School and Employee Bus Transportation Revenue Benchmarks
The average school and employee bus transportation business in the United States generates $6.2M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,452 school and employee bus transportation businesses in the U.S., employing 194,529 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $37K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a School and Employee Bus Transportation Business Actually Do?
School bus contractors serving districts under multi-year contracts. Also transport for after-school activities and field trips.
Who buys: School districts, private schools, employers contracting for shuttle services.
Average Revenue
$6.2M
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$78K
per year
Total Businesses
2,452
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$309K
small business avg
Labor Cost
35.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$37K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.7
firms per 100K people
How Much Do School and Employee Bus Transportation Charge?
School bus contractors serve school districts under multi-year contracts.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Per route contract | $50,000–150,000/route/year |
Per bus per day (regular) | $200–400 |
Field trip / activity | $500–2,500 per trip |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete school and employee bus transportation business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a school and employee bus transportation business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the school and employee bus transportation industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Fuel & vehicle costs | $30 | $1.9M | Fuel is often the single biggest line — plus tires, maintenance, tolls. |
Wages & benefits | $35 | $2.2M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $371K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $185K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $21 | $1.3M | Insurance (very high), truck payments, dispatching software, driver benefits. |
Net profit | $5 | $309K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
5.77%
openings/year
Closure Rate
5.59%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+5.35%
annual
Businesses Closed
167
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a School and Employee Bus Transportation Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
6 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a school and employee bus transportation business do?
- School bus contractors serving districts under multi-year contracts. Also transport for after-school activities and field trips. School districts, private schools, employers contracting for shuttle services.
- How much do school and employee bus transportation charge?
- School bus contractors serve school districts under multi-year contracts. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average school and employee bus transportation make per year?
- The average school and employee bus transportation business generates $6.2M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $309K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many school and employee bus transportation businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,452 school and employee bus transportation businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 194,529 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a school and employee bus transportation business?
- Startup costs for a school and employee bus transportation business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the school and employee bus transportation industry?
- The average employee in the school and employee bus transportation industry earns $37K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The school and employee bus transportation industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 5.3% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (5.8% entry vs 5.6% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 75% of school and employee bus transportation businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 167 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the school and employee bus transportation industry earns $36,558/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 4,214 establishments employing 183,567 people, the typical business has about 44 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The school and employee bus transportation industry has declined 28% since 2000 (from 3,079 to 2,220 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare School and Employee Bus Transportation revenue with other industries: