---

Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor

Types of Degrees Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	344
Master’s Degree	11,345

What Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor Majors Need to Know

Programs in Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Transportation — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operation and Control — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Far Vision — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Control Precision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Multilimb Coordination — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.6 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	3.7 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.7 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	3.6 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
AOL MapQuest	Map creation software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
TSS Wireless Fleet Management Suite	Mobile location based services software	—
Actsoft Comet Tracker	Data base user interface and query software	—
Piccolo Software PiccoloTaxi	Mobile location based services software	—
Easy Dispatch	Mobile location based services software	—
Facebook	Web page creation and editing software	—
TranWare Enterprise Suite	Data base user interface and query software	—
Digital Dispatch	Mobile location based services software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor graduates include:

• Bus Driver
• Motor Coach Driver
• Van Driver
• Driver
• Shuttle Bus Driver
• Transportation Driver
• CDL Bus Driver (Commercial Driver’s License Bus Driver)
• Substitute Bus Driver
• Rehabilitation Driver
• Funeral Car Chauffeur
• Motor Coach Chauffeur
• Patient Transportation Driver
• Courtesy Van Driver
• Courtesy Car Driver
• Funeral Car Driver

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	62.9%
Less than a high school diploma	18.8%
Some college courses	9.9%
Postsecondary certificate	4.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.1%
Bachelor’s degree	1.0%
Master’s degree	0.4%
Doctoral degree	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 86.6% of Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,865	13.4%
Men	18,534	86.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	8,269	38.6%
Asian	176	0.8%
Hispanic or Latino	3,521	16.5%
Black or African American	7,690	35.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	356	1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	43	0.2%
Two or More Races	460	2.1%
Race Unknown	838	3.9%
International Students	46	0.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,832
4 years	$42,430
5 years	$45,687

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,687 — roughly 4% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Truck & Bus Driver/Instructor graduates earn a median of $42,430 four years after completion — roughly 12% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Ground Transportation	49.02
Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation	49.0202
Flagging and Traffic Control	49.0207
Forklift Operation/Operator	49.0209
Ground Transportation, Other	49.0299
Mobil Crane Operator/Operation	49.0206
Railroad and Railway Transportation	49.0208

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.