Passenger Attendants
Passenger Attendants (SOC 53-6061) earn a median $37,720 a year ($18.14 an hour) in the United States, with 27,110 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What passenger attendants do
Passenger attendants look after the safety and comfort of travelers aboard ships, buses, and trains and within stations and terminals. They explain how to use safety equipment, answer questions related to travel, and serve meals or beverages in settings where that is part of the service. A large share of the work is hands-on help: buckling seat belts, fastening wheelchairs with tie-down straps, assisting older, ill, or injured passengers in boarding, and arranging seating. They respond to passengers' requests and complaints and help arrange where each person sits. Titles in O*NET include airport attendant, airline lounge receptionist, bus aide, bus monitor, and bath steward, which shows the range of settings. Flight attendants have their own code, as do baggage porters and bellhops, which are classed with personal service workers.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Airline Lounge Receptionist, Airport Attendant, Attendant, Bath Aide, Bath Steward.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.45 | $15.02 | $18.14 | $20.04 | $22.40 | $18.18 | 27,110 |
| Annual | $27,970 | $31,240 | $37,720 | $41,680 | $46,590 | $37,820 | ||
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 passenger attendants 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 | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $18.79 | $26.10 | $26.10 | $26.10 | $26.10 | $25.38 | 220 | 0.69 | 3.94 |
| Annual | $39,090 | $54,290 | $54,290 | $54,290 | $54,290 | $52,800 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $19.94 | $21.39 | $25.35 | $26.05 | $26.35 | $23.68 | 710 | 1.01 | 5.79 |
| Annual | $41,480 | $44,480 | $52,730 | $54,180 | $54,810 | $49,260 | ||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $17.93 | $21.54 | $21.54 | $21.54 | $21.55 | $20.65 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $37,290 | $44,810 | $44,810 | $44,810 | $44,820 | $42,950 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $16.93 | $18.01 | $20.84 | $21.78 | $21.78 | $20.47 | 1,330 | 0.37 | 2.09 |
| Annual | $35,200 | $37,470 | $43,350 | $45,310 | $45,310 | $42,580 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.58 | $17.82 | $20.84 | $24.14 | $27.93 | $21.56 | 2,810 | 0.15 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $34,480 | $37,060 | $43,340 | $50,210 | $58,100 | $44,840 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $13.60 | $14.22 | $15.02 | $16.36 | $17.16 | $15.37 | 5,170 | 0.37 | 2.11 |
| Annual | $28,290 | $29,570 | $31,230 | $34,030 | $35,700 | $31,960 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.27 | $19.35 | $19.99 | $20.13 | $20.67 | $19.93 | 3,190 | 0.33 | 1.89 |
| Annual | $35,910 | $40,240 | $41,590 | $41,880 | $42,990 | $41,460 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.58 | $17.82 | $20.84 | $24.14 | $27.93 | $21.56 | 2,810 | 0.15 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $34,480 | $37,060 | $43,340 | $50,210 | $58,100 | $44,840 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.17 | $13.45 | $14.27 | $19.22 | $21.05 | $16.22 | 2,590 | 0.26 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $27,390 | $27,970 | $29,680 | $39,990 | $43,780 | $33,740 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.13 | $18.72 | $18.72 | $18.72 | $18.72 | $18.62 | 1,700 | 0.28 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $31,480 | $38,930 | $38,930 | $38,930 | $38,930 | $38,740 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $18.00 | $21.00 | $23.65 | $26.05 | $26.35 | $23.05 | 790 | 0.25 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $37,440 | $43,670 | $49,190 | $54,180 | $54,810 | $47,930 | ||||
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $21.54 | $21.54 | $21.55 | $26.57 | $21.62 | 70 | 0.07 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $44,810 | $44,810 | $44,820 | $55,270 | $44,980 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $19.53 | $21.21 | $21.54 | $21.54 | $22.95 | $21.61 | 510 | 0.22 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $40,630 | $44,110 | $44,800 | $44,800 | $47,740 | $44,950 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $20.95 | $20.95 | $20.95 | $34.89 | $42.50 | $27.34 | 120 | 0.11 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $43,580 | $43,580 | $43,580 | $72,580 | $88,400 | $56,870 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $16.93 | $18.01 | $20.84 | $21.78 | $21.78 | $20.18 | 1,150 | 0.43 | 2.45 |
| Annual | $35,200 | $37,470 | $43,350 | $45,290 | $45,310 | $41,970 | ||||
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 | $19.04 | $19.35 | $19.99 | $20.05 | $20.29 | $20.13 | 3,410 | 0.36 | 2.06 |
| Annual | $39,610 | $40,240 | $41,590 | $41,710 | $42,200 | $41,860 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $13.90 | $13.98 | $15.02 | $15.76 | $16.73 | $15.34 | 1,780 | 0.54 | 3.11 |
| Annual | $28,910 | $29,080 | $31,240 | $32,780 | $34,790 | $31,910 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.50 | $17.82 | $18.97 | $25.42 | $29.95 | $22.26 | 1,200 | 0.19 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $37,060 | $39,460 | $52,860 | $62,300 | $46,300 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $16.93 | $18.01 | $20.84 | $21.78 | $21.78 | $20.18 | 1,150 | 0.43 | 2.45 |
| Annual | $35,200 | $37,470 | $43,350 | $45,290 | $45,310 | $41,970 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $13.47 | $13.48 | $15.26 | $19.86 | $21.26 | $16.93 | 990 | 0.35 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $28,010 | $28,040 | $31,750 | $41,320 | $44,220 | $35,210 | ||||
Top industries employing passenger attendants
Support Activities for Air Transportation employ 64.4% of passenger attendants nationally (17,460 jobs) at a median $36,220 a year ($17.41 an hour), followed by School and Employee Bus Transportation (3.9%) and Facilities Support Services (3.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support Activities for Air Transportation NAICS 488100 | 17,460 | 64.4% | $36,220 | $17.41 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation NAICS 485400 | 1,050 | 3.9% | $31,480 | $15.13 |
| Facilities Support Services NAICS 561200 | 1,000 | 3.7% | $41,590 | $19.99 |
| Rail Transportation NAICS 482100 | 900 | 3.3% | $43,780 | $21.05 |
| Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation NAICS 485900 | 890 | 3.3% | $39,460 | $18.97 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (27,110). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $30,470 for passenger attendants in May 2021 and $37,720 in May 2025, with employment of 21,240 and 27,110.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $30,470 | $14.65 | 21,240 |
| May 2022 | $34,630 | $16.65 | 13,200 |
| May 2023 | $35,620 | $17.12 | 20,190 |
| May 2024 | $37,560 | $18.06 | 25,340 |
| May 2025 | $37,720 | $18.14 | 27,110 |
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
30 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 | Alaska profile | $26.10 | $54,290 | $39,090 | $54,290 | 220 | 0.69 | 3.94 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $25.35 | $52,730 | $41,480 | $54,810 | 710 | 1.01 | 5.79 |
| 3 | Kentucky profile | $21.54 | $44,810 | $37,290 | $44,820 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $20.84 | $43,350 | $35,200 | $45,310 | 1,330 | 0.37 | 2.09 |
| 5 | California profile | $20.84 | $43,340 | $34,480 | $58,100 | 2,810 | 0.15 | 0.89 |
| 6 | Hawaii profile | $20.37 | $42,360 | $30,640 | $52,210 | 610 | 0.97 | 5.55 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $20.08 | $41,760 | $39,700 | $46,680 | 900 | 0.25 | 1.45 |
| 8 | New York profile | $19.99 | $41,590 | $35,910 | $42,990 | 3,190 | 0.33 | 1.89 |
| 9 | Michigan profile | $19.35 | $40,250 | $38,820 | $41,100 | 840 | 0.19 | 1.09 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $19.19 | $39,910 | $33,100 | $43,010 | ** | ** | ** |
| 11 | New Jersey profile | $19.11 | $39,760 | $39,610 | $43,570 | 640 | 0.15 | 0.86 |
| 12 | Illinois profile | $18.72 | $38,930 | $31,480 | $38,930 | 1,700 | 0.28 | 1.60 |
| 13 | Virginia profile | $18.66 | $38,810 | $25,820 | $57,450 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.09 |
| 14 | Colorado profile | $18.05 | $37,550 | $36,700 | $45,440 | 870 | 0.30 | 1.73 |
| 15 | Arizona profile | $17.70 | $36,820 | $34,190 | $40,100 | 250 | 0.08 | 0.45 |
| 16 | North Carolina profile | $17.18 | $35,740 | $30,630 | $53,970 | 110 | 0.02 | 0.13 |
| 17 | Connecticut profile | $16.50 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $50,010 | 110 | 0.06 | 0.36 |
| 18 | Missouri profile | $16.40 | $34,110 | $30,830 | $37,630 | 480 | 0.16 | 0.93 |
| 19 | Maryland profile | $16.04 | $33,350 | $32,490 | $37,530 | 950 | 0.34 | 1.97 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | $15.87 | $33,000 | $32,210 | $41,200 | 500 | 0.08 | 0.48 |
| 21 | Oklahoma profile | $15.83 | $32,920 | $26,270 | $37,120 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.14 |
| 22 | Nevada profile | $15.45 | $32,130 | $27,040 | $40,230 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.35 |
| 23 | Texas profile | $15.02 | $31,230 | $28,290 | $35,700 | 5,170 | 0.37 | 2.11 |
| 24 | Florida profile | $14.27 | $29,680 | $27,390 | $43,780 | 2,590 | 0.26 | 1.50 |
| 25 | South Carolina profile | $13.80 | $28,710 | $26,670 | $48,100 | 120 | 0.05 | 0.29 |
| 26 | Tennessee profile | $13.17 | $27,380 | $21,960 | $37,080 | 300 | 0.09 | 0.53 |
| 27 | Georgia profile | $12.66 | $26,330 | $23,970 | $42,430 | ** | ** | ** |
| 28 | Ohio profile | $12.61 | $26,220 | $25,320 | $55,270 | ** | ** | ** |
| 29 | Utah profile | $12.42 | $25,840 | $24,170 | $30,630 | 370 | 0.21 | 1.23 |
| 30 | Wisconsin profile | $11.85 | $24,650 | $20,850 | $64,180 | 330 | 0.11 | 0.64 |
Part of Transportation and Material Moving 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 53-6061 Passenger Attendants.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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 53-6061, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-6061.00, 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.