Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers (SOC 39-3031) earn a median $32,910 a year ($15.82 an hour) in the United States, with 121,770 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers do
Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers assist the public at entertainment events. At the entrance they welcome guests, sell or take admission tickets, passes, or memberships, and inspect tickets for authenticity by checking details such as color or issue date. They guide people to seats, resolve seating disputes and other concerns, hunt for lost items, and point out restrooms and telephones. They give extra help to patrons with special needs, such as people in wheelchairs, and in an emergency lead them to the exits and offer instructions. They turn away anyone without a ticket or pass and others considered undesirable, and they clean the facilities. Door attendant, door captain, admittance attendant, and docent are among the listed titles. Attendants at amusement and recreation facilities, rather than at events, have a separate code.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 61 percent).
Also called: Admittance Attendant, Attractions Associate, Concessionist, Docent, Door Attendant.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $11.33 | $13.61 | $15.82 | $17.76 | $20.42 | $15.91 | 121,770 |
| Annual | $23,560 | $28,310 | $32,910 | $36,940 | $42,470 | $33,080 | ||
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 ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers 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 | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.01 | $17.40 | $19.71 | $21.57 | $23.27 | $19.82 | 4,070 | 1.15 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $35,380 | $36,180 | $41,010 | $44,870 | $48,410 | $41,220 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $14.95 | $17.91 | $18.45 | $18.45 | $18.80 | $18.20 | 2,960 | 1.03 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $31,090 | $37,260 | $38,380 | $38,380 | $39,110 | $37,850 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.50 | $17.76 | $18.24 | $18.94 | $22.27 | $19.23 | 770 | 1.10 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $36,940 | $37,930 | $39,380 | $46,330 | $40,010 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.81 | $17.37 | $18.21 | $20.00 | $22.15 | $19.12 | 16,460 | 0.90 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $34,970 | $36,130 | $37,870 | $41,590 | $46,070 | $39,770 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.97 | $16.75 | $17.84 | $20.42 | $22.10 | $18.82 | 6,910 | 0.71 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $33,220 | $34,840 | $37,110 | $42,470 | $45,960 | $39,140 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.81 | $17.37 | $18.21 | $20.00 | $22.15 | $19.12 | 16,460 | 0.90 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $34,970 | $36,130 | $37,870 | $41,590 | $46,070 | $39,770 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $9.69 | $10.87 | $12.79 | $14.65 | $17.36 | $13.18 | 12,270 | 0.87 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $20,150 | $22,600 | $26,610 | $30,480 | $36,120 | $27,420 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.27 | $13.66 | $14.00 | $15.73 | $17.11 | $14.98 | 9,300 | 0.94 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $27,610 | $28,420 | $29,130 | $32,720 | $35,580 | $31,150 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.97 | $16.75 | $17.84 | $20.42 | $22.10 | $18.82 | 6,910 | 0.71 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $33,220 | $34,840 | $37,110 | $42,470 | $45,960 | $39,140 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $10.73 | $12.99 | $14.55 | $16.18 | $16.25 | $14.22 | 5,390 | 1.09 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $22,320 | $27,010 | $30,260 | $33,650 | $33,800 | $29,580 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $18.88 | $19.98 | $21.52 | $21.88 | $23.23 | $21.39 | 960 | 0.85 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $39,270 | $41,550 | $44,760 | $45,510 | $48,320 | $44,490 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $17.16 | $18.40 | $21.28 | $21.57 | $23.33 | $20.47 | 2,960 | 1.42 | 1.81 |
| Annual | $35,690 | $38,280 | $44,250 | $44,870 | $48,530 | $42,580 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $18.78 | $19.24 | $20.61 | $21.49 | $23.74 | $21.16 | 1,880 | 0.79 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $39,060 | $40,020 | $42,860 | $44,700 | $49,370 | $44,010 | ||||
| Bozeman, MT | Hourly | $17.85 | $17.85 | $18.81 | $18.81 | $22.23 | $18.85 | 40 | 0.60 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $37,120 | $37,120 | $39,120 | $39,120 | $46,240 | $39,200 | ||||
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | Hourly | $16.98 | $18.80 | $18.80 | $18.80 | $19.68 | $19.04 | 30 | 0.62 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $35,310 | $39,100 | $39,100 | $39,100 | $40,940 | $39,610 | ||||
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 | $16.50 | $17.30 | $18.42 | $20.25 | $22.10 | $18.93 | 7,290 | 0.77 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $34,330 | $35,980 | $38,310 | $42,110 | $45,960 | $39,380 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.90 | $17.59 | $18.21 | $18.90 | $22.05 | $18.90 | 6,950 | 1.11 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $35,140 | $36,590 | $37,870 | $39,310 | $45,870 | $39,310 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.40 | $16.83 | $16.89 | $18.56 | $16.65 | 4,490 | 0.99 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $32,040 | $35,000 | $35,140 | $38,600 | $34,640 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $10.20 | $11.52 | $13.09 | $15.28 | $17.30 | $13.73 | 4,020 | 0.99 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $21,210 | $23,970 | $27,230 | $31,780 | $35,990 | $28,550 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $13.56 | $13.89 | $14.30 | $15.80 | $17.17 | $15.22 | 3,150 | 1.12 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $28,210 | $28,900 | $29,750 | $32,870 | $35,720 | $31,660 | ||||
Top industries employing ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
Motion Picture and Video Industries employ 43.4% of ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers nationally (52,830 jobs) at a median $30,580 a year ($14.70 an hour), followed by Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (17.5%) and Employment Services (7.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motion Picture and Video Industries NAICS 512100 | 52,830 | 43.4% | $30,580 | $14.70 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events NAICS 711300 | 21,250 | 17.5% | $35,260 | $16.95 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 8,570 | 7.0% | $33,650 | $16.18 |
| Investigation and Security Services NAICS 561600 | 6,680 | 5.5% | $35,150 | $16.90 |
| Spectator Sports NAICS 711200 | 5,840 | 4.8% | $31,200 | $15.00 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (121,770). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $24,440 for ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers in May 2021 and $32,910 in May 2025, with employment of 54,970 and 121,770.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $24,440 | $11.75 | 54,970 |
| May 2022 | $27,650 | $13.29 | 98,350 |
| May 2023 | $29,780 | $14.32 | 117,560 |
| May 2024 | $31,150 | $14.98 | 119,210 |
| May 2025 | $32,910 | $15.82 | 121,770 |
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
50 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 | Washington profile | $19.71 | $41,010 | $35,380 | $48,410 | 4,070 | 1.15 | 1.46 |
| 2 | Colorado profile | $18.45 | $38,380 | $31,090 | $39,110 | 2,960 | 1.03 | 1.31 |
| 3 | District of Columbia profile | $18.24 | $37,930 | $36,400 | $46,330 | 770 | 1.10 | 1.41 |
| 4 | California profile | $18.21 | $37,870 | $34,970 | $46,070 | 16,460 | 0.90 | 1.15 |
| 5 | New York profile | $17.84 | $37,110 | $33,220 | $45,960 | 6,910 | 0.71 | 0.91 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $17.30 | $35,990 | $32,220 | $38,750 | 3,030 | 0.71 | 0.90 |
| 7 | Maine profile | $17.24 | $35,850 | $30,470 | $44,980 | 400 | 0.62 | 0.79 |
| 8 | Connecticut profile | $16.80 | $34,940 | $34,010 | $39,880 | 1,130 | 0.67 | 0.85 |
| 9 | Alaska profile | $16.68 | $34,680 | $28,040 | $49,420 | 180 | 0.55 | 0.70 |
| 10 | Illinois profile | $16.61 | $34,560 | $31,200 | $38,600 | 5,160 | 0.85 | 1.08 |
| 11 | Montana profile | $16.55 | $34,420 | $22,510 | $39,120 | ** | ** | ** |
| 12 | Oregon profile | $16.40 | $34,110 | $30,720 | $42,230 | 1,100 | 0.56 | 0.71 |
| 13 | Rhode Island profile | $16.36 | $34,040 | $31,200 | $42,780 | 340 | 0.67 | 0.86 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | $16.36 | $34,020 | $31,200 | $39,260 | 1,770 | 0.64 | 0.82 |
| 15 | New Hampshire profile | $16.33 | $33,970 | $28,430 | $46,300 | 190 | 0.28 | 0.36 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $16.32 | $33,940 | $32,150 | $43,270 | 2,270 | 0.63 | 0.80 |
| 17 | Minnesota profile | $16.09 | $33,480 | $24,130 | $35,460 | 1,880 | 0.64 | 0.81 |
| 18 | Arizona profile | $15.63 | $32,510 | $30,580 | $37,560 | 3,540 | 1.09 | 1.40 |
| 19 | Missouri profile | $15.55 | $32,350 | $28,600 | $36,570 | 3,010 | 1.02 | 1.31 |
| 20 | Delaware profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $36,920 | 200 | 0.41 | 0.53 |
| 21 | Georgia profile | $14.82 | $30,820 | $21,150 | $36,150 | 2,960 | 0.61 | 0.77 |
| 22 | Hawaii profile | $14.73 | $30,640 | $29,120 | $46,240 | 540 | 0.86 | 1.10 |
| 23 | Tennessee profile | $14.69 | $30,550 | $23,080 | $36,070 | 2,380 | 0.73 | 0.93 |
| 24 | Michigan profile | $14.68 | $30,530 | $25,960 | $37,330 | 3,170 | 0.72 | 0.92 |
| 25 | North Carolina profile | $14.55 | $30,260 | $22,320 | $33,800 | 5,390 | 1.09 | 1.39 |
| 26 | Nevada profile | $14.48 | $30,110 | $28,150 | $43,880 | 3,210 | 2.07 | 2.64 |
| 27 | South Dakota profile | $14.15 | $29,430 | $26,710 | $31,000 | 320 | 0.71 | 0.90 |
| 28 | Idaho profile | $14.12 | $29,360 | $22,880 | $35,120 | 700 | 0.82 | 1.04 |
| 29 | Florida profile | $14.00 | $29,130 | $27,610 | $35,580 | 9,300 | 0.94 | 1.20 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania profile | $14.00 | $29,130 | $21,310 | $36,750 | 4,330 | 0.71 | 0.91 |
| 31 | Wisconsin profile | $13.84 | $28,780 | $22,340 | $36,460 | 2,100 | 0.72 | 0.91 |
| 32 | Virginia profile | $13.74 | $28,580 | $26,720 | $34,140 | 3,130 | 0.76 | 0.97 |
| 33 | Ohio profile | $13.72 | $28,540 | $23,400 | $35,740 | 3,730 | 0.67 | 0.86 |
| 34 | Nebraska profile | $13.59 | $28,260 | $28,080 | $37,110 | 510 | 0.50 | 0.64 |
| 35 | New Mexico profile | $13.57 | $28,230 | $26,900 | $29,510 | 570 | 0.65 | 0.83 |
| 36 | Arkansas profile | $13.49 | $28,050 | $23,810 | $37,430 | 340 | 0.26 | 0.33 |
| 37 | North Dakota profile | $13.39 | $27,840 | $20,290 | $37,190 | 200 | 0.46 | 0.58 |
| 38 | Wyoming profile | $13.37 | $27,800 | $21,320 | $36,750 | 120 | 0.41 | 0.53 |
| 39 | Louisiana profile | $13.34 | $27,750 | $21,750 | $34,790 | 870 | 0.45 | 0.58 |
| 40 | Indiana profile | $13.19 | $27,440 | $20,760 | $44,420 | 1,930 | 0.60 | 0.77 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | $12.83 | $26,690 | $22,590 | $64,300 | 490 | 0.34 | 0.44 |
| 42 | Utah profile | $12.81 | $26,650 | $22,760 | $41,160 | 1,340 | 0.77 | 0.99 |
| 43 | Texas profile | $12.79 | $26,610 | $20,150 | $36,120 | 12,270 | 0.87 | 1.11 |
| 44 | South Carolina profile | $12.73 | $26,490 | $20,800 | $39,520 | 1,300 | 0.56 | 0.72 |
| 45 | Oklahoma profile | $12.62 | $26,260 | $21,370 | $34,100 | 1,450 | 0.85 | 1.08 |
| 46 | Kentucky profile | $12.46 | $25,930 | $18,720 | $33,100 | 1,110 | 0.56 | 0.71 |
| 47 | Iowa profile | $12.37 | $25,720 | $21,390 | $33,220 | 750 | 0.48 | 0.61 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $11.25 | $23,400 | $18,730 | $28,350 | 300 | 0.43 | 0.55 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $10.75 | $22,360 | $19,150 | $31,840 | 770 | 0.37 | 0.47 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $10.37 | $21,570 | $18,720 | $27,450 | 610 | 0.53 | 0.67 |
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 39-3031 Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers.
**- 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 39-3031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-3031.00, 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.