Drive bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage. May assist passengers with baggage. May collect fares or tickets.
National median · BLS
$59,050
▲ +2.8%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$60,280
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
159,240
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$40,030
25th
$47,530
Median (50th)
$59,050
75th
$70,700
90th — top pay
$84,700
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
BLS projects employment of bus drivers, transit and intercity to grow 4.1% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 21,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
166,400 → 173,300
+6,900 jobs
Projected change
+4.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
21,100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Operation and Control3.9
Operations Monitoring3.6
Active Listening3.1
Critical Thinking3.1
Service Orientation3.1
Time Management3.1
Monitoring3.0
Social Perceptiveness3.0
Speaking3.0
Judgment and Decision Making2.8
Top knowledge areas
Transportation4.5
Customer and Personal Service4.3
Public Safety and Security4.0
English Language3.4
Law and Government3.1
Administration and Management2.8
Telecommunications2.8
Computers and Electronics2.7
Software and technology used
Microsoft WindowsAOL MapQuestMicrosoft MapPointWeb browser software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What bus drivers, transit and intercity do
Drive vehicles over specified routes or to specified destinations according to time schedules, complying with traffic regulations to ensure that passengers have a smooth and safe ride.
Park vehicles at loading areas so that passengers can board.
Inspect vehicles and check gas, oil, and water levels prior to departure.
Announce stops to passengers.
Assist passengers, such as elderly or individuals with disabilities, on and off bus, ensure they are seated properly, help carry baggage, and answer questions about bus schedules or routes.
Collect tickets or cash fares from passengers.
Handle passenger emergencies or disruptions.
Report delays or accidents.
Also called
Bus DriverBus OperatorMotor Coach OperatorTransit Bus DriverCharter Bus DriverCoach OperatorMotor Coach DriverTransit Coach OperatorTransit DriverTransit Operator
More job titles for this occupation (22)
CDL Bus Driver (Commercial Driver's License Bus Driver)Charter Coach DriverCharter DriverCity Bus DriverCourtesy Bus DriverDay Haul Charter Bus DriverFarm Charter Bus DriverInterstate Bus DriverJitney DriverMobile Lounge Driver or OperatorMotor Bus DriverMotor Coach Bus DriverMotor Coach Tour OperatorMotorcoach DriverMotorcoach OperatorParatransit Bus DriverPublic Transit Bus DriverPublic Transit Trolley DriverStage DriverSubstitute Bus DriverTransport OperatorTransportation Bus Driver
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $59,050.
