Does First Student pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, First Student employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.5 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at First Student. This rating has decreased by 2% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at First Student?

69% of First Student employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated First Student 3.8 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.5 for culture and values and 3.5 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at First Student?

School Bus Driver (493) , Graduate Student (365) , Software Engineer (195) , Bus Driver (165) , Driver (124) , Student Worker (67) , Data Entry (63) , Software Developer (59) , Internship (51) , Working Student (45) , Intern (43) , PhD Student (33) , Web Developer (30) , Bus Monitor (25) , Mechanical Engineer (25)

What are the pros of working at First Student according to real employee reviews?

"Pay is good and they are flexible with hours" ((in 163 reviews)); "Worth ethics is good and people are supporting" ((in 112 reviews)); "Good Workplace and good environment" ((in 59 reviews)); "Work life balance is good" ((in 39 reviews)); "Free training for a CDL." ((in 37 reviews))

What are the cons of working at First Student according to real employee reviews?

"Bad management but now its good" ((in 110 reviews)); "Low salary and no retaining of interns" ((in 81 reviews)); "Not enough hour No benefit Not enough hour No benefit Not enough hour No benefitNot enough hour No benefit" ((in 78 reviews)); "Hours are long and do not let you sleep." ((in 52 reviews)); "Our location experience a very difficult 1 year period of changing managers 3" ((in 24 reviews))

What are employees saying about First Student layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about First Student layoffs and their outlook for job security at First Student in 2026.

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First Student

First Student reviews

3.7

69% would recommend to a friend

(3,730 total reviews)

John Kenning

70% approve of CEO

65% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.9

Diversity & inclusion

3.8

Work/Life balance

3.5

Culture & values

3.5

Compensation and benefits

3.5

Career opportunities

3.3

Senior management

First Student has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 3,730 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The First Student employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Transporte y logística industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

4K reviews

2.0

Jul 31, 2024

Toxic Work Culture and Favoritism

Driver

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Pay is good, You can get hours if you needed through charters, Employees are usually helpful.

Cons

The Management in unprofessional, a lot of favoritism in the workplace. The buses have a lot of mechanical issues. Last minute route changes. No clear communication and constantly changing rules. Employees have relationships with each other there.

4.0

Jul 19, 2024

Decent experience

School bus driver

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Decent pay, relatively non stressful job

Cons

First Student as a company can often be very disorganized

4.0

Jul 17, 2024

Keep Coming Back Each Year

School bus driver

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Split shift. Typically 4hr on, 4hr break, 4hr on - Pro for most who choose this job, con for some people Very easy to get into, low barrier of entry. Have a clean record and pass the CDL test. Every holiday off. If you have children you can have them ride along with you to their school. Fun charter opportunities - Seahawks training camp, golf championship, marathons, snow field trips, tons of others. Union with pay increase every year. Seniority based route picking.

Cons

Large district, tough schools, challenging students. Until you have seniority to pick a "good route" you have to make it through the first year, will likely be rough. No spring/winter break or summer pay. You have to file unemployment, budget, or get another job. Union dues are expensive. Health insurance is $320 a month for an individual (for me) and covers nothing until deductible is met.

Viewing 106 - 108 of 3,730 Reviews

Jobs at First Student