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School bus monitor: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$35,100median pay per year, or $16.88 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $28,130lowest 10% earn less
  2. $31,76025th percentile
  3. $35,100median
  4. $37,76075th percentile
  5. $43,250top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

School bus monitors earned a median of $35,100 a year in May 2025[1]. The job needs a high school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-1.9%[5]
Openings per year
13,400[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[2]

How much do school bus monitors make?

The median wage for School Bus Monitors was $35,100 a year, or $16.88 an hour, in May 2025[1]. The average was about the same at $35,150 a year[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980, so this job paid less than the typical US worker[4].

The range between lower and higher pay is fairly narrow. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages instead of a starting salary[8].

Point Annual Hourly
10th percentile[3][9] $28,130 $13.52
25th percentile[3][9] $31,760 $15.27
Median[1] $35,100 $16.88
75th percentile[3][9] $37,760 $18.15
90th percentile[3][9] $43,250 $20.79

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,130 a year[3].

These figures cover people paid a wage or salary, part time or full time. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 78,420 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

BLS published medians for 49 states and the District of Columbia[12]. Washington was first at $42,330 a year, followed by the District of Columbia at $41,720, Oregon at $40,900 and Hawaii at $40,250[12]. Mississippi was last at $23,500[12].

New York had the most jobs at 19,090, followed by Illinois at 6,930 and New Jersey at 6,100[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue had the highest median at $47,170, then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont at $43,250 and Eugene-Springfield at $43,110[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 16,260, with a median of $37,340[15].

Show median pay in 49 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Washington[12]$42,330470
District of Columbia$41,720n/a
Oregon$40,900380
Hawaii$40,250220
Vermont$39,02070
Maryland$38,7502,370
Minnesota$38,590790
North Dakota$38,480120
California$38,3601,260
Maine$38,060160
Utah$38,020470
New Hampshire$37,620120
New York$36,91019,090
Wyoming$36,810330
Wisconsin$36,640310
Delaware$36,560280
Virginia$36,5101,920
New Mexico$36,250330
New Jersey$36,1006,100
Massachusetts$36,0202,300
Rhode Island$35,910n/a
Connecticut$35,3501,520
Pennsylvania$35,2903,180
Nebraska$34,750480
Montana$34,740200
Arizona$34,5601,570
South Dakota$34,380140
Missouri$34,2201,530
Florida$34,1104,080
Alaska$33,990260
Illinois$33,8406,930
Indiana$33,5902,020
Colorado$33,540150
North Carolina$32,9701,360
Iowa$32,740520
Michigan$32,4801,860
Idaho$32,230340
Georgia$30,1302,870
Kansas$29,4201,240
Texas$29,3002,610
Nevada$29,230160
Arkansas$28,260780
Kentucky$28,220370
Alabama$28,210130
Oklahoma$28,130720
Ohio$28,1101,000
Tennessee$27,250830
South Carolina$26,2401,180
Louisiana$25,2501,170
Mississippi$23,500540

How to become a school bus monitor

BLS describes the typical path into this occupation like this[2]:

O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, where little or no previous experience is needed for some occupations and several months to a year for others[16].

What school bus monitors do

A bus monitor keeps order among students on a school bus[17]. O*NET lists these tasks[18]:

Workers report titles such as bus aide, bus attendant and school transportation aide[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of school bus monitors to decline 1.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 76,700 jobs to 75,300[5]. These counts include the self-employed[5]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[20].

Even so, about 13,400 openings a year are projected on average[6]. Openings also come from workers who retire or switch to other work, not only from new jobs[6]. Each year, 11.5% of workers leave the labor force and 6.3% move to a different occupation[21].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job that is easy to enter, with a high school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training[2]. Pay was below the all-occupations median[1][4]. The job count is projected to shrink slightly[5], but openings are frequent because many workers leave or change jobs[6][21]. People who want work centered on helping children travel safely may find the duties a match[17].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[22].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a school bus monitor make an hour?
The median wage was $16.88 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $13.52 and the 90th percentile was $20.79[9].
What education do you need to be a school bus monitor?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education for entry, with no related work experience and short-term on-the-job training[2].
Is school bus monitor a job in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 1.9% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[5][20]. About 13,400 openings a year are still projected[6].
What is the highest paying state for school bus monitors?
Washington was first among 49 states and DC with published data, at a median of $42,330 a year[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for School Bus Monitors in the US was $35,100 per year and $16.88 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into School Bus Monitors: 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
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for School Bus Monitors: 10th percentile $28,130, 25th percentile $31,760, 75th percentile $37,760, 90th percentile $43,250. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of School Bus Monitors is projected to decline 1.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 76,700 to 75,300 jobs (a change of -1,400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 13,400 openings for School Bus Monitors 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 OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for School Bus Monitors was $35,150 per year and $16.90 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. 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
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for School Bus Monitors: 10th percentile $13.52, 25th percentile $15.27, 75th percentile $18.15, 90th percentile $20.79. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. 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
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 78,420 people were employed as School Bus Monitors in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for School Bus Monitors 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 School Bus Monitors jobs: New York 19,090; Illinois 6,930; New Jersey 6,100; Florida 4,080; Pennsylvania 3,180. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for School Bus Monitors (areas with at least 100 jobs): Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $47,170; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $43,250; Eugene-Springfield, OR $43,110; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $41,720; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $41,490; Worcester, MA $40,130; Rocky Mount, NC $39,080; Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $38,820. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most School Bus Monitors jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 16,260 (median $37,340); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 5,210 (median $33,890); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,550 (median $34,620); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,220 (median $41,720); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,640 (median $30,130); Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 1,510 (median $35,910). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 33-9094.00: 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 School Bus Monitors. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for School Bus Monitors. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 33-9094.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Bus Aide, Bus Assistant, Bus Attendant, Bus Monitor, Bus Paraeducator, School Bus Aide, School Transportation Aide, SPED Bus Aide (Special Ed Bus Aide). O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for School Bus Monitors: 11.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. 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.