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Bus attendant: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$37,720median pay per year, or $18.14 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $27,970lowest 10% earn less
  2. $31,24025th percentile
  3. $37,720median
  4. $41,68075th percentile
  5. $46,590top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Passenger attendants, a BLS category that includes bus attendants, had a median pay of $37,720 a year[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+6%[2]
Openings per year
4,300[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[7]

How much do bus attendants make?

BLS counts bus attendants under the title Passenger Attendants. The median pay was $37,720 a year, or $18.14 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned above that figure and half earned below it[1]. The average was $37,820 a year, or $18.18 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[5].

Measure Annual Hourly
10th percentile[4][9] $27,970 $13.45
25th percentile[4][9] $31,240 $15.02
Median[1] $37,720 $18.14
75th percentile[4][9] $41,680 $20.04
90th percentile[4][9] $46,590 $22.40

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,970, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $46,590[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[10].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, part time and full time. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[11].

Pay by state and city

Alaska was first on the state list with a median of $54,290, based on 220 jobs[12]. The District of Columbia followed at $52,730 and Kentucky at $44,810[12]. Wisconsin was last at $24,650[12]. BLS published data for 29 states and DC[12].

Texas had the most jobs at 5,170, then New York at 3,190 and California at 2,810[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV had the highest median at $49,190, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $44,800[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 3,410, with a median of $41,590[15].

Show median pay in 29 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Alaska[12]$54,290220
District of Columbia$52,730710
Kentucky$44,810n/a
Massachusetts$43,3501,330
California$43,3402,810
Hawaii$42,360610
Washington$41,760900
New York$41,5903,190
Michigan$40,250840
Oregon$39,910n/a
New Jersey$39,760640
Illinois$38,9301,700
Virginia$38,81070
Colorado$37,550870
Arizona$36,820250
North Carolina$35,740110
Connecticut$34,320110
Missouri$34,110480
Maryland$33,350950
Pennsylvania$33,000500
Oklahoma$32,92040
Nevada$32,13090
Texas$31,2305,170
Florida$29,6802,590
South Carolina$28,710120
Tennessee$27,380300
Georgia$26,330n/a
Ohio$26,220n/a
Utah$25,840370
Wisconsin$24,650330

How to become a bus attendant

O*NET places the job in a group needing very little to some preparation. Some jobs in that group need little or no experience, and others call for several months to a year[16]. BLS lists short-term on-the-job training for entry[7].

What bus attendants do

O*NET describes the job as keeping passengers safe aboard ships, buses or trains, or in a station or terminal. It also includes serving food or drinks and answering travel questions[17]. Typical tasks include:

Job titles reported by workers include bus aide, bus monitor, cabin attendant and transportation aide[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of passenger attendants to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 27,200 to 28,900 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[3]. These counts include self-employed workers, who were 1.6% of passenger attendants in 2025[2][20].

BLS expects about 4,300 openings a year[6]. Openings include workers who retire or switch occupations as well as new jobs[6]. Each year, 9.8% of workers leave the labor force and 4.8% move to a different occupation[21].

Is it a good fit?

The facts describe a job with a modest barrier to entry: a high school diploma or equivalent and short on-the-job training[7]. Pay was below the all-occupations median, with the 10th percentile at $27,970 and the 90th at $46,590[1][4][5]. Projected growth is faster than the all-occupations rate, and about 27,110 people held these jobs in May 2025[22][2][3]. Pay varies by state, so local figures matter[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a bus attendant make an hour?
BLS lists the median for Passenger Attendants at $18.14 an hour in May 2025, and the average at $18.18[1][8]. The 10th percentile was $13.45 and the 90th was $22.40[9].
What education do you need to be a bus attendant?
The BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent for entry, with no related work experience[7].
How long does it take to become a bus attendant?
BLS lists short-term on-the-job training and no related work experience[7].
Is bus attendant a growing job?
BLS projects 6% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. About 4,300 openings a year are expected[6].
What is the highest paying state for bus attendants?
Alaska was first on the list with a median of $54,290 in May 2025, followed by the District of Columbia at $52,730[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Passenger Attendants in the US was $37,720 per year and $18.14 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Passenger Attendants is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 27,200 to 28,900 jobs (a change of +1,600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Passenger Attendants: 10th percentile $27,970, 25th percentile $31,240, 75th percentile $41,680, 90th percentile $46,590. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 4,300 openings for Passenger Attendants are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Passenger Attendants: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Passenger Attendants was $37,820 per year and $18.18 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Passenger Attendants: 10th percentile $13.45, 25th percentile $15.02, 75th percentile $20.04, 90th percentile $22.40. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Passenger Attendants in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Passenger Attendants jobs: Texas 5,170; New York 3,190; California 2,810; Florida 2,590; Illinois 1,700. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Passenger Attendants (areas with at least 100 jobs): Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $49,190; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,800; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $43,580; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $43,350; Kahului-Wailuku, HI $42,360; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $41,760; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $41,590; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $39,460. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Passenger Attendants jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 3,410 (median $41,590); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,780 (median $31,240); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,200 (median $39,460); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,150 (median $43,350); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 990 (median $31,750); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 820 (median $41,760). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 53-6061.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Passenger Attendants. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Passenger Attendants. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 53-6061.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Attendant, Bus Aide, Bus Assistant, Bus Attendant, Bus Monitor, Cabin Attendant, Fare Enforcement Officer, Transportation Aide. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: 1.6% of Passenger Attendants were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Passenger Attendants: 9.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 27,110 people were employed as Passenger Attendants in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.