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Best states for a transit bus operator
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like transit bus operators are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for transit bus operators aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for transit bus operator jobs.
In order to get you the best states for transit bus operators, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.New Hampshire is the best state, and Dover is the city with the highest pay for transit bus operators.
10 best states for transit bus operators in 2025
1. New Hampshire
Total transit bus operator jobs: 66 Average annual salary: $44,441 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.552. New Jersey
Total transit bus operator jobs: 1,025 Average annual salary: $44,163 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 5.293. Connecticut
Total transit bus operator jobs: 155 Average annual salary: $43,444 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.924. Vermont
Total transit bus operator jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $41,816 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.755. Nevada
Total transit bus operator jobs: 38 Average annual salary: $41,525 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.746. Kansas
Total transit bus operator jobs: 83 Average annual salary: $40,223 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.127. Massachusetts
Total transit bus operator jobs: 1,296 Average annual salary: $41,695 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 5.788. Montana
Total transit bus operator jobs: 47 Average annual salary: $40,120 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.679. Michigan
Total transit bus operator jobs: 177 Average annual salary: $40,394 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.9310. Tennessee
Total transit bus operator jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $41,648 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.36
Transit bus operator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a transit bus operator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a transit bus operator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $44,441 | $39,000 | 1,342,795 | 66 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $44,163 | $37,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,025 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $43,444 | $37,000 | 3,588,184 | 155 |
| 4 | Vermont | $41,816 | $37,000 | 623,657 | 14 |
| 5 | Nevada | $41,525 | $35,000 | 2,998,039 | 38 |
| 6 | Kansas | $40,223 | $34,000 | 2,913,123 | 83 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $41,695 | $36,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,296 |
| 8 | Montana | $40,120 | $35,000 | 1,050,493 | 47 |
| 9 | Michigan | $40,394 | $34,000 | 9,962,311 | 177 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $41,648 | $35,000 | 6,715,984 | 52 |
| 11 | Maine | $41,572 | $37,000 | 1,335,907 | 13 |
| 12 | Alaska | $40,699 | $37,000 | 739,795 | 132 |
| 13 | Washington | $42,747 | $37,000 | 7,405,743 | 75 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $42,019 | $37,000 | 1,427,538 | 100 |
| 15 | Oregon | $39,705 | $34,000 | 4,142,776 | 202 |
| 16 | New York | $40,844 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 295 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $37,975 | $32,000 | 12,805,537 | 329 |
| 18 | Idaho | $39,176 | $34,000 | 1,716,943 | 33 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $39,060 | $34,000 | 869,666 | 11 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $39,747 | $35,000 | 755,393 | 8 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $39,215 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 130 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $37,991 | $31,000 | 4,684,333 | 51 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $37,560 | $32,000 | 1,059,639 | 208 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $38,980 | $33,000 | 1,815,857 | 6 |
| 25 | Illinois | $38,031 | $32,000 | 12,802,023 | 288 |
| 26 | Ohio | $36,920 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 145 |
| 27 | Indiana | $36,785 | $31,000 | 6,666,818 | 94 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $37,519 | $31,000 | 5,024,369 | 56 |
| 29 | Arizona | $37,318 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 90 |
| 30 | Colorado | $38,939 | $33,000 | 5,607,154 | 73 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $36,753 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 76 |
| 32 | Maryland | $38,725 | $32,000 | 6,052,177 | 71 |
| 33 | Georgia | $36,978 | $31,000 | 10,429,379 | 100 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $36,084 | $30,000 | 2,984,100 | 28 |
| 35 | California | $39,232 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 271 |
| 36 | Missouri | $35,111 | $29,000 | 6,113,532 | 202 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $35,896 | $30,000 | 3,004,279 | 17 |
| 38 | Alabama | $36,352 | $30,000 | 4,874,747 | 17 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $36,595 | $31,000 | 1,920,076 | 12 |
| 40 | Utah | $36,941 | $31,000 | 3,101,833 | 19 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $34,257 | $30,000 | 5,576,606 | 142 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $34,735 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 122 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $33,346 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 9 |
| 44 | Iowa | $31,771 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 99 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $32,951 | $27,000 | 4,454,189 | 53 |
| 46 | Delaware | $35,449 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 10 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $33,487 | $28,000 | 3,930,864 | 29 |
| 48 | Texas | $33,177 | $27,000 | 28,304,596 | 195 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $33,278 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 12 |
| 50 | Florida | $33,271 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 138 |
| 51 | Virginia | $32,472 | $27,000 | 8,470,020 | 60 |
Highest paying states for transit bus operators
| Rank | State | Avg. Transit Bus Operator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $44,441 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $44,163 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $43,444 |
| 4 | Vermont | $41,816 |
| 5 | Nevada | $41,525 |
| 6 | Kansas | $40,223 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $41,695 |
| 8 | Montana | $40,120 |
| 9 | Michigan | $40,394 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $41,648 |
| 11 | Maine | $41,572 |
| 12 | Alaska | $40,699 |
| 13 | Washington | $42,747 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $42,019 |
| 15 | Oregon | $39,705 |
| 16 | New York | $40,844 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $37,975 |
| 18 | Idaho | $39,176 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $39,060 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $39,747 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $39,215 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $37,991 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $37,560 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $38,980 |
| 25 | Illinois | $38,031 |
| 26 | Ohio | $36,920 |
| 27 | Indiana | $36,785 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $37,519 |
| 29 | Arizona | $37,318 |
| 30 | Colorado | $38,939 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $36,753 |
| 32 | Maryland | $38,725 |
| 33 | Georgia | $36,978 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $36,084 |
| 35 | California | $39,232 |
| 36 | Missouri | $35,111 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $35,896 |
| 38 | Alabama | $36,352 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $36,595 |
| 40 | Utah | $36,941 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $34,257 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $34,735 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $33,346 |
| 44 | Iowa | $31,771 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $32,951 |
| 46 | Delaware | $35,449 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $33,487 |
| 48 | Texas | $33,177 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $33,278 |
| 50 | Florida | $33,271 |
| 51 | Virginia | $32,472 |
Transit bus operator best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025