School Bus Monitors
SOC code 33-9094 · O*NET-SOC 33-9094.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Legal and protective services
School Bus Monitors pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$35,100
a year
Hourly
$16.88
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$35,150
$16.90 per hour
Middle 50%
$31,760 – $37,760
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$28,130 – $43,250
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
78,420
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $28,130
- $13.52/hr
- 25th percentile
- $31,760
- $15.27/hr
- Median percentile
- $35,100
- $16.88/hr
- 75th percentile
- $37,760
- $18.15/hr
- 90th percentile
- $43,250
- $20.79/hr
What does a school bus monitor do?
Maintain order among students on a school bus. Duties include helping students safely board and exit and communicating behavioral problems. May perform pretrip and posttrip inspections and prepare for and assist in emergency evacuations.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Buckle seatbelts or fasten wheelchair tie-down straps to secure passengers for transportation.
- Escort young children across roads or highways.
- Assist children with disabilities or children with psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues with boarding and exiting the school bus.
- Monitor the conduct of students to maintain discipline and safety.
- Evacuate students from the school bus in emergency situations.
- Direct students boarding and exiting the school bus.
- Direct students evacuating the bus during safety drills.
- Operate a wheelchair lift to load or unload wheelchairs.
How to become a school bus monitor
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does a school bus monitor earn?
The national median is $35,100 a year. The full range runs from $28,130 at the 10th percentile to $43,250 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a school bus monitor without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Monitoring3.8/5
- Speaking3.3/5
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Critical Thinking2.9/5
- Reading Comprehension2.8/5
- Writing2.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Public Safety and Security3.7/5
- English Language3.5/5
- Transportation3.3/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.2/5
- Education and Training2.9/5
- Psychology2.8/5
- Administration and Management2.5/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making.