SOC 53-3052 · Fort Smith, AR-OK metro

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Salary in Fort Smith, AR

The average salary for bus drivers, transit and intercity in Fort Smith, Arkansas is $46,450 a year ($22.33 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $47,910: half of the 70 people in this job in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 23% less than the U.S. average for this job ($60,280).

$46,450average per year

$22.33 / hourMedian $47,910Take-home ≈ $38,272

  • $37K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $48KMedian
  • $58K75th
  • $61K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

70people in this job
-23%vs U.S. average
#1 of 4Arkansas metros
86cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity pay range in Fort Smith

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $60,600 or more. The middle half of bus drivers, transit and intercity in Fort Smith earn between $36,780 and $58,490.

  • $37K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $48KMedian
  • $58K75th
  • $61K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$46,450$3,871$22.33
Median$47,910$3,992$23.03
Entry level (25th percentile)$36,780$3,065$17.68
Experienced (75th percentile)$58,490$4,874$28.12

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity pay in Fort Smith vs. Arkansas and the U.S.

Bus drivers, transit and intercity in Fort Smith earn 16% more than the Arkansas average ($40,050) and 23% less than the U.S. average ($60,280). At the median the gap is -19% against the U.S. median of $59,050.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Fort Smith$46,450$47,910$36,780$60,60070
Arkansas$40,050$37,520$29,550$56,140570
United States$60,280$59,050$40,030$84,700159,240

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salary after taxes in Fort Smith

On the average salary of $46,450, a single filer in Fort Smith takes home about $38,272 a year, or $3,189 a month and $1,472 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.

The Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in AR$38,272$3,189
Working in OK$37,958$3,163

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.

Arkansas paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Fort Smith a good place for bus drivers, transit and intercity? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Fort Smith area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.9), so the average $46,450 buys what about $54,082 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Fort Smith ($39,560). A typical home costs $205,554, or 4.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $46,450 is worth in another city

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salary in other Arkansas cities

Fort Smith ranks 1st of 4 Arkansas metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salaries in Arkansas

Highest-paying cities for bus drivers, transit and intercity

Seattle, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($79,800).

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salary by city

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Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salary in Fort Smith: questions

How much do bus drivers, transit and intercity make an hour in Fort Smith?

$22.33 an hour on average, and $23.04 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level bus drivers, transit and intercity salary in Fort Smith?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,780, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the bus drivers, transit and intercity take-home pay in Fort Smith?

About $38,272 a year ($3,189 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,450. Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.

Do bus drivers, transit and intercity earn more in Fort Smith than elsewhere?

The average here is 23% less than the U.S. average for this job ($60,280).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-3052; area Fort Smith, AR-OK (22900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.2%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.68, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.68).

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