How much does a bus driver make in Santa Cruz?
$59,100a year
Median yearly pay for bus drivers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area. That is $28.41 an hour or $4,925 a month.
- Hourly
- $28.41
- Vs. national median
- +23%
- Rank among cities
- 43 of 348
- Jobs in the area
- 140
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $49,400Median: $59,100Highest 10%: $63,640
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,400 | $23.75 | |
| 25th | $52,900 | $25.43 | |
| Median | $59,100 | $28.41 | |
| 75th | $59,110 | $28.42 | |
| 90th | $63,640 | $30.60 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for bus drivers.
| San Jose, CA | $75,230 |
| San Francisco, CA | $73,680 |
| Napa, CA | $67,430 |
| Modesto, CA | $62,870 |
| El Centro, CA | $62,610 |
| Salinas, CA | $62,390 |
| Riverside, CA | $61,900 |
| Oxnard, CA | $61,720 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $61,580 |
| Merced, CA | $61,580 |
| Stockton, CA | $61,570 |
| Hanford, CA | $60,600 |
| San Diego, CA | $60,440 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $60,420 |
| Sacramento, CA | $60,390 |
| Visalia, CA | $59,490 |
| Chico, CA | $58,080 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $57,050 |
| Vallejo, CA | $54,030 |
| Fresno, CA | $52,650 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $51,880 |
| Yuba City, CA | $48,010 |
Related jobs in Santa Cruz
Same field, median yearly pay.
Salaries for every job in Santa Cruz, CAFrequently asked questions
How much does a bus driver make an hour in Santa Cruz?
The median hourly pay in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $28.41 ($59,100 a year).
Do bus drivers make more in Santa Cruz than the national average?
Yes: $59,100 against $47,920 nationally, 23% more.
How does Santa Cruz compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $61,040, so Santa Cruz pays 3% less.
Where does Santa Cruz rank for bus driver pay?
43 of 348 metro areas with data.
How much does a bus driver make starting out in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% make $49,400 or less a year; the top 10% make $63,640 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.