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School Bus Monitors

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure

What they 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.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $35,100 Median per year · $16.88/hr Most earn $28,130–$43,250

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Buckle seatbelts or fasten wheelchair tie-down straps to secure passengers for transportation.
  • Evacuate students from the school bus in emergency situations.
  • Evacuate students from the school bus in emergency situations.
  • Clean school bus interiors by picking up waste, wiping down windows, or vacuuming.
  • Direct students boarding and exiting the school bus.
  • Write and submit reports that include data such as the number of passengers or trips, hours worked, mileage driven, or fuel consumed.

Job outlook

United States
2% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 13,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • School and employee bus transportation43.8%
  • Elementary and secondary schools38.0%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals8.9%
  • Other transit and ground passenger transportation2.5%
  • Educational support services2.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: Up to 1 month

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: Up to 1 monthEntry-level

School bus monitor is an entry-level job. You usually need only a high school diploma and a short on-the-job training period, often just a few weeks, so you can start soon after graduating.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic education most employers ask for, and it shows you can follow rules and work with people.

  2. School Bus Monitor

    Up to 1 month of training and experience

    You learn bus safety rules, how to keep students in order, how to help them board and exit, and what to do in an emergency evacuation.

Where it can lead

  1. School Bus Driver

    A few months to 1-2 years as a monitor (rough estimate) of experience first

    Drivers are in charge of the whole bus and its route, and the job usually requires extra licensing such as a commercial driver's license with a school bus endorsement.

  2. Dispatcher

    1-2 years in a transportation or support role of experience first

    Dispatchers schedule and track vehicles and drivers, which builds on the communication and planning skills you use on a bus.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take health or first aid classesLearning basic first aid helps you respond calmly to injuries, which is a key part of keeping students safe.
  • Volunteer with young childrenHelping at a daycare, summer camp, or youth program gives you real experience keeping kids safe and organized.
  • Get a part-time job that involves customer serviceWorking at a store or restaurant teaches you to stay friendly and calm while handling many people at once.
  • Join a club or sports team that involves leadershipBeing a team captain or club officer builds the confidence to give directions and manage groups.
  • Learn about school transportation rulesAsk a school staff member or bus driver about their daily routine and safety rules so you know what the job really involves.

In college

  • Take courses in child development or educationThese classes help you understand how children behave and how to guide them, which is central to this job.
  • Get CPR and first aid certificationCertifications like these are often required or preferred for monitors and show you can respond quickly in an emergency.
  • Work a campus job with students or kidsJobs such as a residence hall assistant, tutor, or camp counselor build supervision and communication skills.
  • Join a student group that practices emergency or safety planningGroups like a campus safety or first-responder club teach you how to stay organized during emergencies.
  • Look for part-time or summer work with a school district or transportation companyEven a short seasonal role gives you direct experience with buses, routes, and student safety.

Tips for getting started

  • Get certified in first aid and CPR, since many schools and towns offer these courses and they show employers you can handle emergencies.
  • Show good judgment and patience with kids, for example by babysitting, coaching younger players, or helping with a school club, because this job is mostly about calm, steady supervision.
  • Ask your school district or local bus company how they hire monitors, and check whether they want a background check or other requirements before you apply.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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