Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Bus mechanic salary
Average bus mechanic salary
$47,198
Understanding Bus Mechanic Salaries
A bus mechanic plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and reliability of public transportation. The average bus mechanic salary stands at approximately $47,198 per year. Factors influencing this figure include experience, geographical location, and the specific employer.
Factors Affecting Salary
Entry-level positions typically start at lower salaries, while experienced mechanics can command higher pay. For instance:
- Entry-Level Mechanics: $35,000 - $40,000
- Mid-Level Mechanics: $45,000 - $55,000
- Experienced Mechanics: $60,000 and above
Top Paying States
Mechanics in states like California and New York often earn higher salaries than those in other regions. Understanding these salary dynamics is essential for job seekers looking to maximize their earnings.
Opportunities for Advancement
Bus mechanics can enhance their career prospects by pursuing further certifications or specializing in advanced systems, which can lead to higher-paying positions. This pathway not only increases earning potential but also contributes to a more skilled workforce in the transportation sector.
Let Zippia find your next bus mechanic job
Let Zippia find your next bus mechanic job
Where can a Bus Mechanic earn more?
Bus mechanic salaries by experience level
Bus mechanic salary estimates from across the web
Average bus mechanic salary by state
The average bus mechanic salary in California, Massachusetts, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average bus mechanic salary states are Wyoming, Arizona, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for bus mechanics
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $57,088 | $27.45 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $52,198 | $25.10 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $55,368 | $26.62 |
| 4 | Alaska | $55,800 | $26.83 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $51,018 | $24.53 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $54,660 | $26.28 |
| 7 | Iowa | $48,206 | $23.18 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $48,904 | $23.51 |
| 9 | Washington | $58,184 | $27.97 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $59,069 | $28.40 |
| 11 | Vermont | $50,568 | $24.31 |
| 12 | Maine | $53,165 | $25.56 |
| 13 | California | $60,413 | $29.04 |
| 14 | Oregon | $50,493 | $24.28 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $52,134 | $25.06 |
| 16 | New York | $54,182 | $26.05 |
| 17 | Virginia | $53,913 | $25.92 |
| 18 | Alabama | $46,179 | $22.20 |
| 19 | Maryland | $52,319 | $25.15 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $49,293 | $23.70 |
| 21 | Utah | $46,393 | $22.30 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $47,207 | $22.70 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $47,114 | $22.65 |
| 24 | Ohio | $46,287 | $22.25 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $55,145 | $26.51 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $56,606 | $27.21 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $44,807 | $21.54 |
| 28 | Idaho | $45,062 | $21.66 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $51,756 | $24.88 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $44,945 | $21.61 |
| 31 | Texas | $46,483 | $22.35 |
| 32 | Kansas | $45,119 | $21.69 |
| 33 | Delaware | $46,692 | $22.45 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $44,467 | $21.38 |
| 35 | Illinois | $47,826 | $22.99 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $44,465 | $21.38 |
| 37 | Indiana | $43,711 | $21.01 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $44,677 | $21.48 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $43,903 | $21.11 |
| 40 | Colorado | $47,113 | $22.65 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $42,081 | $20.23 |
| 42 | Montana | $42,426 | $20.40 |
| 43 | Georgia | $45,062 | $21.66 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $39,894 | $19.18 |
| 45 | Michigan | $43,183 | $20.76 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $42,426 | $20.40 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $39,967 | $19.21 |
| 48 | Arizona | $41,841 | $20.12 |
| 49 | Florida | $42,666 | $20.51 |
| 50 | Missouri | $39,957 | $19.21 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $41,690 | $20.04 |
Highest paying cities for bus mechanics
The highest-paying cities for bus mechanics are Los Angeles, CA, Plymouth, MA, and Arlington, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $60,077 | $28.88 |
| 2 | Plymouth, MA | $59,257 | $28.49 |
| 3 | Arlington, VA | $54,657 | $26.28 |
| 4 | Waterbury, CT | $54,656 | $26.28 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $54,211 | $26.06 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $52,482 | $25.23 |
| 7 | New Brunswick, NJ | $51,770 | $24.89 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $50,447 | $24.25 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $47,957 | $23.06 |
| 10 | Chapel Hill, NC | $47,564 | $22.87 |
| 11 | Wausau, WI | $47,520 | $22.85 |
| 12 | Kent, OH | $47,036 | $22.61 |
| 13 | Dallas, TX | $46,241 | $22.23 |
| 14 | Wichita, KS | $44,958 | $21.61 |
| 15 | Memphis, TN | $44,451 | $21.37 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $43,614 | $20.97 |
| 17 | West Palm Beach, FL | $42,383 | $20.38 |
| 18 | Prescott, AZ | $42,105 | $20.24 |
| 19 | Saint Charles, MO | $40,091 | $19.27 |
Bus mechanic salary details
A bus mechanic's salary ranges from $34,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $63,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a bus mechanic's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $47,198 | $3,933 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
Highest paying bus mechanic jobs
The highest paying types of bus mechanics are truck mechanic, fleet mechanic, and diesel mechanic.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shop Technician | $36,798 | $3,066 | $17.69 | 150,349 |
| Diesel Technician | $46,868 | $3,906 | $22.53 | 128,944 |
| Light Wheel Mechanic | $41,948 | $3,496 | $20.17 | 90,297 |
| Mechanic Helper | $31,892 | $2,658 | $15.33 | 48,546 |
| Service Mechanic | $47,240 | $3,937 | $22.71 | 116,383 |
| Trailer Mechanic | $42,569 | $3,547 | $20.47 | 86,057 |
Which companies pay bus mechanics the most?
Bus mechanic salaries at SDST Spartans and Ontario-Montclair School District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average bus mechanic salary at companies like Chicago Transit Authority and TriMet are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SDST Spartans | $55,912 | $26.88 |
| 2 | Ontario-Montclair School District | $55,743 | $26.80 |
| 3 | Chicago Transit Authority | $53,120 | $25.54 |
| 4 | TriMet | $53,000 | $25.48 |
| 5 | NJ Transit | $52,785 | $25.38 |
| 6 | Wentzville R Iv School District | $52,721 | $25.35 |
| 7 | Portland Public Schools | $51,852 | $24.93 |
| 8 | Transdev Services, Inc. | $51,817 | $24.91 |
| 9 | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority | $51,782 | $24.90 |
| 10 | FIRST | $51,294 | $24.66 |
| 11 | First Student | $50,946 | $24.49 |
| 12 | Golden Gate Bridge | $50,640 | $24.35 |
| 13 | First Transit | $50,327 | $24.20 |
| 14 | Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County | $50,052 | $24.06 |
| 15 | Bruce Transportation Group | $49,863 | $23.97 |
| 16 | MV Transportation | $49,712 | $23.90 |
| 17 | Eagle County | $49,133 | $23.62 |
| 18 | The Next Level | $48,912 | $23.52 |
| 19 | Xanterra | $48,741 | $23.43 |
| 20 | Tulare Western High School | $48,102 | $23.13 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Bus Mechanic salary by industry
The average bus mechanic salary varies across industries:
- The average bus mechanic salary in the transportation industry is $51,729, the highest of any industry.
- The average bus mechanic salary in the finance industry is $48,604.
- Bus mechanics in the education industry earn an average salary of $46,013, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for bus mechanics
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $51,729 | $24.87 |
| 2 | Government | $48,604 | $23.37 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $46,093 | $22.16 |
| 4 | Education | $46,013 | $22.12 |
High paying bus mechanic jobs
Bus mechanic salary trends
The average bus mechanic salary has risen by $8,048 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average bus mechanic earned $39,150 annually, but today, they earn $47,198 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for bus mechanics over the last decade.
Compare bus mechanic salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average bus mechanic salary over time
Compare bus mechanic salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Bus mechanic salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $47,200 | $22.69 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $45,600 | $21.92 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $44,500 | $21.40 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $43,600 | $20.96 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $42,500 | $20.42 | +1.4% |
Recently added bus mechanic salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gobeacon | School Bus Mechanic | Yonkers, NY | 06/30/2025 | $72,544 |
| Gobeacon | Bus Mechanic | Chelmsford, MA | 06/30/2025 | $52,175 |
| Transdev Services, Inc. | Citylift Level B Bus Mechanic | Peoria, IL | 06/27/2025 | $51,361 |
| School District of Springfield Township | School Bus Mechanic | Glenside, PA | 06/27/2025 | $64,280 |
| Cta | Bus Mechanic | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $73,859 |
| Transdevna | Citylift Level B Bus Mechanic | Peoria, IL | 06/27/2025 | $51,361 |
| Trimet Public Transportation | Bus Mechanic Bonus! | Portland, OR | 06/26/2025 | $91,473 |
| Topview Sightseeing | Bus Mechanic | Norcross, GA | 06/26/2025 | $62,610 |
| Topview Sightseeing | Bus Mechanic | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $62,610 |
| Topview Sightseeing | Bus Mechanic | Austin, TX | 06/26/2025 | $52,175 |
Bus mechanic salary FAQs
Search for bus mechanic jobs