How many employees does First Student have?
First Student, Inc. has approximately 14,952 total employees worldwide as of June 2026, according to Revelio Labs workforce intelligence data. First Student’s total headcount has grown 1.8% from 14,685 employees in 2023 to 14,952 in 2026.
Is First Student hiring right now?
Yes, First Student is actively hiring. First Student had 548 active job postings in 2026, a 78.6% decline from 2025 — see job openings & hiring trends.
About First Student’s Workforce
First Student, Inc. is a Logistics and Transportation company that employs 14,952 people worldwide as of June 2026. It is the 10th-largest by headcount among its peers. Founded in 1983, the company is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
First Student's workforce has grown 1.8% from 2023 to 2026, though it is down 0.1% year over year in 2026. Its workforce is concentrated most in North America (92.1%), followed by South Asia (4.7%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (1.5%).
First Student's functional groups are Sales and Marketing (60.9%), Finance and Operations (24.2%), and Engineering (14.9%), with Finance and Operations growing fastest (up 0.6%). The average salary is $45,789, ranging from a median of $43,000 in North America to $4,000 in Pacific Islands, up 0.9% year over year in 2026.
First Student's active job postings fell 78.6% in 2026 to 548, with new postings per month cooling from 645 in 2023 to 319 in 2026. Overall employee sentiment is neutral but declining.
Sourced from Revelio Labs workforce data.
- Headquarters
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Founded
- 1983
- Industry
- Logistics and Transportation
- Employees
- 14,952
- YoY
- -0.1% (-10)
As of June 2026
First Student workforce metrics
Unlock hiring rate, attrition rate, and 12 additional workforce metrics for First Student. Compare to peers, export the dataset, and access the full quarterly history.
Unlock MetricsFirst Student Annual Employee Count (2023-2026)
- First Student had 14,952 employees in 2026, a 0.1% decline (-10) from 2025.
- First Student had 15,004 employees in 2025, a 0.3% increase (+49) from 2024.
- First Student had 14,955 employees in 2024, a 1.7% increase (+252) from 2023.
- First Student had 14,703 employees in 2023, a 1.3% increase (+183) from 2022.
First Student's total workforce has grown from 14,685 employees in 2023 to 14,952 in 2026.
First Student, Inc. quarterly employee count
| Year | Qtr | Employees | YoY Change | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Q2 | 14,952 | -10 | -0.1% |
| 2026 | Q1 | 15,003 | +65 | +0.4% |
| 2025 | Q4 | 15,004 | +49 | +0.3% |
| 2025 | Q3 | 14,999 | +94 | +0.6% |
| 2025 | Q2 | 14,962 | +267 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | Q1 | 14,938 | +235 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | Q4 | 14,955 | +252 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | Q3 | 14,905 | +220 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | Q2 | 14,695 | +138 | +0.9% |
| 2024 | Q1 | 14,703 | +172 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | Q4 | 14,703 | +183 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | Q3 | 14,685 | +227 | +1.6% |
See First Student's complete headcount history, including quarterly breakdowns.
Get the DataFirst Student Employee Count by Region (2026)
North America accounts for the largest share of First Student's global workforce with approximately 92% of total employees, followed by South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
First Student employees by region
| Region | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 13,675 | 92.1% |
| South Asia | 695 | 4.7% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 222 | 1.5% |
| Pacific Islands | 50 | 0.3% |
| Northern Europe | 48 | 0.3% |
| Southeast Asia | 40 | 0.3% |
| Central America and the Caribbean | 38 | 0.3% |
| North Africa | 25 | 0.2% |
| Southern Europe | 18 | 0.1% |
| Arab States | 12 | 0.1% |
Drill into city-level data, hiring trends by region, and historic geographic shifts.
Unlock Geographic DataFirst Student Employee Count by Department (2026)
First Student's employee groups are Sales and Marketing (60.9%), Finance and Operations (24.2%), and Engineering (14.9%).
First Student employees by department
| Department | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Sales and Marketing | 8,823 | 60.9% |
| Finance and Operations | 3,501 | 24.2% |
| Engineering | 2,160 | 14.9% |
Compare First Student's department mix to industry peers.
See Full DataFirst Student Employee Salary by Region (2026)
First Student's average employee salary is $45,789 globally. Employees in North America receive the highest compensation. Pay is lowest in Pacific Islands, at a median of $4,000.
First Student median employee salary by region (USD)
| Region | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Arab States | $47,000 |
| North America | $43,000 |
| Central America and the Caribbean | $39,000 |
| Northern Europe | $33,000 |
| Southern Europe | $13,000 |
| South America | $13,000 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | $7,000 |
| North Africa | $4,000 |
| Pacific Islands | $4,000 |
| South Asia | $4,000 |
| Southeast Asia | $3,000 |
Unlock salary by role, level, and city — and compare to First Student's industry peers.
Unlock Salary DataFirst Student Job Openings and Hiring Trends (2023-2026)
- First Student had 548 active job postings in 2026, a 78.6% decline (+2) from 2025.
- First Student had 546 active job postings in 2025, a 71.7% decline (-610) from 2024.
- First Student had 1,156 active job postings in 2024, a 134.8% increase (+931) from 2023.
- First Student had 225 active job postings in 2023, a 118.4% decline from 2022.
- Hiring velocity in 2026: 319 new roles/month, down from 752 in 2025 and 834 in 2024.
First Student's hiring is slowing: active job postings fell 78.6% in 2026 to 548, with new postings per month cooling from 645 in 2023 to 319 in 2026.
Track new postings per month, role-level demand, and hiring velocity vs. peers.
Unlock Hiring DataFirst Student Employee Sentiment (2026)
Revelio Labs tracks employee sentiment across First Student's workforce based on public professional data. Overall sentiment is neutral and has declined year over year in 2026.
Overall
Unlock the full sentiment breakdown by department, tenure, and trend over time.
Unlock SentimentSimilar Companies
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Frequently Asked Questions About First Student
- How fast is First Student growing?
- In 2026, First Student's headcount shrank 0.1% to 14,952 employees, down from 14,962 in 2025.
- See the full headcount history
- Where are First Student employees located?
- Most First Student employees are based in North America (92.1% of headcount), followed by South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Explore where the workforce is based
- How many people work at First Student in North America?
- About 13,675 people work at First Student in North America, its largest region.
- See headcount by region
- What is the average salary at First Student?
- The average employee salary at First Student is approximately $45.8k per year.
- Analyze the salary distribution
- How many new job postings does First Student open per year?
- Through Q2 2026, First Student opened 1,912 new job postings. In 2025, First Student opened 9,026 new job postings — about 752 per month.
- Track hiring trends by role
- When was First Student founded and where is it headquartered?
- First Student was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- Compare First Student to industry peers
Speak with a workforce expert about First Student.
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