Bus Drivers, School pay range in Fort Smith
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,000 a year or less, while the top 10% make $64,740 or more. The middle half of bus drivers, school in Fort Smith earn between $29,500 and $51,760.
- $24K10th
- $30K25th
- $41KMedian
- $52K75th
- $65K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $43,380 | $3,615 | $20.86 |
| Median | $40,720 | $3,393 | $19.58 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,500 | $2,458 | $14.18 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $51,760 | $4,313 | $24.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Bus Drivers, School pay in Fort Smith vs. Arkansas and the U.S.
Bus drivers, school in Fort Smith earn about the same as the Arkansas average ($44,410) and 10% less than the U.S. average ($48,430). At the median the gap is -15% against the U.S. median of $47,920.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith | $43,380 | $40,720 | $24,000 | $64,740 | 260 |
| Arkansas | $44,410 | $45,500 | $24,080 | $63,300 | 4,340 |
| United States | $48,430 | $47,920 | $29,240 | $65,730 | 402,930 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Bus Drivers, School salary after taxes in Fort Smith
On the average salary of $43,380, a single filer in Fort Smith takes home about $35,918 a year, or $2,993 a month and $1,381 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
The Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in AR | $35,918 | $2,993 |
| Working in OK | $35,629 | $2,969 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
Is Fort Smith a good place for bus drivers, school? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Fort Smith area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.9), so the average $43,380 buys what about $50,508 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Fort Smith ($39,560). A typical home costs $205,554, or 4.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Bus Drivers, School salary in other Arkansas cities
Fort Smith ranks 4th of 5 Arkansas metro areas for this job; Fayetteville pays the most ($47,000).
- Fayetteville$47,000
- Hot Springs$45,360
- Jonesboro$44,000
- Fort Smith$43,380
- Little Rock$42,850
Highest-paying cities for bus drivers, school
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($70,900).
- San Jose, CA$70,900
- San Francisco, CA$69,190
- Napa, CA$68,150
- Mount Vernon, WA$68,110
- Seattle, WA$67,350
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Bus Drivers, School salary in Fort Smith: questions
How much do bus drivers, school make an hour in Fort Smith?
$20.85 an hour on average, and $19.58 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bus drivers, school salary in Fort Smith?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $24,000 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,500, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the bus drivers, school take-home pay in Fort Smith?
About $35,918 a year ($2,993 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,380. Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
Do bus drivers, school earn more in Fort Smith than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% less than the U.S. average for this job ($48,430).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-3051; area Fort Smith, AR-OK (22900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.04, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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