SOC 53-3051 · Owensboro, KY metro

Bus Drivers, School Salary in Owensboro, KY

The average salary for bus drivers, school in Owensboro, Kentucky is $42,550 a year ($20.46 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $44,560: half of the 160 people in this job in the Owensboro, KY metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 14% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($49,634).

$42,550average per year

$20.46 / hourMedian $44,560Take-home ≈ $34,240

  • $39K10th
  • $42K25th
  • $45KMedian
  • $45K75th
  • $45K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

160people in this job
-14%vs U.S. metro average
#5 of 6Kentucky metros
89cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Bus Drivers, School pay range in Owensboro

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,520 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,560 or more. The middle half of bus drivers, school in Owensboro earn between $41,800 and $44,560.

  • $39K10th
  • $42K25th
  • $45KMedian
  • $45K75th
  • $45K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$42,550$3,546$20.46
Median$44,560$3,713$21.42
Entry level (25th percentile)$41,800$3,483$20.10
Experienced (75th percentile)$44,560$3,713$21.42

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Bus Drivers, School salary after taxes in Owensboro

On the average salary of $42,550, a single filer in Owensboro takes home about $34,240 a year, or $2,853 a month and $1,317 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Owensboro's local income tax (1.78%).

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Is Owensboro a good place for bus drivers, school? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Owensboro area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.6), so the average $42,550 buys what about $48,019 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Owensboro ($44,960). A typical home costs $213,657, or 5.0 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $42,550 is worth in another city

Bus Drivers, School salary in other Kentucky cities

Owensboro ranks 5th of 6 Kentucky metro areas for this job; Louisville pays the most ($57,040).

All Bus Drivers, School salaries in Kentucky

Highest-paying cities for bus drivers, school

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($70,900).

Bus Drivers, School salary by city

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Bus Drivers, School salary in Owensboro: questions

How much do bus drivers, school make an hour in Owensboro?

$20.46 an hour on average, and $21.42 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level bus drivers, school salary in Owensboro?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,520 a year and the 25th percentile is $41,800, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the bus drivers, school take-home pay in Owensboro?

About $34,240 a year ($2,853 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,550. Includes Owensboro's local income tax (1.78%).

Do bus drivers, school earn more in Owensboro than elsewhere?

The average here is 14% less 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 Owensboro, KY (36980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.7%.
  • 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 (2026 rules). Includes Owensboro's local income tax (1.78%).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.21, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.