How much does a bus driver make in Columbia?

$44,750a year

Median yearly pay for bus drivers in the Columbia, SC metro area. That is $21.51 an hour or $3,729 a month.

Hourly: $21.51
Vs. national median: -24%
Rank among cities: 135 of 171
Jobs in the area: 130

Pay range

Lowest 10%: $29,740Median: $44,750Highest 10%: $53,590

Percentile	Yearly	Hourly
10th	$29,740	$14.30
25th	$37,140	$17.86
Median	$44,750	$21.51
75th	$45,640	$21.94
90th	$53,590	$25.76

Other cities in South Carolina

Median yearly pay for bus drivers.

Greenville, SC	$43,330
Charlotte, NC	$42,830
Charleston, SC	$40,580

Bus Driver salary in South Carolina Bus Driver salary in all states

Related jobs in Columbia

Same field, median yearly pay.

Commercial Pilot	$92,300
Crane and Tower Operator	$65,870
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Worker	$62,860
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver	$51,280
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator	$43,500
Light Truck Driver	$37,600
Laborer and Freight	$37,530
Conveyor Operator and Tender	$37,230
Stocker and Order Filler	$37,180
Bus Driver	$36,960

Salaries for every job in Columbia, SC

Frequently asked questions

How much does a bus driver make an hour in Columbia?

The median hourly pay in the Columbia, SC metro area is $21.51 ($44,750 a year).

Do bus drivers make more in Columbia than the national average?

No: $44,750 against $59,050 nationally, 24% less.

How does Columbia compare with the rest of South Carolina?

The median in South Carolina is $43,330, so Columbia pays 3% more.

Where does Columbia rank for bus driver pay?

135 of 171 metro areas with data.

How much does a bus driver make starting out in Columbia?

The lowest-paid 10% make $29,740 or less a year; the top 10% make $53,590 or more.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.