Last updated Oct 30, 2026 · Sources: Live 5 News (third-party news), BLS OEWS May 2025

Charleston County School District school bus driver pay

Charleston County School District pays school bus drivers $23.00–$34.73/hr for 2026-27 (source: Live 5 News (third-party news); updated Oct 30, 2026).

Charleston County, South Carolina. Everything below comes from the linked source, checked 2026-10-30. A blank means the source doesn't say.

Starting pay

$23.00/hr

2026-27

Top of scale

$34.73/hr

Sign-on bonus

not stated

Paid CDL training

not stated

Details

Employer type	District
Area	Charleston County
Pay year	2026-27
Guaranteed hours	not stated
Hours / days	not stated
Summer pay	not stated
Training payback	not stated
Notes	Figures quoted by a district official in Aug 2026 news; top rate after 7 years.

Sources

Live 5 News (third-party news) · checked 2026-10-30

How it compares

The starting rate is $3.82 above the South Carolina median for school bus drivers ($19.18/hr, BLS OEWS May 2025) and $0.66 above the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro median ($22.34/hr). The BLS median covers drivers at every experience level, so a new driver's rate is often below it.

Charleston County employer	Start $/hr	Top $/hr	Sign-on bonus
Charleston County School District (this page)	$23.00	$34.73	not stated
First Student — Charleston area (N. Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, Johns Island)	$22.75	$33.08	$500 permit (CLP) bonus within 7 days; $200 within 14

Charleston County comparison · South Carolina school bus driver pay by district · Paid CDL training list · Split-shift calculator

Frequently asked questions

How much does Charleston County School District pay school bus drivers?

Starting pay is $23.00/hr and the schedule tops out at $34.73/hr (2026-27), per Live 5 News (third-party news).

How does Charleston County School District compare with nearby districts?

It ranks #1 of 2 for starting pay among the employers we list in Charleston County, the highest we list there. Pay years differ, so check each source.