Bus operator demographics and statistics in the US
Bus operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates bus operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our bus operator 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 operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 114,720 bus operators currently employed in the United States.
- 37.5% of all bus operators are women, while 62.5% are men.
- The average bus operator age is 54 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of bus operators is White (47.7%), followed by Black or African American (25.1%), Hispanic or Latino (17.0%) and Asian (4.9%).
- Bus operators are most in-demand in North Little Rock, AR.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for bus operators.
- Newark, NJ pays an annual average wage of $43,738, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women bus operators earned 96% of what men earned.
- 9% of all bus operators are LGBT.
- New Hampshire is the best state for bus operators to live.
- Bus operators are 61% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Bus operator demographics by:
Bus operator gender statistics
37.5% of bus operators are women and 62.5% of bus operators are men.
- Male, 62.5%
- Female, 37.5%
Bus operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 62.5% |
| Female | 37.5% |
Bus operator gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$38,373
Female income
$36,742
Bus operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in bus operator positions over time. Currently, 37.5% of bus operators are female.
Bus operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 44.79% | 55.21% |
| 2011 | 45.31% | 54.69% |
| 2012 | 44.15% | 55.85% |
| 2013 | 46.51% | 53.49% |
| 2014 | 45.41% | 54.59% |
| 2015 | 47.40% | 52.60% |
| 2016 | 47.95% | 52.05% |
| 2017 | 47.38% | 52.62% |
| 2018 | 57.37% | 42.63% |
| 2019 | 61.69% | 38.31% |
| 2020 | 64.84% | 35.16% |
| 2021 | 62.48% | 37.52% |
Bus operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared bus operators 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 Operator | 62% | 38% |
| 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 operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among bus operators is White, which makes up 47.7% of all bus operators. Comparatively, 25.1% of bus operators are Black or African American and 17.0% of bus operators are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 47.7%
- Black or African American, 25.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.0%
- Asian, 4.9%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Bus operator race
| Bus operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 47.7% |
| Black or African American | 25.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.0% |
| Asian | 4.9% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Bus operator race and ethnicity over time
See how bus operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Bus operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.92% | 21.39% | 1.42% | 9.10% |
| 2011 | 64.45% | 21.50% | 2.10% | 9.41% |
| 2012 | 65.27% | 20.63% | 1.99% | 9.47% |
| 2013 | 64.44% | 20.96% | 1.94% | 10.11% |
| 2014 | 65.30% | 20.79% | 1.69% | 9.86% |
| 2015 | 64.99% | 20.58% | 2.14% | 9.94% |
| 2016 | 62.65% | 21.23% | 2.51% | 10.79% |
| 2017 | 64.29% | 20.00% | 2.11% | 10.80% |
| 2018 | 54.60% | 24.49% | 4.16% | 13.88% |
| 2019 | 53.04% | 26.57% | 3.97% | 13.79% |
| 2020 | 48.63% | 26.35% | 4.07% | 15.46% |
| 2021 | 47.66% | 25.13% | 4.90% | 17.04% |
Bus operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian bus operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White bus operators have the lowest average salary at $36,995.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,517 |
| White | $36,995 |
| Black or African American | $38,655 |
| Asian | $39,459 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,282 |
Average bus operator age
See how the average age of bus operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Bus operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 56 | 56 |
| White | 60 | 56.5 |
| Black or African American | 54 | 49.5 |
| Asian | 55 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 55 | 51 |
Bus operator age breakdown
The average age of bus operators is 40+ years years old, representing 91% of the bus operator population.
Bus operator age breakdown
| Bus Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 91% |
| 30-40 years | 9% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
Bus operator educational attainment
The most common degree for bus operators is high school diploma, with 36% of bus operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 21% and bachelor's degree degree at 20%.
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Bachelor's, 21%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Bus operators by degree level
| Bus operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 36% |
| Bachelor's | 21% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Bus operator jobs you might like
Bus operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, bus operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $39,105 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, bus operators earn a median annual income of $39,079 compared to $38,281 for bus operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,281 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,079 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $39,105 |
Bus operator employment statistics
Most bus operators work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where bus operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where bus operators work.
Bus operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Bus operator jobs by company type
Employees with the bus operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most bus operators prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Bus operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 17% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 61% |
| Government | 18% |
Bus operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for bus operators are transportation, education and government.
Bus operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 32% |
| Education | 17% |
| Government | 13% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Media | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
Bus operator turnover and employment statistics
Bus operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for bus operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bus operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Bus operator 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 | 2.79% |
| 2019 | 3.31% |
| 2020 | 7.02% |
| 2021 | 7.23% |
Average bus operator tenure
The average bus operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 12,871 bus operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Bus operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 17% |
Bus operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of bus operators 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Transport Operator | 1.73% | 26,744 |
| Package Delivery Driver | 3.95% | 447,795 |
| Taxi Driver Supervisor | 6.17% | 152,025 |
| Bus Operator | 8.69% | - |
| School Transportation Director | 8.77% | 34,627 |
Similar bus operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Transport Operator | 1.73% | 26,744 |
| Package Delivery Driver | 3.95% | 447,795 |
| Taxi Driver Supervisor | 6.17% | 152,025 |
| School Transportation Director | 8.77% | 34,627 |
Foreign languages spoken by bus operators
The most common foreign language among bus operators is Spanish at 68.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.5% and Carrier is the third-most popular at 3.9%.
- Spanish, 68.6%
- French, 10.5%
- Carrier, 3.9%
- Arabic, 2.6%
- Polish, 2.0%
- Other, 12.4%
Bus operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 68.6% |
| French | 10.5% |
| Carrier | 3.9% |
| Arabic | 2.6% |
| Polish | 2.0% |
| Other | 12.4% |
