Bus Driver Salary in New York, NY (2026)

Median in New York: $78,130/year — $19,080 (32%) above the national median. Typical range: $64,590–$84,700.

BLS OEWS May 2025 · New York, NY metro · refreshed 2026-08-25 · Reviewed by Dalton Metzler · U.S. Bus Driver salary overview

The median Bus Driver salary in New York, NY is $78,130/year ($19,080 (32%) above the national median), with a typical range of $64,590–$84,700. Data from BLS + Jobeezy ghost-filter (2026).

Salary stats
MetricValueSource
Median$78,130/yearBLS OEWS May 2025
25th-75th pct$64,590–$84,700BLS OEWS May 2025
Metro employment~19,770BLS OEWS May 2025
### Key facts: Bus Driver pay in New York, NY BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data for Bus Drivers in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro. - Median Bus Driver pay in New York, NY: $78,130/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). - That is $19,080 (32%) above the national median (U.S. median $59,050). - 25th-75th percentile band: $64,590–$84,700. - BLS estimated metro employment: ~19,770 jobs.

Bus Driver pay distribution in New York, NY

25th Pct (New York) $64,590 $31.05/hr
Median (New York) $78,130 $37.56/hr
75th Pct (New York) $84,700 $40.72/hr

National median: $59,050/yr. New York is $19,080 (32%) above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 — New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (SOC 53-3052, Bus Driver).

What bus driver pay in New York really looks like

New York is a standout-pay market for bus drivers. The local median of $78,130 a year runs $19,080 (32%) above the national median of $59,050, one of the widest premiums in the country for this occupation. Offers benchmarked to U.S.-wide averages will read far too low here — hold out for the local number, and treat the metro median as your floor, not your target.

The local range is moderate — $64,590 at the 25th percentile to $84,700 at the 75th (BLS). Half of New York Bus Drivers earn inside that band, so it is a realistic target window: an offer near $84,700 is genuinely strong for the metro, while anything under $64,590 is worth pushing back on with the BLS figures in hand.

This is a substantial local market: BLS estimates roughly 19,770 bus driver jobs across the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (a count of metro employment, not a survey of reported salaries). A deep employer base is good news for pay — it means more openings to compare side by side, more turnover creating vacancies, and more leverage to hold out for an employer at the top of the local range instead of settling for the first offer that lands.

Right now, Jobeezy is tracking 24 open bus driver jobs in New York against the BLS $78,130 benchmark — the live listings and the employers hiring are below, so you can see which openings actually clear the metro median before you apply.

Put it together and the picture for New York is concrete: a metro median of $78,130 with most bus drivers landing between $64,590 and $84,700. The practical move is to aim for the upper half of that band. Jobeezy fit-scores local bus driver openings, surfaces the employers posting toward $84,700, and applies for you — so your time goes to the jobs that clear the New York median, not the ones that sit under it.

Bus Driver pay by hour, week, month & year in New York

PeriodTypical Pay
Per hour$37.56
Per week (40 hrs)$1,502
Per month$6,511
Per year$78,130

How we know this — New York sources

Wage figures for Bus Driver in New York, NY are the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimate for the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (MSA code 35620) (SOC 53-3052), released 2026-08-25. Suppressed cells are shown as an em dash, never a zero.

Grow your bus driver pay in New York

Advancing your pay in New York comes down to experience, credentials, and how you negotiate. We keep that guidance on the national Bus Driver guide so it stays current in one place:

Bus Driver pay in New York, NY — common questions

How much does a Bus Driver make in New York, NY?
The median Bus Driver salary in New York, NY is $78,130/year ($19,080 (32%) above the national median), with a typical range of $64,590–$84,700 (25th–75th percentile). Figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-08-25.
Is New York a strong pay market for Bus Drivers?
At a $78,130 median, New York is $19,080 (32%) above the national median. The U.S. median is $59,050. Jobeezy shows you which local employers actually pay at the top of that band before you apply.
How can I earn more as a Bus Driver in New York?
Target employers paying toward the $84,700 (75th-percentile) mark and anchor your negotiation to the BLS band. Jobeezy fit-scores Bus Driver openings in New York and auto-applies, so you reach more high-paying employers fast.
How many Bus Drivers work in New York?
BLS estimates roughly 19,770 bus driver jobs across New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (May 2025 metro employment — a count of jobs, not of salaries reported).