Bus Drivers, School pay in California

In California, the median pay for bus drivers, school is $29.35 an hour ($61,040 a year). About 16,600 people work in this job there.

$29.35Median hourly pay

$51,110–$70,570Middle half of workers, yearly

16,600People in this job in California

That is 27% higher than the U.S. median ($47,920). California ranks 4th of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for bus drivers, school in California

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$22.05	$45,870
25% of workers	$24.57	$51,110
Half of workers (median)	$29.35	$61,040
75% of workers	$33.93	$70,570
90% of workers	$35.43	$73,680

Bus Drivers, School pay in California metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara	$75,230	610
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	$73,680	2,350
Napa	$67,430	70
Modesto	$62,870	190
El Centro	$62,610	60
Salinas	$62,390	140
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	$61,900	2,980
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura	$61,720	380
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim	$61,580	4,090
Merced	$61,580	300
Stockton-Lodi	$61,570	260
Hanford-Corcoran	$60,600	60
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	$60,440	1,160
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara	$60,420	350
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom	$60,390	600
Visalia	$59,490	270
Santa Cruz-Watsonville	$59,100	140
Chico	$58,080	60
Santa Rosa-Petaluma	$57,050	190
Vallejo	$54,030	140
Fresno	$52,650	750
Bakersfield-Delano	$51,880	470
Yuba City	$48,010	70

California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for bus drivers, school

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
Related work experience most have: Up to 1 month (O*NET)
Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
Job outlook: +0.7% over ten years, little or no change · about 56,500 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in California

Job	Median yearly pay
Light Truck Drivers	$46,790
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs	$44,730
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity	$67,130
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance	$52,350
Crossing Guards and Flaggers	$50,610
Taxi Drivers	$39,260
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters	$69,950
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians	$36,150

Other job titles for this job

Bus Drive CoordinatorBus Driver Route CoordinatorCampus DriverCDL Bus DriverCDL School Bus DriverPublic School Bus DriverSchool Bus DriverSchool Bus OperatorSchool Van DriverShuttle Bus DriverSped Bus DriverSped Driver

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: 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. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.