 1.96 | 1.92 |
| 3 | Hawaii profile | $32.93 | $68,500 | $46,870 | $68,500 | 2,190 | 3.50 | 3.41 |
| 4 | California profile | $32.27 | $67,130 | $48,600 | $90,810 | 24,380 | 1.34 | 1.31 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $31.50 | $65,510 | $47,100 | $81,110 | 2,620 | 1.33 | 1.30 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $31.47 | $65,460 | $50,380 | $93,500 | 3,970 | 1.09 | 1.07 |
| 7 | Maryland profile | $31.35 | $65,220 | $46,770 | $92,320 | 4,890 | 1.77 | 1.73 |
| 8 | Illinois profile | $31.35 | $65,200 | $47,270 | $85,990 | 8,650 | 1.42 | 1.38 |
| 9 | Alaska profile | $30.84 | $64,150 | $46,960 | $76,230 | 250 | 0.76 | 0.75 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $30.29 | $63,010 | $50,870 | $71,090 | 3,540 | 1.23 | 1.20 |
| 11 | Ohio profile | $30.17 | $62,760 | $40,660 | $74,270 | 4,000 | 0.72 | 0.70 |
| 12 | Nevada profile | $29.66 | $61,700 | $43,590 | $90,540 | 2,540 | 1.64 | 1.60 |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $29.40 | $61,140 | $48,340 | $70,700 | 6,420 | 1.50 | 1.46 |
| 14 | Missouri profile | $29.16 | $60,660 | $39,030 | $67,040 | 1,860 | 0.63 | 0.62 |
| 15 | Delaware profile | $29.09 | $60,510 | $39,390 | $65,710 | 380 | 0.79 | 0.77 |
| 16 | Connecticut profile | $28.89 | $60,100 | $44,130 | $75,040 | 1,830 | 1.08 | 1.05 |
| 17 | Indiana profile | $28.08 | $58,410 | $45,380 | $62,970 | 2,130 | 0.67 | 0.65 |
| 18 | Maine profile | $27.82 | $57,870 | $45,180 | $63,360 | 470 | 0.73 | 0.71 |
| 19 | District of Columbia profile | $26.72 | $55,580 | $50,070 | $58,390 | 150 | 0.21 | 0.20 |
| 20 | New Hampshire profile | $26.36 | $54,830 | $40,820 | $67,850 | 300 | 0.44 | 0.43 |
| 21 | Kentucky profile | $26.22 | $54,550 | $32,020 | $61,590 | 2,570 | 1.29 | 1.26 |
| 22 | Arizona profile | $25.90 | $53,870 | $39,350 | $72,140 | 3,240 | 1.00 | 0.98 |
| 23 | Vermont profile | $25.88 | $53,830 | $46,910 | $62,630 | 440 | 1.45 | 1.42 |
| 24 | Virginia profile | $25.45 | $52,940 | $39,430 | $76,170 | 3,800 | 0.93 | 0.90 |
| 25 | Wisconsin profile | $25.32 | $52,660 | $43,740 | $63,810 | 2,220 | 0.76 | 0.74 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.69 | $51,360 | $37,860 | $76,560 | 4,710 | 0.78 | 0.76 |
| 27 | Utah profile | $24.39 | $50,730 | $41,600 | $60,250 | 1,230 | 0.71 | 0.69 |
| 28 | Oklahoma profile | $24.18 | $50,300 | $37,380 | $65,400 | 1,760 | 1.03 | 1.01 |
| 29 | Minnesota profile | $24.13 | $50,200 | $43,430 | $62,480 | 2,610 | 0.88 | 0.86 |
| 30 | Idaho profile | $23.56 | $49,000 | $39,460 | $62,530 | 520 | 0.61 | 0.60 |
| 31 | North Dakota profile | $23.50 | $48,890 | $39,040 | $56,840 | 250 | 0.58 | 0.57 |
| 32 | Louisiana profile | $23.49 | $48,860 | $33,360 | $64,660 | 1,490 | 0.77 | 0.75 |
| 33 | Texas profile | $23.43 | $48,740 | $37,290 | $64,890 | 11,600 | 0.82 | 0.81 |
| 34 | Rhode Island profile | $23.37 | $48,610 | $44,550 | $64,600 | 70 | 0.13 | 0.13 |
| 35 | Florida profile | $23.22 | $48,300 | $37,070 | $71,380 | 9,130 | 0.92 | 0.90 |
| 36 | Tennessee profile | $22.97 | $47,770 | $39,530 | $58,900 | 1,970 | 0.60 | 0.59 |
| 37 | Michigan profile | $22.91 | $47,660 | $38,020 | $65,710 | 3,620 | 0.82 | 0.80 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $22.06 | $45,890 | $35,520 | $60,730 | 1,560 | 1.00 | 0.98 |
| 39 | Montana profile | $21.94 | $45,640 | $38,920 | $57,380 | 450 | 0.87 | 0.85 |
| 40 | Wyoming profile | $21.94 | $45,630 | $39,740 | $62,940 | 130 | 0.45 | 0.44 |
| 41 | New Mexico profile | $21.93 | $45,610 | $35,460 | $48,350 | 580 | 0.67 | 0.66 |
| 42 | Georgia profile | $21.87 | $45,500 | $37,310 | $57,940 | 3,700 | 0.76 | 0.74 |
| 43 | Nebraska profile | $21.69 | $45,120 | $32,850 | $61,120 | 460 | 0.45 | 0.44 |
| 44 | North Carolina profile | $21.18 | $44,060 | $35,610 | $57,330 | 2,900 | 0.59 | 0.57 |
| 45 | South Carolina profile | $20.83 | $43,330 | $29,740 | $49,140 | 630 | 0.27 | 0.27 |
| 46 | South Dakota profile | $19.99 | $41,590 | $29,670 | $48,430 | 410 | 0.90 | 0.88 |
| 47 | Kansas profile | $19.87 | $41,340 | $29,290 | $50,800 | 430 | 0.30 | 0.29 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $18.87 | $39,260 | $30,710 | $49,430 | 520 | 0.74 | 0.72 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $18.54 | $38,570 | $30,210 | $44,630 | 400 | 0.34 | 0.33 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $18.13 | $37,700 | $29,640 | $46,680 | 960 | 0.46 | 0.44 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $18.04 | $37,520 | $29,550 | $56,140 | 570 | 0.44 | 0.43 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-3050), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-3052 Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-3052, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-3052.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.