Bus Driver Salary in North East
Official ONS earnings for North East.
Median salary — North East
£31,248
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 16.7% change on the previous year
Mean
£29,449
What a typical bus driver takes home
On the median of £31,248, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£2,168
Take-home a year
£26,018
Income Tax
£3,736
National Insurance
£1,494
What most bus drivers actually earn
Half of bus drivers in North East earn between £24,154 and £36,889. Earning above £36,889 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
ONS suppresses the detailed spread for this occupation at regional level, so this range describes the wider “Road Transport Drivers” group in North East.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of bus drivers earn less than this.
How North East ranks for bus driver pay
6th
of 8 GB regions with a published figure
London tops the table on £44,375 and Yorkshire and The Humber sits at the bottom on £30,256. North East is £13,127 short of the top.
Ranking compares published regional medians for the same occupation. It says nothing about cost of living — a higher median doesn't survive contact with rent. The cost of living calculator is the honest next step.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Bus and coach drivers
- SOC 2020 code
- 8212
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are estimates from a survey of PAYE jobs and are not financial advice.
Bus Driver salary FAQs
What is the average Bus Driver salary in North East?
The median is £31,248 a year and the mean is £29,449, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Those cover all employees; ASHE publishes no full-time split at regional level.
How much does a bus driver earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £16.21 excluding overtime, or £16.43 for full-time employees. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for North East.
What is a good Bus Driver salary?
Half of bus drivers earn between £24,154 and £36,889. Anything above £36,889 is in the top quarter for the role.
Do bus drivers in North East earn more than the UK average?
The median in North East is £31,248 against £33,947 across the UK, 8.0% lower, which places it 6th highest of the 8 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has bus driver pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +16.7% for this occupation in North East. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
Is this figure official?
Yes. It comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, an accredited official statistic based on employer PAYE records.
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