Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Bus Drivers, School salary really buy you in Maine?
Maine is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Maine's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 100.8, meaning prices are 0.8% higher the national average. A Bus Drivers, School earning $48,640 in Maine has the equivalent purchasing power of $48,253 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Maine's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $39,050 | $38,740 | $-309 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $42,450 | $42,113 | $-336 |
| Median (P50) | $48,640 | $48,253 | $-386 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $52,660 | $52,242 | $-417 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $58,590 | $58,125 | $-465 |
Maine's cost of living is close to the national average, so $48,640 keeps most of its value at $48,253 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 100.8, Maine is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Bus Drivers, School is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Maine's cost of living, $48,640 nominal nets out to $48,254 in real purchasing power — a small 0.8% loss. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Bus Drivers, School.
Maine's rank of #34 of 51 states means real purchasing power for Bus Drivers, School trails the national half-way line.
Where does Bus Drivers, School salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Maine ranks #34 out of 51 states for Bus Drivers, School after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Bus Drivers, School take-home pay in Maine after taxes →
A Bus Drivers, School in Maine earns a median salary of $48,640 per year. After adjusting for Maine's cost of living (RPP=100.8), the real purchasing power is $48,253 — a -0.8% difference.
Maine's cost of living is 0.8% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Maine is 100.8 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Bus Drivers, School in Maine: $48,640 x (100 / 100.8) = $48,253. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
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