Bus Drivers, School pay in California
$60,520avg. a year
$29.10 an hour · 16,600 employed
Bus Drivers, School in California earn an average of $60,520 a year. That is $12,090 (25%) more than the U.S. average of $48,430. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $70,900.
$61,040Median pay
$29.10Average hourly
+29%Avg. pay since 2021
#3Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for bus drivers, school by metro area. Swipe to see all 23.
1610 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$70,900
$34.09 an hour
22,350 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$69,190
$33.26 an hour
370 jobs
Napa, CA
$68,150
$32.76 an hour
44,090 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$61,180
$29.41 an hour
5350 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$60,640
$29.16 an hour
6190 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$60,120
$28.91 an hour
7190 jobs
Modesto, CA
$60,070
$28.88 an hour
8380 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$59,910
$28.80 an hour
9140 jobs
Salinas, CA
$59,670
$28.69 an hour
1060 jobs
El Centro, CA
$59,640
$28.67 an hour
111,160 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$58,860
$28.30 an hour
12260 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$58,860
$28.30 an hour
13300 jobs
Merced, CA
$58,720
$28.23 an hour
1460 jobs
Chico, CA
$58,200
$27.98 an hour
152,980 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$57,890
$27.83 an hour
1660 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$57,630
$27.71 an hour
17140 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$57,230
$27.51 an hour
18600 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$57,130
$27.47 an hour
19270 jobs
Visalia, CA
$56,870
$27.34 an hour
20140 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$54,270
$26.09 an hour
21470 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$52,770
$25.37 an hour
22750 jobs
Fresno, CA
$49,950
$24.02 an hour
2370 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$48,010
$23.08 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Bus Drivers, School pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California bus drivers, school work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $44k$44k–$47k$47k–$54k$54k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $48,430 | $23.28 |
| California | $60,520 | $29.10 |
| Oregon | $55,260 | $26.57 |
| Arizona | $45,390 | $21.82 |
| Nevada | $41,440 | $19.92 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do bus drivers, school make in California?
The average is $60,520 a year, and the median is $61,040. That is $12,090 (25%) more than the U.S. average of $48,430.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$29.10 an hour on average; the median is $29.35.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,900), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($69,190). The lowest average among 23 metro areas with data is Yuba City, CA ($48,010).
How does California rank?
California ranks #3 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2021–May 2025), occupation code 53-3051. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national bus drivers, school page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.