Baggage Porters and Bellhops
Baggage Porters and Bellhops (SOC 39-6011) earn a median $37,080 a year ($17.83 an hour) in the United States, with 28,510 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What baggage porters and bellhops do
Baggage porters and bellhops move luggage for travelers at terminals or for guests at hotels and similar places. They accept and tag baggage with claim checks, and carry or wheel luggage, trunks, and packages between rooms, loading areas, vehicles, and terminals, by hand or on baggage carts. At hotels they welcome arriving guests and walk them to their rooms, explain how things such as locks, ventilation, and televisions work, and offer directions, travel tips, and information on services and nearby points of interest. They may drive guests around the property and local area or arrange a ride, and they help travelers and guests with disabilities. They also keep lobbies and entrances clean. O*NET lists airport guide, baggage agent, baggage checker, and baggage handler among the titles.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report less than a high school diploma as the usual education level (about 42 percent).
Also called: Airport Guide, Baggage Agent, Baggage Checker, Baggage Handler, Baggage Porter.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.00 | $15.00 | $17.83 | $21.22 | $24.81 | $18.54 | 28,510 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $31,200 | $37,080 | $44,130 | $51,600 | $38,570 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where baggage porters and bellhops earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.12 | $20.04 | $23.37 | $27.21 | $29.72 | $24.15 | 3,610 | 0.37 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $37,680 | $41,690 | $48,610 | $56,600 | $61,820 | $50,220 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $14.91 | $17.71 | $20.31 | $24.81 | $27.63 | $21.92 | 1,370 | 2.19 | 11.94 |
| Annual | $31,010 | $36,840 | $42,240 | $51,600 | $57,460 | $45,590 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.76 | $18.04 | $19.75 | $19.75 | $20.04 | $18.98 | 570 | 0.13 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $32,770 | $37,520 | $41,080 | $41,080 | $41,690 | $39,480 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $16.42 | $16.42 | $19.73 | $22.62 | $27.48 | $20.63 | 1,300 | 0.36 | 1.96 |
| Annual | $34,150 | $34,150 | $41,040 | $47,040 | $57,150 | $42,900 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.32 | $18.60 | $19.71 | $22.27 | $24.88 | $20.76 | 270 | 0.08 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $36,030 | $38,680 | $41,010 | $46,310 | $51,760 | $43,180 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.00 | $13.88 | $14.85 | $18.24 | $21.26 | $16.64 | 4,430 | 0.45 | 2.43 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $28,880 | $30,890 | $37,940 | $44,220 | $34,610 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.12 | $20.04 | $23.37 | $27.21 | $29.72 | $24.15 | 3,610 | 0.37 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $37,680 | $41,690 | $48,610 | $56,600 | $61,820 | $50,220 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.66 | $17.38 | $19.25 | $22.47 | $27.90 | $20.69 | 2,940 | 0.16 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $36,140 | $40,040 | $46,740 | $58,030 | $43,040 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $12.79 | $14.44 | $17.73 | $21.27 | $23.45 | $18.31 | 2,170 | 1.40 | 7.64 |
| Annual | $26,610 | $30,020 | $36,880 | $44,250 | $48,770 | $38,090 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.78 | $17.83 | $19.42 | $21.36 | $22.74 | $19.81 | 1,480 | 0.24 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $32,830 | $37,080 | $40,390 | $44,420 | $47,300 | $41,200 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $18.95 | $22.21 | $24.95 | $28.01 | $29.30 | $25.06 | 500 | 0.21 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $39,410 | $46,200 | $51,900 | $58,250 | $60,950 | $52,130 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.33 | $19.75 | $23.37 | $27.26 | $29.72 | $24.17 | 3,500 | 0.37 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $40,210 | $41,080 | $48,610 | $56,700 | $61,820 | $50,270 | ||||
| Kingston, NY | Hourly | $16.87 | $22.68 | $22.71 | $22.71 | $22.72 | $22.71 | 80 | 1.36 | 7.43 |
| Annual | $35,090 | $47,170 | $47,230 | $47,230 | $47,260 | $47,240 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $19.20 | $19.56 | $22.18 | $23.77 | $27.81 | $22.68 | 80 | 0.08 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $39,930 | $40,680 | $46,140 | $49,430 | $57,850 | $47,180 | ||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $17.76 | $19.90 | $20.79 | $27.63 | $39.00 | $25.02 | 290 | 3.98 | 21.72 |
| Annual | $36,940 | $41,390 | $43,240 | $57,460 | $81,110 | $52,040 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.33 | $19.75 | $23.37 | $27.26 | $29.72 | $24.17 | 3,500 | 0.37 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $40,210 | $41,080 | $48,610 | $56,700 | $61,820 | $50,270 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $13.55 | $14.29 | $15.29 | $18.24 | $21.26 | $16.75 | 2,230 | 0.79 | 4.32 |
| Annual | $28,180 | $29,730 | $31,790 | $37,950 | $44,220 | $34,840 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $13.36 | $15.31 | $17.91 | $21.61 | $23.45 | $18.64 | 2,040 | 1.80 | 9.80 |
| Annual | $27,780 | $31,840 | $37,260 | $44,940 | $48,770 | $38,770 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.78 | $17.96 | $19.42 | $21.36 | $22.74 | $19.81 | 1,420 | 0.32 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $32,830 | $37,370 | $40,390 | $44,420 | $47,300 | $41,200 | ||||
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Hourly | $13.00 | $13.49 | $14.00 | $18.00 | $20.40 | $16.65 | 1,120 | 0.80 | 4.34 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $28,050 | $29,110 | $37,440 | $42,430 | $34,640 | ||||
Top industries employing baggage porters and bellhops
Traveler Accommodation employ 58.2% of baggage porters and bellhops nationally (16,580 jobs) at a median $36,410 a year ($17.51 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Air Transportation (13.7%) and Other Personal Services (8.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100 | 16,580 | 58.2% | $36,410 | $17.51 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation NAICS 488100 | 3,910 | 13.7% | $40,300 | $19.37 |
| Other Personal Services NAICS 812900 | 2,370 | 8.3% | $31,300 | $15.05 |
| Real Estate NAICS 531000 | 1,400 | 4.9% | $48,610 | $23.37 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations NAICS 813900 | 1,080 | 3.8% | $44,420 | $21.36 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (28,510). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,120 for baggage porters and bellhops in May 2021 and $37,080 in May 2025, with employment of 20,530 and 28,510.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,120 | $14.00 | 20,530 |
| May 2022 | $31,510 | $15.15 | 26,520 |
| May 2023 | $34,840 | $16.75 | 28,780 |
| May 2024 | $36,020 | $17.32 | 31,220 |
| May 2025 | $37,080 | $17.83 | 28,510 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
48 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York profile | $23.37 | $48,610 | $37,680 | $61,820 | 3,610 | 0.37 | 2.03 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $20.31 | $42,240 | $31,010 | $57,460 | 1,370 | 2.19 | 11.94 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $19.75 | $41,080 | $32,770 | $41,690 | 570 | 0.13 | 0.73 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $19.73 | $41,040 | $34,150 | $57,150 | 1,300 | 0.36 | 1.96 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $19.71 | $41,010 | $36,030 | $51,760 | 270 | 0.08 | 0.41 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $19.55 | $40,660 | $33,900 | $43,620 | 240 | 0.12 | 0.67 |
| 7 | Illinois profile | $19.42 | $40,390 | $32,830 | $47,300 | 1,480 | 0.24 | 1.32 |
| 8 | California profile | $19.25 | $40,040 | $34,650 | $58,030 | 2,940 | 0.16 | 0.88 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $18.83 | $39,160 | $35,780 | $44,680 | 410 | 0.14 | 0.78 |
| 10 | District of Columbia profile | $18.35 | $38,170 | $36,400 | $46,920 | 380 | 0.55 | 2.97 |
| 11 | Kentucky profile | $18.24 | $37,940 | $30,410 | $45,690 | 260 | 0.13 | 0.72 |
| 12 | Connecticut profile | $17.99 | $37,420 | $34,010 | $46,350 | 130 | 0.08 | 0.43 |
| 13 | Nevada profile | $17.73 | $36,880 | $26,610 | $48,770 | 2,170 | 1.40 | 7.64 |
| 14 | Maine profile | $17.73 | $36,870 | $31,520 | $39,020 | 60 | 0.10 | 0.54 |
| 15 | Arizona profile | $17.66 | $36,740 | $31,350 | $45,490 | 490 | 0.15 | 0.82 |
| 16 | Virginia profile | $17.56 | $36,530 | $30,280 | $45,470 | 800 | 0.20 | 1.06 |
| 17 | Vermont profile | $17.54 | $36,490 | $30,430 | $41,650 | 90 | 0.30 | 1.63 |
| 18 | Maryland profile | $17.46 | $36,310 | $32,150 | $45,630 | 520 | 0.19 | 1.02 |
| 19 | Wyoming profile | $17.43 | $36,260 | $35,090 | $40,850 | 60 | 0.20 | 1.11 |
| 20 | Rhode Island profile | $16.49 | $34,300 | $31,200 | $48,340 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.45 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania profile | $16.48 | $34,270 | $22,390 | $44,610 | 700 | 0.12 | 0.63 |
| 22 | Nebraska profile | $16.17 | $33,640 | $28,080 | $43,590 | 70 | 0.07 | 0.39 |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $16.11 | $33,510 | $23,090 | $40,290 | 70 | 0.08 | 0.46 |
| 24 | North Carolina profile | $15.84 | $32,940 | $26,470 | $37,640 | 650 | 0.13 | 0.72 |
| 25 | Alaska profile | $15.46 | $32,150 | $25,140 | $36,890 | 70 | 0.23 | 1.23 |
| 26 | Tennessee profile | $15.42 | $32,060 | $17,710 | $37,270 | 570 | 0.17 | 0.94 |
| 27 | Arkansas profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $28,530 | $39,290 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.23 |
| 28 | Wisconsin profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $24,960 | $34,870 | 310 | 0.10 | 0.57 |
| 29 | Iowa profile | $14.98 | $31,150 | $21,640 | $36,610 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.11 |
| 30 | Texas profile | $14.94 | $31,080 | $19,180 | $43,620 | 1,050 | 0.07 | 0.41 |
| 31 | Michigan profile | $14.87 | $30,930 | $25,960 | $39,200 | 410 | 0.09 | 0.51 |
| 32 | Florida profile | $14.85 | $30,890 | $27,040 | $44,220 | 4,430 | 0.45 | 2.43 |
| 33 | Montana profile | $14.82 | $30,830 | $21,940 | $40,740 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.42 |
| 34 | Missouri profile | $14.81 | $30,800 | $28,600 | $48,570 | 260 | 0.09 | 0.48 |
| 35 | Utah profile | $14.77 | $30,730 | $18,970 | $42,310 | 240 | 0.14 | 0.75 |
| 36 | New Mexico profile | $14.37 | $29,890 | $26,170 | $41,250 | 90 | 0.10 | 0.54 |
| 37 | Georgia profile | $13.98 | $29,070 | $20,540 | $38,730 | 370 | 0.08 | 0.41 |
| 38 | Ohio profile | $13.56 | $28,200 | $24,920 | $38,450 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| 39 | Indiana profile | $13.42 | $27,910 | $25,180 | $37,430 | 140 | 0.04 | 0.23 |
| 40 | Kansas profile | $13.40 | $27,870 | $23,740 | $30,630 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.12 |
| 41 | New Hampshire profile | $13.27 | $27,600 | $23,290 | $42,280 | 50 | 0.08 | 0.43 |
| 42 | South Dakota profile | $13.22 | $27,490 | $26,520 | $37,440 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.51 |
| 43 | Louisiana profile | $12.65 | $26,320 | $15,910 | $29,060 | 690 | 0.36 | 1.95 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | $12.62 | $26,260 | $16,590 | $28,050 | 130 | 0.08 | 0.41 |
| 45 | South Carolina profile | $12.43 | $25,850 | $15,080 | $36,860 | 330 | 0.14 | 0.77 |
| 46 | Alabama profile | $12.09 | $25,150 | $17,460 | $32,750 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.15 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $11.58 | $24,090 | $24,090 | $31,080 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.38 |
| 48 | Mississippi profile | $10.85 | $22,560 | $18,950 | $40,170 | 220 | 0.19 | 1.04 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (39-6010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Personal Care and Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 39-6011 Baggage Porters and Bellhops.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 39-6011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-6011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.