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The differences between bus drivers and school bus monitors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a bus driver has an average salary of $36,879, which is higher than the $26,704 average annual salary of a school bus monitor.
The top three skills for a bus driver include CDL, DOT and customer service. The most important skills for a school bus monitor are customer service, behavior problems, and CPR.
| Bus Driver | School Bus Monitor | |
| Yearly salary | $36,879 | $26,704 |
| Hourly rate | $17.73 | $12.84 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 359,229 | 27,486 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Average age | 58 | 58 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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 school bus monitor works closely with the bus driver to ensure safety while students are entering, riding, and leaving the bus. The bus monitor ensures discipline and assistance. Their duties and responsibilities include directing students on pick-up and drop-off points and facilitating communication between management and parents.
Bus drivers and school bus monitors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bus Driver | School Bus Monitor | |
| Average salary | $36,879 | $26,704 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $45,000 | Between $20,000 And $33,000 |
| Highest paying City | Nashua, NH | Lowell, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | Preston High School | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a bus driver and a school bus monitor in terms of educational background:
| Bus Driver | School Bus Monitor | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between bus drivers' and school bus monitors' demographics:
| Bus Driver | School Bus Monitor | |
| Average age | 58 | 58 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.1% Female, 48.9% | Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.5% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |