Bus Drivers, School pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,400 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,640 or more. The middle half of bus drivers, school in Santa Cruz earn between $52,900 and $59,110.
- $49K10th
- $53K25th
- $59KMedian
- $59K75th
- $64K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $57,230 | $4,769 | $27.51 |
| Median | $59,100 | $4,925 | $28.41 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $52,900 | $4,408 | $25.43 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $59,110 | $4,926 | $28.42 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Bus Drivers, School pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Bus drivers, school in Santa Cruz earn 5% less than the California average ($60,520) and 18% more than the U.S. average ($48,430). At the median the gap is +23% against the U.S. median of $47,920.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $57,230 | $59,100 | $49,400 | $63,640 | 140 |
| California | $60,520 | $61,040 | $45,870 | $73,680 | 16,600 |
| United States | $48,430 | $47,920 | $29,240 | $65,730 | 402,930 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Bus Drivers, School salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $57,230, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $46,538 a year, or $3,878 a month and $1,790 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Santa Cruz a good place for bus drivers, school? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $57,230 buys what about $52,077 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 20.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Bus Drivers, School salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 17th of 23 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($70,900).
- San Jose$70,900
- San Francisco$69,190
- Napa$68,150
- Los Angeles$61,180
- Santa Maria$60,640
- Santa Rosa$60,120
- Modesto$60,070
- Oxnard$59,910
- Salinas$59,670
- Santa Cruz$57,230
Highest-paying cities for bus drivers, school
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($70,900).
- San Jose, CA$70,900
- San Francisco, CA$69,190
- Napa, CA$68,150
- Mount Vernon, WA$68,110
- Seattle, WA$67,350
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Bus Drivers, School salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do bus drivers, school make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$27.51 an hour on average, and $28.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bus drivers, school salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,400 a year and the 25th percentile is $52,900, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the bus drivers, school take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $46,538 a year ($3,878 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $57,230. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do bus drivers, school earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% more 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.56, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.56).
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