Is First Student a good company to work for?

First Student has an overall rating of 3.6 out of 5, based on over 5,110 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 2% over the last 12 months. 68% of employees would recommend working at First Student to a friend and 64% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about First Student have been left by employees working as Graduate Student , Intern and Bus Driver/School Bus Driver .

Does First Student pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, First Student employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.4 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at First Student. This rating has decreased by 3% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at First Student?

68% of First Student employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated First Student 3.7 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.4 for culture and values and 3.4 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at First Student?

School Bus Driver (494) , Graduate Student (365) , Software Engineer (195) , Bus Driver (165) , Driver (125) , 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 160 reviews)); "Worth ethics is good and people are supporting" ((in 112 reviews)); "Good Workplace and good environment" ((in 61 reviews)); "Good Work life balance all time" ((in 42 reviews)); "CDL Training for later use in life" ((in 40 reviews))

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

"Bad management but now its good" ((in 108 reviews)); "Low salary compared to industry average" ((in 80 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 23 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.

What are the top reviewed First Student locations?

Cincinnati , New York , Chicago , Saint Louis , Houston , San Francisco , Los Angeles , Buffalo , Seattle , Portland , Bozeman , Indianapolis , Wichita , Boston , Atlanta , Syracuse , Dallas , Naperville , Rochester , Milwaukee , Philadelphia , Normal , Crest Hill , Schaumburg , Tacoma , Providence , Boise , DeKalb , Springfield , Kansas City

First Student reviews

3.6

68% would recommend to a friend

(472 total reviews)

John Kenning

72% approve of CEO

64% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

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Veteran status

Reviews by job title

472 reviews

Reviews about "Compensation"

Return to all reviews

1.0

Apr 3, 2018

Driver

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

If you have kids you go in and get out the same time

Cons

No benefits Very stressful when school is closed due to weather no pay

3.0

Mar 15, 2018

Friendly employees, very under staffed/funded

Bus driver

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Like most school bus operations, they will train you to get your CDL in about a month. You will earn near minimum wage during training and they pay your DMV fees. Training staff is often pulled from Belvidere, and seems first rate. There are a couple trainers in Rockton who are just terrible, and this is from a certified trainer’s perspective. Most of the routes have well behaved students, and most coworkers are nice, so it’s not a bad place to work for a part time/split shift job.

Cons

The Rockton, IL location operates as a satellite branch of the much larger Belvidere, IL First Student bus operation. The Rockton location handles bus transport for all public schools in Roscoe, Rockton, Shirland, and South Beloit, as well as for hire charter trips. The great majority of folks here are extremely pleasant. It is very much a shoe string operation, always undermanned and underfunded. The building and outdoor bus lot really shows its age and lack if upkeep. Office employees (all employees have their CDL) frequently are pulled off their desk to drive unfilled routes. Pay is just $13.00/hour (20 hour min week guaranteed) and it seems they have a rough time keeping staff.

4.0

Jan 29, 2018

School bus operator

School bus driver

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Easy money, split shift is helpful sometimes, stay long and you will get the good routes that make good money

Cons

Waking up super early Needs better management Other co drivers can be rude and the mechanics barely do anything to the busses

Viewing 364 - 366 of 472 Reviews

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First Student

First Student reviews

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Reviews about "Compensation"

Driver

Friendly employees, very under staffed/funded

School bus operator

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Jobs at First Student