SOC 53-3051 · Columbus, GA-AL metro

Bus Drivers, School Salary in Columbus, GA

The average salary for bus drivers, school in Columbus, Georgia is $37,410 a year ($17.99 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $44,950: half of the 510 people in this job in the Columbus, GA-AL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 23% less than the U.S. average for this job ($48,430).

$37,410average per year

$17.99 / hourMedian $44,950Take-home ≈ $31,121

  • $17K10th
  • $22K25th
  • $45KMedian
  • $46K75th
  • $46K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

510people in this job
-23%vs U.S. average
#8 of 13Georgia metros
89cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Bus Drivers, School pay range in Columbus

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $16,920 a year or less, while the top 10% make $46,140 or more. The middle half of bus drivers, school in Columbus earn between $21,500 and $46,140.

  • $17K10th
  • $22K25th
  • $45KMedian
  • $46K75th
  • $46K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$37,410$3,118$17.99
Median$44,950$3,746$21.61
Entry level (25th percentile)$21,500$1,792$10.34
Experienced (75th percentile)$46,140$3,845$22.18

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Bus Drivers, School pay in Columbus vs. Georgia and the U.S.

Bus drivers, school in Columbus earn 10% less than the Georgia average ($41,410) and 23% less than the U.S. average ($48,430). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $47,920.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Columbus$37,410$44,950$16,920$46,140510
Georgia$41,410$44,950$20,740$62,06016,880
United States$48,430$47,920$29,240$65,730402,930

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Bus Drivers, School salary after taxes in Columbus

On the average salary of $37,410, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $31,121 a year, or $2,593 a month and $1,197 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.

The Columbus, GA-AL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in GA$31,121$2,593
Working in AL$30,724$2,560

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Georgia paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Columbus a good place for bus drivers, school? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Columbus area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.3), so the average $37,410 buys what about $41,894 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($43,540). A typical home costs $209,527, or 5.6 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $37,410 is worth in another city

Bus Drivers, School salary in other Georgia cities

Columbus ranks 8th of 13 Georgia metro areas for this job; Valdosta pays the most ($54,320).

All Bus Drivers, School salaries in Georgia

Highest-paying cities for bus drivers, school

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($70,900).

Bus Drivers, School salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Bus Drivers, School in Columbus, GA.

Bus Drivers, School salary in Columbus: questions

How much do bus drivers, school make an hour in Columbus?

$17.99 an hour on average, and $21.61 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level bus drivers, school salary in Columbus?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $16,920 a year and the 25th percentile is $21,500, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the bus drivers, school take-home pay in Columbus?

About $31,121 a year ($2,593 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,410.

Do bus drivers, school earn more in Columbus than elsewhere?

The average here is 23% 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 Columbus, GA-AL (17980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.2%.
  • 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).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.70, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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