School bus driver vs school bus aide

The differences between school bus drivers and school bus aides can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a school bus driver has an average salary of $37,607, which is higher than the $27,100 average annual salary of a school bus aide.

The top three skills for a school bus driver include vehicle inspections, customer service and safety rules. The most important skills for a school bus aide are CPR, CDL, and seat belts.

School bus driver vs school bus aide overview

	School Bus Driver	School Bus Aide
Yearly salary	$37,607	$27,100
Hourly rate	$18.08	$13.03
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	112,230	62,917
Job satisfaction	1.5	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	58	58
Years of experience	-	-

School bus driver vs school bus aide salary

School bus drivers and school bus aides have different pay scales, as shown below.

	School Bus Driver	School Bus Aide
Average salary	$37,607	$27,100
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $46,000	Between $22,000 And $32,000
Highest paying City	Springfield, MA	Providence, RI
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Epic Systems	Buffalo Schools
Best paying industry	Education	Transportation

Differences between school bus driver and school bus aide education

There are a few differences between a school bus driver and a school bus aide in terms of educational background:

	School Bus Driver	School Bus Aide
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

School bus driver vs school bus aide demographics

Here are the differences between school bus drivers' and school bus aides' demographics:

	School Bus Driver	School Bus Aide
Average age	58	58
Gender ratio	Male, 44.7% Female, 55.3%	Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 2.6% White, 69.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 2.5% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between school bus driver and school bus aide duties and responsibilities

School bus driver example responsibilities.

Transport clients to doctor appointments, health clinic, and rehabilitation clinics for non-emergency services
Obtain CDL and perform daily safety checks on the bus for the security of the students.
Train and develop skills in using automatic defibrillator, CPR, and first-aid techniques to be prepare for emergency situations.
Aid as a monitor at high school during lunch periods in the commons to make sure the kids are safe.
Maintain minor vehicle maintenance and cleanliness.
Perform daily pre-trip and post trip.

School bus aide example responsibilities.

Provide CPR as needed (certify) & first aid.
Provide appropriate intervention in conflict situations according to ISS standards; notify principal or office when necessary.
Enroll in CDL training classes.

School bus driver vs school bus aide skills

Common school bus driver skills

Vehicle Inspections, 27%
Customer Service, 25%
Safety Rules, 7%
DOT, 6%
Post-Trip Inspections, 3%
Passenger Endorsement, 3%

Common school bus aide skills

CPR, 29%
CDL, 20%
Seat Belts, 10%
Student Discipline, 8%
Bus Safety, 6%
Bus Stops, 4%

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School Bus Driver vs School Bus Aide

Updated January 8, 2025

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