School bus monitor vs special needs bus driver

The differences between school bus monitors and special needs bus drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special needs bus driver has an average salary of $37,581, which is higher than the $26,704 average annual salary of a school bus monitor.

The top three skills for a school bus monitor include customer service, behavior problems and CPR. The most important skills for a special needs bus driver are safety equipment, CDL, and post-trip inspections.

School bus monitor vs special needs bus driver overview

	School Bus Monitor	Special Needs Bus Driver
Yearly salary	$26,704	$37,581
Hourly rate	$12.84	$18.07
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	27,486	51,389
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Associate Degree, 29%
Average age	58	58
Years of experience	-	-

School bus monitor vs special needs bus driver salary

School bus monitors and special needs bus drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	School Bus Monitor	Special Needs Bus Driver
Average salary	$26,704	$37,581
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $33,000	Between $31,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	Lowell, MA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Boston Public Schools	-
Best paying industry	Transportation	-

Differences between school bus monitor and special needs bus driver education

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

	School Bus Monitor	Special Needs Bus Driver
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Associate Degree, 29%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

School bus monitor vs special needs bus driver demographics

Here are the differences between school bus monitors' and special needs bus drivers' demographics:

	School Bus Monitor	Special Needs Bus Driver
Average age	58	58
Gender ratio	Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2%	Male, 27.9% Female, 72.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.5% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 3.0% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between school bus monitor and special needs bus driver duties and responsibilities

School bus monitor example responsibilities.

Certify in CPR in case of an emergency.
Monitor children on and off the bus also cdl driver training
Provide appropriate intervention in conflict situations according to ISS standards; notify principal or office when necessary.
Assure responsible adult meets children when getting off the bus.
Keep daily observation records of childrens developments.
Assist children on bus with ESE problems

Special needs bus driver example responsibilities.

Instruct students with disabilities, including autism, non-verbal, mental retardation, non-walking/restrict to wheelchair and down syndrome.
Perform vehicle pre-trip inspections and appropriately documents.
Assist children on bus with ESE problems

School bus monitor vs special needs bus driver skills

Common school bus monitor skills

Customer Service, 37%
Behavior Problems, 24%
CPR, 9%
Safety Rules, 4%
Bus Safety, 3%
Kids, 2%

Common special needs bus driver skills

Safety Equipment, 40%
CDL, 20%
Post-Trip Inspections, 6%
DOT, 3%
Tie Downs, 3%
Safety Regulations, 3%

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School Bus Monitor
School Bus Monitor vs Special Needs Bus Driver

Updated January 8, 2025

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