School Bus Monitors
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.
Also called: Bus Aide, Bus Assistant, Bus Attendant, Bus Monitor, Bus Paraeducator, School Bus Aide
Median pay
$35,100
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$28,130 – $43,250
People employed
78,420
Holland code
SCR
Social · Conventional · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 2.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 3.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 4.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 5.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
School Bus Monitors pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (49 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What school bus monitors do
- 01Buckle seatbelts or fasten wheelchair tie-down straps to secure passengers for transportation.
- 02Escort young children across roads or highways.
- 03Assist children with disabilities or children with psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues with boarding and exiting the school bus.
- 04Monitor the conduct of students to maintain discipline and safety.
- 05Evacuate students from the school bus in emergency situations.
- 06Direct students boarding and exiting the school bus.
Skills that matter most
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
Knowledge
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Transportation
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from school bus monitors
- Passenger Attendants89% · +7%
- Flight Attendants85% · +81%
- Bus Drivers, School84% · +37%
- Orderlies78% · +9%
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity77% · +68%
Change into school bus monitors
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Passenger Attendants83% · $37,720
- Orderlies78% · $38,290
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants76% · $36,300
- Bus Drivers, School74% · $47,920
- Childcare Workers73% · $34,980