Last updated · Sources: Richland School District Two: 2026-27 Student Transportation Specialist (bus) salary schedule, Richland School District Two: WIS-TV (third-party news), Lexington-Richland School District Five: District Five job board, Richland School District One: Career opportunities page, Richland School District One: Classified incentives page, BLS OEWS May 2025
Richland County, SC: school bus driver pay side by side
3 employers that hire school bus drivers in Richland County. Click a column to sort. A blank cell means the source doesn't say, and we don't guess.
Best starting pay
Richland School District Two
Lowest starting pay
Lexington-Richland School District Five ($2.80/hr less)
Highest top of scale
Richland School District Two
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richland School District Two District · Richland County (Columbia NE) | $21.02 | county best | +$3.25 | $31.47 | $1,500 sign-on | not stated | not stated 183 days, 7 hours a day | not stated | 2026-27 Student Transportation Specialist (bus) salary schedule WIS-TV (third-party news) 2026-27 · checked 2026-10-30 |
| Lexington-Richland School District Five District · Lexington & Richland Counties (Irmo/Chapin) | $18.22 | −$2.80 | +$0.45 | $28.19 | not stated | Yes | not stated 180 days | not stated | District Five job board 2026-27 · checked 2026-10-30 |
| Richland School District One District · Richland County (Columbia) | not published | not stated | not stated | not published | Up to $2,000 sign-on | Yes | 30 hrs/week | not stated | Career opportunities page Classified incentives page 2026-27 · checked 2026-10-30 |
See all South Carolina districts ranked: South Carolina school bus driver pay by district.
Other South Carolina counties
Frequently asked questions
How much do school bus drivers make in Richland County, SC?
Starting pay runs $18.22–$21.02 an hour across the 2 employers we track here, and the highest top of scale is $31.47/hr. Pay years differ by employer; each figure links to its source and the date we checked it.
Which Richland County employer pays school bus drivers the most to start?
Richland School District Two, at $21.02/hr (2026-27). The lowest starting rate we found in the county is $18.22/hr at Lexington-Richland School District Five.
Which Richland County employers pay for CDL training?
Lexington-Richland School District Five and Richland School District One say they offer paid CDL training. Check each employer's page for payback terms. See also paid CDL training in SC, NC and GA.
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