Bus driver demographics and statistics in the US
Bus driver demographics research summary. Zippia estimates bus driver demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our bus driver estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about bus drivers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 175,855 bus drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 48.9% of all bus drivers are women, while 51.1% are men.
- The average bus driver age is 57 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of bus drivers is White (67.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.3%), Black or African American (9.1%) and Unknown (4.7%).
- Bus drivers are most in-demand in El Cajon, CA.
- Nashua, NH pays an annual average wage of $41,569, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women bus drivers earned 98% of what men earned.
- Wyoming is the best state for bus drivers to live.
- Bus drivers are 53% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Bus driver demographics by:
Bus driver gender statistics
48.9% of bus drivers are women and 51.1% of bus drivers are men.
- Male, 51.1%
- Female, 48.9%
Bus driver gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 51.1% |
| Female | 48.9% |
Bus driver gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$37,393
Female income
$36,666
Bus driver gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in bus driver positions over time. Currently, 48.9% of bus drivers are female.
Bus driver gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 49.82% | 50.18% |
| 2011 | 50.34% | 49.66% |
| 2012 | 49.18% | 50.82% |
| 2013 | 51.56% | 48.44% |
| 2014 | 50.45% | 49.55% |
| 2015 | 52.45% | 47.55% |
| 2016 | 53.00% | 47.00% |
| 2017 | 52.43% | 47.57% |
| 2018 | 51.05% | 48.95% |
| 2019 | 49.96% | 50.04% |
| 2020 | 50.53% | 49.47% |
| 2021 | 51.06% | 48.94% |
Bus driver related jobs gender ratio
We compared bus drivers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, diesel truck driver and tank wagon driver have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Bus Matron | 11% | 89% |
| Bus Escort | 18% | 82% |
| Bus Monitor | 19% | 81% |
| Bus Driver | 51% | 49% |
| Wrecker Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tank Wagon Driver | 99% | 1% |
| Diesel Truck Driver | 100% | 0% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Bus driver demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among bus drivers is White, which makes up 67.1% of all bus drivers. Comparatively, 15.3% of bus drivers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.1% of bus drivers are Black or African American.
- White, 67.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.3%
- Black or African American, 9.1%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Asian, 2.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Bus driver race
| Bus driver race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.3% |
| Black or African American | 9.1% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Asian | 2.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Bus driver race and ethnicity over time
See how bus driver racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Bus driver race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.18% | 17.06% | 1.87% | 13.28% |
| 2011 | 63.71% | 17.16% | 2.55% | 13.59% |
| 2012 | 64.53% | 16.29% | 2.45% | 13.65% |
| 2013 | 63.70% | 16.63% | 2.39% | 14.28% |
| 2014 | 64.56% | 16.46% | 2.14% | 14.03% |
| 2015 | 64.25% | 16.25% | 2.59% | 14.12% |
| 2016 | 61.91% | 16.89% | 2.96% | 14.96% |
| 2017 | 63.55% | 15.66% | 2.56% | 14.98% |
| 2018 | 66.51% | 11.12% | 3.37% | 15.82% |
| 2019 | 69.80% | 9.67% | 3.25% | 14.42% |
| 2020 | 67.72% | 8.86% | 2.77% | 15.12% |
| 2021 | 67.05% | 9.13% | 2.72% | 15.30% |
Bus driver wage gap by race
According to our data, asian bus drivers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White bus drivers have the lowest average salary at $37,108.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,128 |
| White | $37,108 |
| Black or African American | $37,254 |
| Asian | $37,910 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $37,572 |
Average bus driver age
See how the average age of bus drivers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Bus driver age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 58 | 55 |
| Unknown | 59 | 55.5 |
| Asian | 54 | 56 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 57 | 53 |
| White | 64 | 57 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 58 |
Bus driver age breakdown
The average age of bus drivers is 40+ years years old, representing 95% of the bus driver population.
Bus driver age breakdown
| Bus Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 95% |
| 30-40 years | 5% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
Bus driver educational attainment
The most common degree for bus drivers is high school diploma, with 36% of bus drivers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 22% and associate degree degree at 19%.
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Associate, 22%
- Bachelor's, 19%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Bus drivers by degree level
| Bus driver degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 36% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Bachelor's | 19% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Bus driver jobs you might like
Bus driver wage gap by degree level
According to the data, bus drivers with a High School Diploma degree earn more than those without, at $37,632 annually. With a Associate degree, bus drivers earn a median annual income of $37,471 compared to $37,094 for bus drivers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,632 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,094 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,471 |
Bus driver employment statistics
Most bus drivers work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where bus drivers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where bus drivers work.
Bus driver jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 10% |
Bus driver jobs by company type
Employees with the bus driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most bus drivers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Bus driver jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 53% |
| Public | 3% |
| Private | 35% |
| Government | 8% |
Bus driver jobs by industry
The most common industries for bus drivers are education, transportation and government.
Bus driver industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 52% |
| Transportation | 18% |
| Government | 6% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Professional | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Bus driver turnover and employment statistics
Bus driver unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for bus drivers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bus driver unemployment rate by year
| Year | Bus driver unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.89% |
| 2011 | 5.65% |
| 2012 | 5.76% |
| 2013 | 4.98% |
| 2014 | 4.12% |
| 2015 | 3.73% |
| 2016 | 3.25% |
| 2017 | 3.45% |
| 2018 | 4.03% |
| 2019 | 2.92% |
| 2020 | 6.97% |
| 2021 | 6.83% |
Average bus driver tenure
The average bus driver stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 45,768 bus drivers resumes in Zippia's database.
Bus driver tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Bus driver LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of bus drivers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Power Sweeper Operator | 1.73% | 27,848 |
| Commercial Driver | 3.95% | 1,016,123 |
| Cab Driver | 6.17% | 318,105 |
| Jitney Driver | 8.69% | 34,141 |
| Bus Driver | 8.77% | - |
Similar bus driver jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Power Sweeper Operator | 1.73% | 27,848 |
| Commercial Driver | 3.95% | 1,016,123 |
| Cab Driver | 6.17% | 318,105 |
| Jitney Driver | 8.69% | 34,141 |
Foreign languages spoken by bus drivers
The most common foreign language among bus drivers is Spanish at 71.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.9% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 3.0%.
- Spanish, 71.5%
- French, 6.9%
- Arabic, 3.0%
- Japanese, 2.6%
- Portuguese, 2.2%
- Other, 13.8%
Bus driver languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 71.5% |
| French | 6.9% |
| Arabic | 3.0% |
| Japanese | 2.6% |
| Portuguese | 2.2% |
| Other | 13.8% |
