School bus driver demographics and statistics in the US
School bus driver demographics research summary. Zippia estimates school bus driver demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our school 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 school bus drivers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 135,092 school bus drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 55.3% of all school bus drivers are women, while 44.7% are men.
- The average school bus driver age is 57 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of school bus drivers is White (69.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.6%), Black or African American (8.1%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- School bus drivers are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for school bus drivers.
- 9% of all school bus drivers are LGBT.
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School bus driver demographics by:
School bus driver gender statistics
55.3% of school bus drivers are women and 44.7% of school bus drivers are men.
- Female, 55.3%
- Male, 44.7%
School bus driver gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 55.3% |
| Male | 44.7% |
School bus driver gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$38,112
Female income
$37,397
School bus driver gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in school bus driver positions over time. Currently, 55.3% of school bus drivers are female.
School bus driver gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 43.45% | 56.55% |
| 2011 | 43.97% | 56.03% |
| 2012 | 42.82% | 57.18% |
| 2013 | 45.17% | 54.83% |
| 2014 | 44.07% | 55.93% |
| 2015 | 46.05% | 53.95% |
| 2016 | 46.60% | 53.40% |
| 2017 | 46.04% | 53.96% |
| 2018 | 44.66% | 55.34% |
| 2019 | 43.59% | 56.41% |
| 2020 | 44.15% | 55.85% |
| 2021 | 44.68% | 55.32% |
School bus driver related jobs gender ratio
We compared school 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% |
| School Bus Driver | 45% | 55% |
| 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%
School bus driver demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among school bus drivers is White, which makes up 69.1% of all school bus drivers. Comparatively, 14.6% of school bus drivers are Hispanic or Latino and 8.1% of school bus drivers are Black or African American.
- White, 69.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.6%
- Black or African American, 8.1%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- Asian, 2.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
School bus driver race
| School bus driver race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 69.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.6% |
| Black or African American | 8.1% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| Asian | 2.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
School bus driver race and ethnicity over time
See how school bus driver racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
School bus driver race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.19% | 16.02% | 1.76% | 12.55% |
| 2011 | 65.71% | 16.12% | 2.44% | 12.85% |
| 2012 | 66.54% | 15.25% | 2.33% | 12.92% |
| 2013 | 65.71% | 15.58% | 2.27% | 13.55% |
| 2014 | 66.56% | 15.41% | 2.03% | 13.30% |
| 2015 | 66.26% | 15.21% | 2.48% | 13.38% |
| 2016 | 63.92% | 15.85% | 2.85% | 14.23% |
| 2017 | 65.56% | 14.62% | 2.45% | 14.24% |
| 2018 | 68.52% | 10.07% | 3.25% | 15.09% |
| 2019 | 71.80% | 8.63% | 3.13% | 13.69% |
| 2020 | 69.73% | 7.82% | 2.65% | 14.39% |
| 2021 | 69.06% | 8.09% | 2.60% | 14.56% |
School bus driver wage gap by race
According to our data, asian school bus drivers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White school bus drivers have the lowest average salary at $37,832.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,851 |
| White | $37,832 |
| Black or African American | $37,975 |
| Asian | $38,621 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,288 |
Average school bus driver age
See how the average age of school bus drivers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
School 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 |
School bus driver age breakdown
The average age of school bus drivers is 40+ years years old, representing 95% of the school bus driver population.
School bus driver age breakdown
| School Bus Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 95% |
| 30-40 years | 5% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
School bus driver educational attainment
The most common degree for school bus drivers is high school diploma, with 35% of school bus drivers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 19%.
- High School Diploma, 35%
- Associate, 24%
- Bachelor's, 19%
- Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 11%
School bus drivers by degree level
| School bus driver degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 35% |
| Associate | 24% |
| Bachelor's | 19% |
| Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
School bus driver jobs you might like
School bus driver wage gap by degree level
According to the data, school bus drivers with a High School Diploma degree earn more than those without, at $38,347 annually. With a Associate degree, school bus drivers earn a median annual income of $38,189 compared to $37,818 for school bus drivers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,347 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,818 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,189 |
School bus driver employment statistics
Most school bus drivers work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where school bus drivers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where school bus drivers work.
School bus driver jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 27% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
School bus driver jobs by company type
Employees with the school bus driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most school bus drivers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
School bus driver jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 62% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 30% |
| Government | 6% |
School bus driver jobs by industry
The most common industries for school bus drivers are education, transportation and government.
School bus driver industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 62% |
| Transportation | 11% |
| Government | 6% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
School bus driver turnover and employment statistics
School bus driver unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for school bus drivers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
School bus driver unemployment rate by year
| Year | School 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 school bus driver tenure
The average school bus driver stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 27,741 school bus drivers resumes in Zippia's database.
School bus driver tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 20% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
School bus driver LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of school 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Operator | 1.73% | 27,441 |
| Delivery Driver, Contractor | 3.95% | 361,045 |
| Motor Pool Driver | 6.17% | 157,092 |
| Transit Coach Operator | 8.69% | 40,390 |
| School Bus Driver | 8.77% | - |
Similar school bus driver jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Operator | 1.73% | 27,441 |
| Delivery Driver, Contractor | 3.95% | 361,045 |
| Motor Pool Driver | 6.17% | 157,092 |
| Transit Coach Operator | 8.69% | 40,390 |
Foreign languages spoken by school bus drivers
The most common foreign language among school bus drivers is Spanish at 76.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.0% and Carrier is the third-most popular at 4.5%.
- Spanish, 76.7%
- French, 6.0%
- Carrier, 4.5%
- Arabic, 2.0%
- German, 1.7%
- Other, 9.1%
School bus driver languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 76.7% |
| French | 6.0% |
| Carrier | 4.5% |
| Arabic | 2.0% |
| German | 1.7% |
| Other | 9.1% |
