Substitute Bus Driver

Substitute Bus Driver Salary

$14K

$38.5K

$58K

$39,009

/year

$18.75

/hour

Substitute Bus Driver Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$39,009

Columbus

Ohio

$37,679

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    How much does a Substitute Bus Driver make?

    As of Aug 15, 2026, the average annual pay for a Substitute Bus Driver in the United States is $39,009 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $18.75 an hour. This is the equivalent of $750/week or $3,250/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $58,000 and as low as $14,000, the majority of Substitute Bus Driver salaries currently range between $32,500 (25th percentile) to $44,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $53,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Substitute Bus Driver varies greatly (by as much as 12000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A Substitute Bus Driver in your area makes on average $37,679 per year, or $1,330 (3.409%) less than the national average annual salary of $39,009. Ohio ranks number 31 out of 50 states nationwide for Substitute Bus Driver salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Substitute Bus Driver jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Substitute Bus Driver on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Substitute Bus Driver Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Substitute Bus Driver job is above the national average. Topping the list is Nome, AK, , with Berkeley, CA, and Modesto, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Modesto, CA, beats the national average by $8,448 (21.7%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $9,382 (24.1%) above the $39,009 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Substitute Bus Driver appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between Nome, AK, and Oakland, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Substitute Bus Driver role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Nome, AK

    $48,391

    $23.26

    Berkeley, CA

    $47,764

    $22.96

    Modesto, CA

    $47,457

    $22.82

    Sitka, AK

    $46,994

    $22.59

    Sunnyvale, CA

    $45,783

    $22.01

    Eagle Point, OR

    $45,774

    $22.01

    Livermore, CA

    $45,757

    $22.00

    San Jose, CA

    $45,718

    $21.98

    Daly City, CA

    $45,200

    $21.73

    Oakland, CA

    $44,801

    $21.54

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Substitute Bus Driver Jobs in the U.S.

    We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Substitute Bus Driver category.

    For example Special Education Bus Driver jobs pay as much as $2,903 (7.4%) more than the average Substitute Bus Driver salary of $39,009. If you're qualified, finding work as a Special Education Bus Driver may help you make more money than that of the average Substitute Bus Driver position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Special Education Bus Driver

    $41,912

    $20.15

    Night Bus Driver

    $41,198

    $19.81

    Bus Assistant

    $35,384

    $17.01

    Bus Washer

    $33,986

    $16.34

    School Bus Attendant

    $28,145

    $13.53

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Substitute Bus Driver salary across the United States as of August 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $39,009 per year or $18.75 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.