What school bus drivers actually get paid, district by district
Starting pay, top of scale, sign-on bonus, paid CDL training and guaranteed hours for 32 school districts and bus companies in the Carolinas and Georgia. Every number links to its source: the employer's own salary schedule or job posting, or a news report where noted.
Highest starting pay
$29.09/hr
Marietta City Schools
Biggest sign-on bonus listed
$1,500
Richland Two (SC). Wake County (NC) offers $1,200 plus up to $4,000/yr in attendance bonuses.
Fort Mill (York County, SC)
$22.70–$39.60/hr
Highest top-of-scale we found in SC.
South Carolina
$19.18/hr
BLS median for school bus drivers · 15 employers listed
North Carolina
$18.01/hr
BLS median for school bus drivers · 6 employers listed
Georgia
$21.61/hr
BLS median for school bus drivers · 11 employers listed
Compare districts within a county
Side-by-side pay for the districts, city systems, charters and bus companies that hire in the same county.
Spartanburg County, SC4 employersYork County, SC4 employersCobb County, GA2 employersDeKalb County, GA2 employersGuilford County, NC2 employersCharleston County, SC2 employersLexington County, SC2 employersRichland County, SC2 employersCherokee County, GA1 employerClayton County, GA1 employerForsyth County, GA1 employerFulton County, GA1 employerGwinnett County, GA1 employerHenry County, GA1 employerWhitfield County, GA1 employerDurham County, NC1 employerMecklenburg County, NC1 employerUnion County, NC1 employerWake County, NC1 employerGreenville County, SC1 employer
All employers (click a column to sort)
| Employer | Start $/hr | Top $/hr | Sign-on bonus | Paid CDL training | Guaranteed hours | Summer pay | Pay year / notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County School District Cherokee County (Canton), GA · Cherokee County · District |
$24.69 | not stated | not stated | Yes | not stated 180-day calendar | not stated | 2026-27 | Join the Transportation Team page checked 2026-10-30 |
| City Schools of Decatur DeKalb County (City of Decatur), GA · DeKalb County · District |
$26.29 | $36.73 | not stated | not stated | not stated 185 days × 6 hrs | not stated | 2026-27 City school system inside DeKalb County. | FY2026-27 bus driver salary schedule checked 2026-10-30 |
| Clayton County Public Schools Clayton County (Jonesboro), GA · Clayton County · District |
$25.21 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated 6-hr workday | not stated | 2026-27 | Recruitment page checked 2026-10-30 |
| Cobb County School District Cobb County (Marietta), GA · Cobb County · District |
$28.69 | $38.24 | not stated | Yes | not stated ~6 hrs/day split shift; 177 days | Yes — 15% of each check held back and paid over summer | 2026-27 | 2026-27 transportation salary schedule Become a School Bus Driver page checked 2026-10-30 |
| DeKalb County School District DeKalb County, GA · DeKalb County · District |
$21.68 | $31.02 | not stated | not stated | not stated 180 days × 6 hrs/day | not stated | 2026-27 | 2026-27 bus driver salary schedule checked 2026-10-30 |
| First Student — Dalton Dalton (Whitfield County), GA · Whitfield County · Contractor |
$21.85 | $25.20 | $500 permit (CLP) bonus within 7 days; $200 within 14 | Yes | 5 hrs/day | not stated | 2026 Permit bonus offer ends 12/31/26. | First Student posting JR14224 checked 2026-10-30 |
| Forsyth County Schools Forsyth County (Cumming), GA · Forsyth County · District |
$21.02 | $34.37 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 | 2026-27 transportation salary schedule checked 2026-10-30 |
| Fulton County Schools Fulton County, GA · Fulton County · District |
$24.13 | not stated | not stated | Yes | not stated 6 hrs/day = full time with benefits | not stated | 2026-27 Up to $27.80/hr to start with verified passenger-driving experience. | Become an FCS Bus Driver page checked 2026-10-30 |
| Gwinnett County Public Schools Gwinnett County, GA · Gwinnett County · District |
$22.44 | $31.00 | not stated | Yes | Guaranteed hours (amount not stated); most work 6–8 hrs/day Mid-day break ~9:30–1:30 | Summers off (pay over summer not stated) | 2026-27 "100% Fully Paid" CDL training at full pay; no Social Security deduction (5% more take-home). Top shown as "$31+". | GCPS bus driver page checked 2026-10-30 |
| Henry County Schools Henry County (McDonough), GA · Henry County · District |
$21.89 | $25.80 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 | 2026-27 salary schedule checked 2026-10-30 |
| Marietta City Schools Cobb County (City of Marietta), GA · Cobb County · District |
$29.09 | $41.80 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 City school system inside Cobb County. Substitute driver rate also $29.09. | FY27 transportation salary schedule checked 2026-10-30 |
| Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Mecklenburg County (Charlotte), NC · Mecklenburg County · District |
$20.04 | not stated | not stated | Yes | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 "Paid Training Available." Hiring at 18+. | CMS Become a Driver page checked 2026-10-30 |
| First Student — Greensboro Guilford County (Greensboro), NC · Guilford County · Contractor |
$20.00 | not stated | not stated | not stated | 4 hrs/day CDL required for this posting | not stated | 2026 | First Student posting JR14229 checked 2026-10-30 |
| Guilford County Schools Guilford County (Greensboro), NC · Guilford County · District |
$16.38 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated 10-month, full-time | not stated | 2026-27 Paid on classified grade 62. | LinkedIn copy of district posting (third-party) GCS compensation page checked 2026-10-30 |
| KIPP Durham (charter) Durham, NC · Durham County · Charter school |
$21.00 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 CDL required. | KIPP NC career board posting checked 2026-10-30 |
| Union County Public Schools Union County (Monroe), NC · Union County · District |
$20.00 | not stated | not stated | Yes | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 Starting rate $20.00/hr; paid training for driver trainees; separate recruitment bonus program for referrals. | UCPS We Are Hiring page checked 2026-10-30 |
| Wake County Public Schools Wake County (Raleigh), NC · Wake County · District |
$20.00 | not stated | $1,200 sign-on + up to $4,000/yr attendance & retention bonuses | Yes | not stated Up to 4 hrs AM + 4 hrs PM; must be available 30 hrs/week | not stated | 2026-27 "We'll pay for your CDL license." | WCPSS bus driver careers page checked 2026-10-30 |
| Charleston County School District Charleston County, SC · Charleston County · District |
$23.00 | $34.73 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 Figures quoted by a district official in Aug 2026 news; top rate after 7 years. | Live 5 News (third-party news) checked 2026-10-30 |
| Clover School District York County (Clover), SC · York County · District |
$18.00 | $32.80 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2022-23 (latest posted) Latest scale we found is dated 11/11/2022 — likely out of date. | Bus driver salary scale (2022-23) checked 2026-10-30 |
| First Student — Charleston area (N. Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, Johns Island) Charleston area, SC · Charleston County · Contractor |
$22.75 | $33.08 | $500 permit (CLP) bonus within 7 days; $200 within 14 | Yes | 6 hrs/day | not stated | 2026 | First Student posting JR13912 (N CHARLESTON, SC) First Student posting JR15928 (MT. PLEASANT, SC) First Student posting JR15932 (JOHNS ISLAND, SC) checked 2026-10-30 |
| Fort Mill School District 4 York County (Fort Mill), SC · York County · District |
$22.70 | $39.60 | not stated | Yes | not stated Shifts 6–9 AM and 1:45–4:45 PM; 180 contract days | Year-round pay advertised | 2026-27 Paid training once you are eligible to drive. | 2026-27 salary schedule Now hiring page checked 2026-10-30 |
| Greenville County Schools Greenville County, SC · Greenville County · District |
$23.41 | $25.90 | not stated | not stated | not stated Full-time = 30+ hrs/week | not stated | 2026-27 Range as reported for an Oct 2026 job fair. | Greenville.com job fair article (third-party news) checked 2026-10-30 |
| Lexington County School District One Lexington County, SC · Lexington County · District |
$20.47 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2025-26 | FY2025-26 bus driver salary schedule checked 2026-10-30 |
| Lexington-Richland School District Five Lexington & Richland Counties (Irmo/Chapin), SC · Lexington County · District |
$18.22 | $28.19 | not stated | Yes | not stated 180 days | not stated | 2026-27 Spans Lexington and Richland counties. "Training Provided." | District Five job board checked 2026-10-30 |
| Richland School District One Richland County (Columbia), SC · Richland County · District |
not stated | not stated | not stated | Yes | 30 hrs/week | not stated | 2026-27 Paid training at $20.16/hr; driver rate not posted on the page. | Career opportunities page checked 2026-10-30 |
| Richland School District Two Richland County (Columbia NE), SC · Richland County · District |
not stated | not stated | $1,500 sign-on | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 Bonus offered to fill bus driver vacancies (July 2026 news). | WIS-TV (third-party news) checked 2026-10-30 |
| Rock Hill Schools York County (Rock Hill), SC · York County · District |
$20.29 | $32.85 | not stated | Yes | not stated | not stated | 2025-26 "Free CDL training." Steps require 152+ days of driving per year. | FY2025-26 salary schedule Drive With Us page checked 2026-10-30 |
| Spartanburg County School District Two Spartanburg County (Chesnee/Boiling Springs), SC · Spartanburg County · District |
$18.86 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 Credit for experience. | "Drive for D2" district article (July 22, 2026) checked 2026-10-30 |
| Spartanburg School District Five Spartanburg County (Duncan/Wellford), SC · Spartanburg County · District |
$19.82 | $30.75 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2026-27 From a third-party copy of the district schedule. | SalarySchedule.org copy of FY2026-27 bus driver schedule (third-party) checked 2026-10-30 |
| Spartanburg School District One Spartanburg County (Campobello/Inman), SC · Spartanburg County · District |
$18.79 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | 2026 Pay "commensurate with experience"; full- or part-time. | District One posting (School Bus Driver 2026) checked 2026-10-30 |
| Spartanburg School District Six Spartanburg County (Roebuck/Dorman), SC · Spartanburg County · District |
$20.04 | $30.72 | not stated | not stated | not stated | not stated | posting (start date 08/26/2025, rate updated) | District Six bus driver posting checked 2026-10-30 |
| York School District One York County (York), SC · York County · District |
$19.99 | $32.46 | not stated | not stated | not stated 182 days | not stated | 2025-26 | 2025-26 salary schedule checked 2026-10-30 |
The Bus Lot Weekly
New raises, sign-on bonuses and paid-training offers near you, every week. Free.
Free weekly email. Unsubscribe anytime.