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The differences between bus drivers and pilots can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pilot has an average salary of $83,128, which is higher than the $36,879 average annual salary of a bus driver.
The top three skills for a bus driver include CDL, DOT and customer service. The most important skills for a pilot are PIC, pilot-in-command, and flight operations.
| Bus Driver | Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $36,879 | $83,128 |
| Hourly rate | $17.73 | $39.97 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 359,229 | 3,049 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 58 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Bus drivers are mainly responsible for safely transporting passengers to their destinations. Bus drivers must be attentive and highly focused to monitor road situations at all times, avoiding any cause of accidents. A bus driver must also ensure to follow all safety policies and procedures during the travel. Bus drivers should also be knowledgeable in monitoring the engine's condition, spot any unusual signals and inconsistencies of the vehicle system that might compromise everyone's safety and comfortability.
A pilot is an individual who works in the aviation industry to operate aircraft and transport passengers and cargos from one location to another. Pilots can fly and navigate different types of aircrafts such as helicopters, large commercial aircraft, or cargo planes. They must perform pre-flight inspections and check flight logs to secure safety for all crews and passengers who are on board. Pilots can also decide to work as flight instructors or establish an aviation school when they have gained enough experience in the aviation industry.
Bus drivers and pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bus Driver | Pilot | |
| Average salary | $36,879 | $83,128 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $45,000 | Between $58,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Nashua, NH | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Preston High School | HP |
| Best paying industry | Education | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a bus driver and a pilot in terms of educational background:
| Bus Driver | Pilot | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Aviation |
| Most common college | - | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between bus drivers' and pilots' demographics:
| Bus Driver | Pilot | |
| Average age | 58 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.1% Female, 48.9% | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 2.7% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |