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Best states for a bus operator
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for bus operators? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for bus operator jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.In order to help you decide which state is the best for bus operators, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for bus operator jobs.
The median salary for bus operators in New Hampshire is $42,708. Compare that to the median salary in New Mexico of $32,636, which ranked worst for bus operators, and you can see how your location is important for your career.New Hampshire is the best state, and Bellingham is the city with the highest pay for bus operators.
10 best states for bus operators in 2026
1. New Hampshire
Total bus operator jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $42,708 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
2. Oregon
Total bus operator jobs: 159 Average annual salary: $42,793 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.62
3. New Jersey
Total bus operator jobs: 895 Average annual salary: $43,593 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 4.77
4. Connecticut
Total bus operator jobs: 139 Average annual salary: $42,474 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.77
5. Nevada
Total bus operator jobs: 26 Average annual salary: $41,377 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.53
6. Washington
Total bus operator jobs: 67 Average annual salary: $44,381 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.39
7. Alaska
Total bus operator jobs: 126 Average annual salary: $40,672 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 6.39
8. Massachusetts
Total bus operator jobs: 1,141 Average annual salary: $40,357 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 5.25
9. North Dakota
Total bus operator jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $40,380 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.36
10. Montana
Total bus operator jobs: 40 Average annual salary: $39,155 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.47
Bus operator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a bus operator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a bus operator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $42,708 | $36,000 | 1,342,795 | 52 |
| 2 | Oregon | $42,793 | $35,000 | 4,142,776 | 159 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $43,593 | $35,000 | 9,005,644 | 895 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $42,474 | $34,000 | 3,588,184 | 139 |
| 5 | Nevada | $41,377 | $33,000 | 2,998,039 | 26 |
| 6 | Washington | $44,381 | $37,000 | 7,405,743 | 67 |
| 7 | Alaska | $40,672 | $37,000 | 739,795 | 126 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $40,357 | $33,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,141 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $40,380 | $34,000 | 755,393 | 8 |
| 10 | Montana | $39,155 | $33,000 | 1,050,493 | 40 |
| 11 | Vermont | $40,057 | $34,000 | 623,657 | 11 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $40,384 | $32,000 | 6,715,984 | 35 |
| 13 | Idaho | $38,859 | $32,000 | 1,716,943 | 30 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $37,382 | $30,000 | 12,805,537 | 277 |
| 15 | Maine | $39,562 | $34,000 | 1,335,907 | 12 |
| 16 | Georgia | $40,017 | $32,000 | 10,429,379 | 79 |
| 17 | Kansas | $37,492 | $30,000 | 2,913,123 | 67 |
| 18 | New York | $40,247 | $32,000 | 19,849,399 | 244 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $37,602 | $30,000 | 4,454,189 | 37 |
| 20 | Colorado | $39,987 | $33,000 | 5,607,154 | 71 |
| 21 | Indiana | $37,204 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 79 |
| 22 | Maryland | $38,248 | $30,000 | 6,052,177 | 886 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $36,533 | $30,000 | 1,059,639 | 193 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $38,405 | $32,000 | 869,666 | 5 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $38,572 | $31,000 | 693,972 | 108 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $38,108 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 5 |
| 27 | Ohio | $36,369 | $29,000 | 11,658,609 | 125 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $37,459 | $31,000 | 5,576,606 | 109 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $36,843 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 61 |
| 30 | Texas | $37,550 | $29,000 | 28,304,596 | 165 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $37,712 | $32,000 | 1,427,538 | 83 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $36,545 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 38 |
| 33 | California | $38,847 | $31,000 | 39,536,653 | 244 |
| 34 | Iowa | $35,705 | $29,000 | 3,145,711 | 72 |
| 35 | Illinois | $36,430 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 224 |
| 36 | Arizona | $35,870 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 90 |
| 37 | Utah | $36,726 | $30,000 | 3,101,833 | 15 |
| 38 | Michigan | $35,063 | $28,000 | 9,962,311 | 151 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $36,276 | $29,000 | 3,930,864 | 15 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $34,886 | $28,000 | 2,984,100 | 18 |
| 41 | Missouri | $34,278 | $28,000 | 6,113,532 | 166 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $35,972 | $29,000 | 1,920,076 | 10 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $34,833 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 16 |
| 44 | Alabama | $35,079 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 15 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $34,654 | $28,000 | 5,024,369 | 38 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $32,972 | $27,000 | 579,315 | 8 |
| 47 | Delaware | $35,069 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 7 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $33,821 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 107 |
| 49 | Virginia | $35,064 | $28,000 | 8,470,020 | 53 |
| 50 | Florida | $33,083 | $25,000 | 20,984,400 | 118 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $32,636 | $26,000 | 2,088,070 | 10 |
Highest paying states for bus operators
| Rank | State | Avg. Bus Operator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $42,708 |
| 2 | Oregon | $42,793 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $43,593 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $42,474 |
| 5 | Nevada | $41,377 |
| 6 | Washington | $44,381 |
| 7 | Alaska | $40,672 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $40,357 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $40,380 |
| 10 | Montana | $39,155 |
| 11 | Vermont | $40,057 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $40,384 |
| 13 | Idaho | $38,859 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $37,382 |
| 15 | Maine | $39,562 |
| 16 | Georgia | $40,017 |
| 17 | Kansas | $37,492 |
| 18 | New York | $40,247 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $37,602 |
| 20 | Colorado | $39,987 |
| 21 | Indiana | $37,204 |
| 22 | Maryland | $38,248 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $36,533 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $38,405 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $38,572 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $38,108 |
| 27 | Ohio | $36,369 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $37,459 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $36,843 |
| 30 | Texas | $37,550 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $37,712 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $36,545 |
| 33 | California | $38,847 |
| 34 | Iowa | $35,705 |
| 35 | Illinois | $36,430 |
| 36 | Arizona | $35,870 |
| 37 | Utah | $36,726 |
| 38 | Michigan | $35,063 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $36,276 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $34,886 |
| 41 | Missouri | $34,278 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $35,972 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $34,833 |
| 44 | Alabama | $35,079 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $34,654 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $32,972 |
| 47 | Delaware | $35,069 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $33,821 |
| 49 | Virginia | $35,064 |
| 50 | Florida | $33,083 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $32,636 |
Bus operator best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025