School Bus Monitors
School Bus Monitors (SOC 33-9094) earn a median $35,100 a year ($16.88 an hour) in the United States, with 78,420 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What school bus monitors do
School bus monitors maintain order among students on a school bus. The SOC says their duties include helping students safely board and exit and communicating behavioral problems, and that they may perform pretrip and posttrip inspections and prepare for and assist in emergency evacuations. The packet holds no task list or education data for this code, so the description of daily work stays general and rests on the SOC definition and O*NET alternate titles. Those titles include school bus aide, school bus assistant, school bus attendant, school bus escort and school bus matron. A monitor watches the students during the ride so that the driver can concentrate on driving, and reports behavior problems to the driver or school. The work differs from that of crossing guards, who control traffic at crossings and are counted in a different code, and from the bus driver, whose job is operating the vehicle. Because the job is defined by supervising students on the bus, it is much narrower than general protective service work.
Also called: Bus Monitor, School Bus Aide, School Bus Assistant, School Bus Attendant, School Bus Escort.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.52 | $15.27 | $16.88 | $18.15 | $20.79 | $16.90 | 78,420 |
| Annual | $28,130 | $31,760 | $35,100 | $37,760 | $43,250 | $35,150 | ||
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 school bus monitors 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 | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.20 | $18.17 | $20.35 | $22.83 | $25.11 | $21.31 | 470 | 0.13 | 0.27 |
| Annual | $35,770 | $37,790 | $42,330 | $47,480 | $52,230 | $44,330 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.78 | $19.76 | $20.06 | $20.06 | $20.55 | $19.59 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $36,990 | $41,100 | $41,720 | $41,720 | $42,740 | $40,750 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $16.65 | $17.93 | $19.66 | $22.53 | $24.67 | $20.10 | 380 | 0.19 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $34,620 | $37,300 | $40,900 | $46,850 | $51,310 | $41,810 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $15.45 | $19.00 | $19.35 | $21.72 | $21.75 | $19.40 | 220 | 0.36 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $32,130 | $39,520 | $40,250 | $45,170 | $45,240 | $40,350 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $16.78 | $17.79 | $18.76 | $20.98 | $26.22 | $19.46 | 70 | 0.23 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $34,900 | $37,000 | $39,020 | $43,630 | $54,530 | $40,470 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.89 | $16.64 | $17.74 | $18.80 | $20.58 | $18.01 | 19,090 | 1.97 | 3.91 |
| Annual | $33,060 | $34,610 | $36,910 | $39,110 | $42,810 | $37,460 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.00 | $16.27 | $17.00 | $18.46 | $16.53 | 6,930 | 1.14 | 2.25 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,200 | $33,840 | $35,350 | $38,390 | $34,380 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $16.00 | $17.35 | $17.98 | $20.95 | $17.54 | 6,100 | 1.42 | 2.82 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $33,280 | $36,100 | $37,410 | $43,570 | $36,490 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.57 | $15.14 | $16.40 | $17.44 | $19.06 | $16.49 | 4,080 | 0.41 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $28,220 | $31,490 | $34,110 | $36,270 | $39,650 | $34,290 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $13.96 | $14.82 | $16.97 | $18.39 | $20.06 | $16.66 | 3,180 | 0.53 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $29,040 | $30,830 | $35,290 | $38,250 | $41,720 | $34,660 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $18.17 | $19.27 | $22.68 | $25.11 | $29.32 | $23.66 | 190 | 0.09 | 0.18 |
| Annual | $37,790 | $40,070 | $47,170 | $52,230 | $60,980 | $49,210 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $18.87 | $20.79 | $20.79 | $20.96 | $23.40 | $21.18 | 140 | 0.06 | 0.12 |
| Annual | $39,250 | $43,250 | $43,250 | $43,590 | $48,670 | $44,050 | ||||
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | Hourly | $16.35 | $18.03 | $20.73 | $21.42 | $24.51 | $19.85 | 100 | 0.62 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $34,010 | $37,500 | $43,110 | $44,560 | $50,980 | $41,280 | ||||
| Rochester, MN | Hourly | $17.40 | $20.06 | $20.06 | $22.34 | $22.34 | $20.19 | 70 | 0.56 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $36,180 | $41,720 | $41,720 | $46,470 | $46,470 | $41,990 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $15.35 | $17.17 | $20.06 | $21.89 | $22.86 | $20.05 | 2,220 | 0.71 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $31,930 | $35,710 | $41,720 | $45,520 | $47,560 | $41,690 | ||||
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 | $15.94 | $17.25 | $17.95 | $19.32 | $20.92 | $18.29 | 16,260 | 1.71 | 3.40 |
| Annual | $33,150 | $35,890 | $37,340 | $40,190 | $43,510 | $38,030 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.21 | $16.29 | $16.87 | $18.37 | $16.51 | 5,210 | 1.15 | 2.29 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,640 | $33,890 | $35,090 | $38,210 | $34,350 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $15.49 | $15.49 | $16.65 | $18.15 | $20.37 | $17.11 | 2,550 | 0.88 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $32,220 | $34,620 | $37,760 | $42,380 | $35,590 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $15.35 | $17.17 | $20.06 | $21.89 | $22.86 | $20.05 | 2,220 | 0.71 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $31,930 | $35,710 | $41,720 | $45,520 | $47,560 | $41,690 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $9.79 | $13.84 | $14.48 | $15.30 | $17.46 | $14.21 | 1,640 | 0.57 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $20,370 | $28,780 | $30,130 | $31,830 | $36,320 | $29,550 | ||||
Top industries employing school bus monitors
School and Employee Bus Transportation employ 44.8% of school bus monitors nationally (35,140 jobs) at a median $35,650 a year ($17.14 an hour), followed by Elementary and Secondary Schools (37.8%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (8.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School and Employee Bus Transportation NAICS 485400 | 35,140 | 44.8% | $35,650 | $17.14 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 29,630 | 37.8% | $34,060 | $16.37 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 6,700 | 8.5% | $36,320 | $17.46 |
| Educational Support Services NAICS 611700 | 2,330 | 3.0% | $36,560 | $17.58 |
| Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation NAICS 485900 | 1,860 | 2.4% | $33,280 | $16.00 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (78,420). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,100 for school bus monitors in May 2021 and $35,100 in May 2025, with employment of 55,310 and 78,420.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,100 | $13.99 | 55,310 |
| May 2022 | $29,880 | $14.37 | 64,100 |
| May 2023 | $33,130 | $15.93 | 72,320 |
| May 2024 | $34,980 | $16.82 | 72,140 |
| May 2025 | $35,100 | $16.88 | 78,420 |
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
50 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 | Washington profile | $20.35 | $42,330 | $35,770 | $52,230 | 470 | 0.13 | 0.27 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $20.06 | $41,720 | $36,990 | $42,740 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $19.66 | $40,900 | $34,620 | $51,310 | 380 | 0.19 | 0.39 |
| 4 | Hawaii profile | $19.35 | $40,250 | $32,130 | $45,240 | 220 | 0.36 | 0.71 |
| 5 | Vermont profile | $18.76 | $39,020 | $34,900 | $54,530 | 70 | 0.23 | 0.45 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $18.63 | $38,750 | $32,480 | $47,550 | 2,370 | 0.86 | 1.70 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $18.56 | $38,590 | $33,030 | $43,900 | 790 | 0.27 | 0.53 |
| 8 | North Dakota profile | $18.50 | $38,480 | $33,070 | $45,720 | 120 | 0.27 | 0.53 |
| 9 | California profile | $18.44 | $38,360 | $35,520 | $46,170 | 1,260 | 0.07 | 0.14 |
| 10 | Maine profile | $18.30 | $38,060 | $30,470 | $46,770 | 160 | 0.25 | 0.49 |
| 11 | Utah profile | $18.28 | $38,020 | $31,570 | $48,330 | 470 | 0.27 | 0.53 |
| 12 | New Hampshire profile | $18.09 | $37,620 | $22,950 | $47,060 | 120 | 0.17 | 0.34 |
| 13 | New York profile | $17.74 | $36,910 | $33,060 | $42,810 | 19,090 | 1.97 | 3.91 |
| 14 | Wyoming profile | $17.70 | $36,810 | $31,060 | $46,390 | 330 | 1.18 | 2.33 |
| 15 | Wisconsin profile | $17.61 | $36,640 | $29,130 | $43,410 | 310 | 0.11 | 0.21 |
| 16 | Delaware profile | $17.58 | $36,560 | $31,200 | $46,690 | 280 | 0.57 | 1.12 |
| 17 | Virginia profile | $17.56 | $36,510 | $28,220 | $46,020 | 1,920 | 0.47 | 0.92 |
| 18 | New Mexico profile | $17.43 | $36,250 | $30,230 | $64,750 | 330 | 0.38 | 0.75 |
| 19 | New Jersey profile | $17.35 | $36,100 | $32,220 | $43,570 | 6,100 | 1.42 | 2.82 |
| 20 | Massachusetts profile | $17.32 | $36,020 | $33,690 | $42,270 | 2,300 | 0.63 | 1.25 |
| 21 | Rhode Island profile | $17.27 | $35,910 | $31,200 | $44,460 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | Connecticut profile | $16.99 | $35,350 | $34,010 | $49,570 | 1,520 | 0.89 | 1.77 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | $16.97 | $35,290 | $29,040 | $41,720 | 3,180 | 0.53 | 1.04 |
| 24 | Nebraska profile | $16.71 | $34,750 | $28,870 | $47,400 | 480 | 0.47 | 0.93 |
| 25 | Montana profile | $16.70 | $34,740 | $30,620 | $44,510 | 200 | 0.40 | 0.79 |
| 26 | Arizona profile | $16.62 | $34,560 | $30,580 | $41,440 | 1,570 | 0.49 | 0.96 |
| 27 | South Dakota profile | $16.53 | $34,380 | $32,820 | $35,650 | 140 | 0.30 | 0.59 |
| 28 | Missouri profile | $16.45 | $34,220 | $28,600 | $36,600 | 1,530 | 0.52 | 1.04 |
| 29 | Florida profile | $16.40 | $34,110 | $28,220 | $39,650 | 4,080 | 0.41 | 0.81 |
| 30 | Alaska profile | $16.34 | $33,990 | $30,840 | $37,720 | 260 | 0.81 | 1.60 |
| 31 | Illinois profile | $16.27 | $33,840 | $31,200 | $38,390 | 6,930 | 1.14 | 2.25 |
| 32 | Indiana profile | $16.15 | $33,590 | $27,640 | $38,500 | 2,020 | 0.63 | 1.25 |
| 33 | Colorado profile | $16.12 | $33,540 | $30,800 | $37,020 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.10 |
| 34 | North Carolina profile | $15.85 | $32,970 | $27,650 | $39,080 | 1,360 | 0.28 | 0.55 |
| 35 | Iowa profile | $15.74 | $32,740 | $28,180 | $36,540 | 520 | 0.33 | 0.66 |
| 36 | Michigan profile | $15.62 | $32,480 | $28,630 | $42,700 | 1,860 | 0.42 | 0.84 |
| 37 | Idaho profile | $15.49 | $32,230 | $25,610 | $44,710 | 340 | 0.40 | 0.79 |
| 38 | Georgia profile | $14.48 | $30,130 | $17,590 | $37,380 | 2,870 | 0.59 | 1.16 |
| 39 | Kansas profile | $14.15 | $29,420 | $26,090 | $35,400 | 1,240 | 0.86 | 1.71 |
| 40 | Texas profile | $14.09 | $29,300 | $23,360 | $37,400 | 2,610 | 0.19 | 0.37 |
| 41 | Nevada profile | $14.05 | $29,230 | $25,130 | $40,260 | 160 | 0.11 | 0.21 |
| 42 | Arkansas profile | $13.59 | $28,260 | $23,160 | $41,190 | 780 | 0.60 | 1.19 |
| 43 | Kentucky profile | $13.57 | $28,220 | $19,820 | $34,940 | 370 | 0.18 | 0.36 |
| 44 | Alabama profile | $13.56 | $28,210 | $23,920 | $41,820 | 130 | 0.06 | 0.12 |
| 45 | Oklahoma profile | $13.52 | $28,130 | $17,830 | $35,230 | 720 | 0.42 | 0.83 |
| 46 | Ohio profile | $13.51 | $28,110 | $26,580 | $62,070 | 1,000 | 0.18 | 0.36 |
| 47 | Tennessee profile | $13.10 | $27,250 | $20,540 | $43,740 | 830 | 0.25 | 0.50 |
| 48 | South Carolina profile | $12.62 | $26,240 | $17,490 | $36,090 | 1,180 | 0.51 | 1.01 |
| 49 | Louisiana profile | $12.14 | $25,250 | $17,020 | $39,320 | 1,170 | 0.60 | 1.19 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $11.30 | $23,500 | $16,910 | $34,280 | 540 | 0.47 | 0.93 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (33-9090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Protective Service 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 33-9094 School Bus Monitors.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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 33-9094, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 33-9094.00, 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.