Bus Drivers, School pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,360 a year or less, while the top 10% make $62,600 or more. The middle half of bus drivers, school in Chicago earn between $47,560 and $59,930.
- $38K10th
- $48K25th
- $49KMedian
- $60K75th
- $63K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $52,260 | $4,355 | $25.12 |
| Median | $49,180 | $4,098 | $23.64 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,560 | $3,963 | $22.87 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $59,930 | $4,994 | $28.81 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Bus Drivers, School salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $52,260, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $41,725 a year, or $3,477 a month and $1,605 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $42,633 | $3,553 |
| Working in IL | $41,725 | $3,477 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for bus drivers, school? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $52,260 buys what about $50,446 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 6.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Bus Drivers, School salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 2nd of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job; Decatur pays the most ($56,450).
- Decatur$56,450
- Chicago$52,260
- Springfield$50,520
- Peoria$48,570
- Bloomington$47,960
- Kankakee$47,080
- Champaign$45,850
- Rockford$44,730
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 Chicago: questions
How much do bus drivers, school make an hour in Chicago?
$25.12 an hour on average, and $23.64 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bus drivers, school salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,360 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,560, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the bus drivers, school take-home pay in Chicago?
About $41,725 a year ($3,477 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $52,260.
Do bus drivers, school earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($49,634).
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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.30, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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