Bus and coach drivers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time bus and coach drivers in the UK earned a median £36,340 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £2,699 below the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That puts it 180th of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £30,889 and £43,855.
Median full-time pay: women £33,941 a year, men £36,494 a year.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 41.5 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
ASHE counts roughly 97,000 employee jobs, 81% full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 44.5% (from £25,141), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 117,600 people in this line of work, 18% of them in London.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £26,337 | £548.10 | £13.75 | £14,546* | £315.00 | £13.27 |
| 20th percentile | £29,695 | £597.50 | £14.50 | £24,815 | £506.80 | £14.11 |
| 25th percentile | £30,889 | £615.50 | £14.83 | £27,639 | £559.90 | £14.50 |
| 30th percentile | £31,813 | £638.50 | £15.06 | £29,315 | £586.30 | £14.82 |
| 40th percentile | £33,545 | £680.20 | £15.82 | £31,911 | £635.60 | £15.39 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £36,340 | £724.00 | £16.43 | £33,947 | £684.10 | £16.30 |
| 60th percentile | £38,984 | £783.10 | £17.36 | £37,071 | £750.00 | £17.18 |
| 70th percentile | £42,139 | £820.10 | £18.66 | £39,905 | £800.10 | £18.60 |
| 75th percentile | £43,855 | £846.40 | £19.44 | £42,200 | £821.10 | £19.34 |
| 80th percentile | £45,352 | £887.00 | £20.00 | £44,278 | £854.00 | £20.00 |
| 90th percentile | – | £980.10 | £21.67 | £49,429 | £957.40 | £22.05 |
| Mean | £37,195 | £748.70 | £17.14 | £33,726 | £673.50 | £17.17 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £25,141 | £514.20 | £12.00 | £23,766 | £486.80 | 97 |
| 2022 revised | £28,330 | £577.10 | £12.60 | £26,210 | £527.90 | 98 |
| 2023 revised | £31,500 | £657.80 | £14.52 | £29,389 | £596.90 | 80 |
| 2024 revised | £34,649 | £680.00 | £15.25 | £32,044 | £631.70 | 94 |
| 2025 provisional | £36,340 | £724.00 | £16.43 | £33,947 | £684.10 | 97 |
Bus and coach drivers by region
UK: 117,600 (± 13,300), April 2025 to March 2026. 5 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| London | 21,400* | ± 7,500 |
| West Midlands | 12,900* | ± 4,700 |
| North West | 12,500* | ± 4,300 |
| Scotland | 10,900* | ± 3,800 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 9,400* | ± 3,600 |
| South West | 9,100* | ± 3,400 |
| Wales | 5,400* | ± 2,100 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What bus and coach drivers do
Bus and coach drivers drive road passenger-carrying vehicles such as buses, coaches and mini-buses. (ONS SOC 2020, 8212)
Also covers: bus driver, coach driver, coach operator, minibus driver, PSV driver, bus operator, bus shunter, pcv driver, driver-mechanic (bus, coach), mini bus driver, one person operator, driver-fitter (public service vehicle), passenger carrying vehicle driver and public service vehicle driver.
- Checks tyres, brakes, lights, oil, water and fuel levels and general condition of the vehicle before start of journey
- Drives single- and double-decked vehicle over pre-determined route, complying with traffic regulations and keeping to time schedule
- Stops and opens and closes doors at pre-arranged places to allow passengers to board and alight, observing regulations concerning the number of passengers carried
- May collect fares from passengers and issue tickets or ensure that they use a ticket machine
- May plan routes in conjunction with private hirer and assist with loading and unloading of luggage
- Balances cash taken with tickets sold and may be responsible for cleanliness of vehicle
There are no formal academic entry requirements, though candidates must be in possession of a full car driving licence. All bus and coach drivers are required to hold the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). This incorporates a theoretical examination and assessed driving. Entrants to the CPC test must be at least 18 years old. NVQs/SVQs in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving are available at level 2.
Related
Road transport drivers (median £35,733) · Heavy and large goods vehicle drivers · Taxi and cab drivers and chauffeurs · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026