Best cities for a bus operator

The best cities for bus operators are Nashville, TN, Columbus, OH, and Cincinnati, OH, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for bus operators vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for bus operators in the U.S.

Whether you're starting your career as a bus operator or considering a move, this list of the best cities for bus operators to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for bus operators. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a bus operator. While the absolute best city for bus operators is Nashville, TN, there are plenty of other great places to consider.

Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for bus operators in 2024.

If you're looking for a bus operator job, here are five companies hiring now:

10 best cities for bus operators in 2026

1. Nashville, TN

Total bus operator jobs:	14
Average annual salary:	$40,465
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$32,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$49,000
Location quotient:	4.06

2. Columbus, OH

Total bus operator jobs:	23
Average annual salary:	$36,119
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$29,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$43,000
Location quotient:	3.93

3. Cincinnati, OH

Total bus operator jobs:	19
Average annual salary:	$35,883
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$29,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$43,000
Location quotient:	6.69

4. Philadelphia, PA

Total bus operator jobs:	10
Average annual salary:	$37,430
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$30,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Location quotient:	1.57

5. Garland, TX

Total bus operator jobs:	4
Average annual salary:	$37,418
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$30,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Location quotient:	16.47

6. Milwaukee, WI

Total bus operator jobs:	5
Average annual salary:	$36,787
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$30,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$44,000
Location quotient:	1.93

7. Portland, OR

Total bus operator jobs:	14
Average annual salary:	$42,844
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$36,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$50,000
Location quotient:	3.13

8. Arlington, TX

Total bus operator jobs:	2
Average annual salary:	$37,461
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$30,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Location quotient:	3.17

9. Louisville, KY

Total bus operator jobs:	0
Average annual salary:	$37,685
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$30,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Location quotient:	0.00

10. Indianapolis, IN

Total bus operator jobs:	2
Average annual salary:	$37,107
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$30,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$45,000
Location quotient:	0.39

Choose from 10+ customizable bus operator resume templates

Choose from a variety of easy-to-use bus operator resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your bus operator resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Best cities for bus operators

Nashville, TN
Columbus, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Philadelphia, PA
Garland, TX
Milwaukee, WI
Portland, OR
Arlington, TX
Louisville, KY
Indianapolis, IN

(14 bus operator jobs)
(23 bus operator jobs)
(19 bus operator jobs)
(10 bus operator jobs)
(4 bus operator jobs)
(5 bus operator jobs)
(14 bus operator jobs)
(2 bus operator jobs)
(0 bus operator jobs)
(2 bus operator jobs)

Detailed list of the best cities for a bus operator

Rank	City	Average salary	Lowest 10% Earn	Population	Job count
1	Nashville, TN	$40,465	$32,000	660,388	14
2	Columbus, OH	$36,119	$29,000	860,090	23
3	Cincinnati, OH	$35,883	$29,000	298,800	19
4	Philadelphia, PA	$37,430	$30,000	1,567,872	10
5	Garland, TX	$37,418	$30,000	234,943	4
6	Milwaukee, WI	$36,787	$30,000	595,047	5
7	Portland, OR	$42,844	$36,000	639,863	14
8	Arlington, TX	$37,461	$30,000	392,772	2
9	Louisville, KY	$37,685	$30,000	597,337	-
10	Indianapolis, IN	$37,107	$30,000	855,164	2
11	Newark, NJ	$43,738	$35,000	281,764	5
12	Anchorage, AK	$40,727	$37,000	298,192	7
13	Lexington, KY	$37,681	$30,000	318,449	-
14	Cleveland, OH	$36,818	$30,000	385,809	-
15	Fort Wayne, IN	$37,430	$30,000	264,488	-
16	Atlanta, GA	$40,067	$32,000	472,522	8
17	Toledo, OH	$36,630	$30,000	278,508	-
18	Pittsburgh, PA	$36,585	$29,000	303,625	6
19	Las Vegas, NV	$41,245	$33,000	632,912	1
20	Memphis, TN	$40,381	$32,000	652,717	-
21	Wichita, KS	$37,408	$30,000	389,902	-
22	Henderson, NV	$41,217	$33,000	292,969	-
23	El Paso, TX	$38,478	$30,000	683,080	-
24	North Las Vegas, NV	$41,210	$33,000	238,702	-
25	Fort Worth, TX	$37,476	$30,000	854,113	1
26	Reno, NV	$41,889	$34,000	245,255	-
27	Madison, WI	$36,740	$30,000	252,551	-
28	Lubbock, TX	$37,817	$30,000	252,506	-
29	San Antonio, TX	$37,622	$29,000	1,492,510	2
30	Seattle, WA	$44,459	$38,000	704,352	-
31	Oklahoma City, OK	$36,274	$29,000	638,367	1
32	Irving, TX	$37,445	$30,000	238,289	-
33	Dallas, TX	$37,437	$30,000	1,317,929	-
34	Austin, TX	$37,598	$29,000	947,890	2
35	Plano, TX	$37,418	$30,000	286,057	-
36	Houston, TX	$37,366	$29,000	2,303,482	8
37	Phoenix, AZ	$35,892	$28,000	1,615,017	15
38	Jersey City, NJ	$43,754	$35,000	264,152	-
39	Laredo, TX	$37,516	$29,000	257,156	-
40	Raleigh, NC	$33,908	$27,000	458,880	45
41	Tulsa, OK	$36,228	$29,000	403,090	-
42	Chandler, AZ	$35,882	$28,000	247,477	2
43	Boston, MA	$40,373	$33,000	673,184	7
44	Baltimore, MD	$38,316	$30,000	614,664	9
45	Saint Paul, MN	$37,421	$31,000	302,398	1
46	Saint Louis, MO	$34,314	$28,000	311,404	16
47	Long Beach, CA	$38,659	$31,000	470,130	31
48	Corpus Christi, TX	$37,333	$29,000	325,733	-
49	Oakland, CA	$39,333	$31,000	420,005	3
50	Chula Vista, CA	$38,485	$30,000	267,172	6

Highest paying cities for bus operators

Rank	City	Avg. bus operator salary
1	Newark, NJ	$43,738
2	Portland, OR	$42,844
3	Stamford, CT	$42,319
4	Anchorage, AK	$40,727
5	Greeley, CO	$40,121
6	Columbus, GA	$40,021
7	Santa Rosa, CA	$39,336
8	Washington, DC	$38,611
9	Baltimore, MD	$38,316
10	Austin, TX	$37,598
11	Saint Cloud, MN	$37,587
12	Lawrence, KS	$37,526
13	Lafayette, IN	$37,223
14	Salt Lake City, UT	$36,748
15	Pittsburgh, PA	$36,585
16	Chicago, IL	$36,461
17	Columbus, OH	$36,119
18	Phoenix, AZ	$35,892
19	Newark, DE	$35,083
20	Fayetteville, AR	$34,939