SOC 53-3051 · Paducah, KY-IL metro

Bus Drivers, School Salary in Paducah, KY

The average salary for bus drivers, school in Paducah, Kentucky is $40,790 a year ($19.61 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $37,750: half of the 130 people in this job in the Paducah, KY-IL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 18% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($49,634).

$40,790average per year

$19.61 / hourMedian $37,750Take-home ≈ $32,829

  • $38K10th
  • $38K25th
  • $38KMedian
  • $47K75th
  • $47K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

130people in this job
-18%vs U.S. metro average
#6 of 6Kentucky metros
86cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Bus Drivers, School pay range in Paducah

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,550 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,230 or more. The middle half of bus drivers, school in Paducah earn between $37,550 and $46,690.

  • $38K10th
  • $38K25th
  • $38KMedian
  • $47K75th
  • $47K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$40,790$3,399$19.61
Median$37,750$3,146$18.15
Entry level (25th percentile)$37,550$3,129$18.05
Experienced (75th percentile)$46,690$3,891$22.45

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

Bus Drivers, School salary after taxes in Paducah

On the average salary of $40,790, a single filer in Paducah takes home about $32,829 a year, or $2,736 a month and $1,263 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

The Paducah, KY-IL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in IL$33,077$2,756
Working in KY$32,829$2,736

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Paducah's local income tax (2%).

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

Prices in the Paducah area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 86.1), so the average $40,790 buys what about $47,384 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Paducah ($45,860). A typical home costs $171,436, or 4.2 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $40,790 is worth in another city

Bus Drivers, School salary in other Kentucky cities

Paducah ranks 6th 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 Paducah: questions

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

$19.61 an hour on average, and $18.15 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,550 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,550, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $32,829 a year ($2,736 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,790. Includes Paducah's local income tax (2%).

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

The average here is 18% 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 Paducah, KY-IL (37140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.6%.
  • 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 Paducah's local income tax (2%).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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