Last updated Oct 30, 2026 · Sources: First Student — Dalton: First Student posting JR14224, Whitfield County Schools: District Transportation page

Whitfield County, GA: school bus driver pay side by side

2 employers that hire school bus drivers in Whitfield County. Click a column to sort. A blank cell means the source doesn't say, and we don't guess.

Best starting pay

$21.85/hr

First Student — Dalton

Lowest starting pay

$20.13/hr

Whitfield County Schools ($1.72/hr less)

Highest top of scale

$25.20/hr

First Student — Dalton

Employer	Start $/hr	vs county best start	vs BLS metro median	Top $/hr	Sign-on bonus	Paid CDL training	Guaranteed hours	Summer pay	Source / date
First Student — Dalton Contractor · Dalton (Whitfield County)	$21.85	county best	not stated	$25.20	$500 permit (CLP) bonus within 7 days; $200 within 14	Yes	5 hrs/day	not stated	First Student posting JR14224 2026 · checked 2026-10-30
Whitfield County Schools District · Whitfield County (Dalton)	$20.13	−$1.72	not stated	not stated	not stated	Yes	not stated	not stated	District Transportation page current · checked 2026-10-30

BLS doesn't publish a metro-area median that covers this county, so the "vs BLS metro median" column is blank.

Rates come from different school years and postings (see each source), so treat small gaps with care. Third-party figures, such as news reports and salary sites, are labeled in the source name.

See all Georgia districts ranked: Georgia school bus driver pay by district.

Other Georgia counties

Frequently asked questions

How much do school bus drivers make in Whitfield County, GA?

Starting pay runs $20.13–$21.85 an hour across the 2 employers we track here, and the highest top of scale is $25.20/hr. Pay years differ by employer; each figure links to its source and the date we checked it.

Which Whitfield County employer pays school bus drivers the most to start?

First Student — Dalton, at $21.85/hr (2026). The lowest starting rate we found in the county is $20.13/hr at Whitfield County Schools.

Which Whitfield County employers pay for CDL training?

First Student — Dalton and Whitfield County Schools say they offer paid CDL training. Check each employer's page for payback terms. See also paid CDL training in SC, NC and GA.