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 was good and it was consistent" ((in 167 reviews)); "Worth ethics is good and people are supporting" ((in 106 reviews)); "Good Workplace and good environment" ((in 55 reviews)); "Work life balance is good" ((in 38 reviews)); "CDL Training for later use in life" ((in 38 reviews))

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

"Bad management but now its good" ((in 109 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 79 reviews)); "Hours are long and do not let you sleep." ((in 53 reviews)); "Very difficult company to work for umess you have a good manager." ((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.

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

Skip to content Skip to footer

Notifications

First Student

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 category

3.8

Diversity & inclusion

3.7

Work/Life balance

3.4

Culture & values

3.4

Compensation and benefits

3.4

Career opportunities

3.3

Senior management

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

472 reviews

Reviews about "Compensation"

Return to all reviews

2.0

Jul 17, 2015

Not what it used to be

Driver

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

weekends off, snow-days, new busses

Cons

outrageous policies, trainers do more snithing than training, managements lacks compassion and shows favoritism, bad pay.

1.0

Jun 25, 2015

Driver

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Really no benefits to FS. 'Nough said. :(

Cons

No benefits No advancement No respect from management Low pay Not enough hours Buses always broken down...too old. Company will NOT provide safe buses to drive Company is greedy and inconsistant on every issue and on every level Favortism...NOT seniority based

4.0

Jun 2, 2015

Low pay, but great workplace!

Driver/trainer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The company demonstrates genuine concern about safety, both on the road and in the workplace. They are great at backing up their employees when a safety concern needs to be addressed. At least at my location, the managers and dispatchers are always ready and willing to help with any concern, whether safety related or not. Also, advancement for motivated and talented individuals is readily available.

Cons

The pay is well below standard for class B drivers, subsequently they lose many of their drivers to other companies such as trash collectors or dock trucks which have a starting pay of up to $20 plus benefits. First Student offers very expensive health care options, which are not clearly presented to employees. I had to go searching for the information. Also, the summers pose a problem as driver's hours, especially drivers who have less than a year with the company, suffer greatly. Charters and routes are given out solely based on seniority. Anyone with less than a year with the company stands a good chance of having their monthly income cut in half or more. Additionally, even for drivers that get work during the summer, most of it is lot work (cleaning buses, etc) which pays $2 less per hour. Not a great motivator.

Viewing 424 - 426 of 472 Reviews

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

4.2★Compensation & Benefits

Septa

3.6★Compensation & Benefits

Pitt Ohio Express

4.1★Compensation & Benefits

Regional Transportation District

3.7★Compensation & Benefits

Jobs at First Student

School Bus Monitor - Center Point, AL