Last updated Oct 30, 2026 · Sources: KIPP Durham (charter): KIPP NC career board posting, Durham Public Schools: Becoming a Bus Driver page, BLS OEWS May 2025

Durham County, NC: school bus driver pay side by side

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

Best starting pay

$21.00/hr

KIPP Durham (charter)

Lowest starting pay

$19.43/hr

Durham Public Schools ($1.57/hr less)

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
KIPP Durham (charter) Charter school · Durham	$21.00	county best	+$1.46	not stated	not stated	not stated	not stated	not stated	KIPP NC career board posting 2026-27 · checked 2026-10-30
Durham Public Schools District · Durham County (Durham)	$19.43	−$1.57	−$0.11	not stated	not stated	not stated	not stated	not stated	Becoming a Bus Driver page current page · checked 2026-10-30

Context: the BLS median for school bus drivers in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area is $19.54/hr (OEWS May 2025, SOC 53-3051). It covers the whole metro, not just this county. BLS source.

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 North Carolina districts ranked: North Carolina school bus driver pay by district.

Other North Carolina counties

Frequently asked questions

How much do school bus drivers make in Durham County, NC?

Starting pay runs $19.43–$21.00 an hour across the 2 employers we track here. Pay years differ by employer; each figure links to its source and the date we checked it.

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

KIPP Durham (charter), at $21.00/hr (2026-27). The lowest starting rate we found in the county is $19.43/hr at Durham Public Schools.