Bus Drivers, School Salary in Durham, NC
Bus Drivers, School in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area earn a median $40,650 a year — 15% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $33,729 take-home, or $2,811 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median bus drivers, school salary in Durham, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,698
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,520
- Medicare (1.45%)$589
- North Carolina income tax$1,113
- Take-home pay$33,729
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state
Bus Drivers, School pay by experience in Durham, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,450 | $17.52 | $30,522 | $2,543 |
| 25th percentile | $38,700 | $18.61 | $32,240 | $2,687 |
| Median (50th) | $40,650 | $19.54 | $33,729 | $2,811 |
| 75th percentile | $45,490 | $21.87 | $37,425 | $3,119 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,760 | $23.92 | $40,685 | $3,390 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $40,650 buys in Durham, NC
Prices in Durham, NC are 2.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median bus drivers, school's $33,729 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,568 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Bus Drivers, School jobs are less concentrated in Durham, NC than nationally (location quotient 0.56), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for bus drivers, school, adjusted for cost of living
Durham, NC ranks #118 of 141 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield, MA | $65,730 | $51,928 | $54,057 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $75,230 | $57,970 | $52,498 |
| 3 | Worcester, MA | $65,640 | $51,860 | $50,584 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $66,380 | $55,516 | $49,955 |
| 5 | Waterbury, CT | $61,550 | $49,791 | $49,901 |
| 6 | Trenton, NJ | $63,400 | $51,167 | $49,590 |
| 7 | Monroe, LA | $50,060 | $41,288 | $49,389 |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $73,680 | $57,024 | $49,323 |
| 118 | Durham, NC | $40,650 | $33,729 | $34,568 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 141 metros →
Bus Drivers, School salaries elsewhere in North Carolina
- Charlotte, NC — $46,020
- Greensboro, NC — $37,280
- Winston, NC — $36,820
- Raleigh, NC — $38,530
- Fayetteville, NC — $35,050
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bus drivers, school make in Durham, NC?
The median bus drivers, school salary in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area is $40,650 a year, or about $19.54 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,700 and $45,490.
What is a bus drivers, school’s take-home pay in Durham, NC?
On the median $40,650 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $33,729 a year ($2,811 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,113 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Durham, NC a good place to work as a bus drivers, school?
Pay here is 15% below the national median of $47,920. Local prices are 2.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,568 would in a typical U.S. city. Durham, NC ranks #118 of 141 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a bus drivers, school afford rent in Durham, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Durham, NC is $1,456 a month ($1,660 for two bedrooms) — 52% of a median bus drivers, school’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Durham, NC
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $62,000
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $53,280
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $46,460
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $44,090
- Light Truck Driver — $40,730
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $37,750
- Stocker and Order Filler — $36,410
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $36,220
- Driver/Sales Worker — $30,970