Flight Attendant salary in the U.S.
Flight Attendants in the U.S. earn a median of $63,580 a year, based on BLS data for 131,650 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,110 for the lowest-paid 10% to $136,430 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $77,440, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for flight attendants in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,110 |
| 25th percentile | $51,760 |
| Median | $63,580 |
| 75th percentile | $95,640 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $136,430 |
| Average (mean) | $77,440 |
Half of flight attendants earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,298.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,649.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,445.38 |
| Weekly | $1,222.69 |
BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because flight attendants are usually paid a salary and may not work a full 2,080-hour year. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Flight Attendant salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $126,650 | 12,060 |
| Utah | $82,730 | 2,490 |
| California | $82,170 | 15,840 |
| Georgia | $78,320 | n/a |
| Connecticut | $78,180 | 250 |
| Washington | $74,090 | n/a |
| Michigan | $62,490 | n/a |
| Ohio | $62,440 | 990 |
| Idaho | $62,200 | n/a |
| Illinois | $62,120 | 9,350 |
| Arizona | $61,780 | 4,590 |
| Massachusetts | $61,510 | 4,390 |
| Oregon | $61,480 | 980 |
| Minnesota | $61,230 | 4,050 |
| Colorado | $59,500 | 7,110 |
| Texas | $58,220 | 13,470 |
| Nevada | $51,800 | 4,040 |
| Florida | $47,320 | 13,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,520 | 2,290 |
Best-paying metro areas for flight attendants
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $127,740 | 18,030 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89,430 | 4,420 |
| Columbus, OH | $83,450 | 290 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $82,730 | n/a |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $79,390 | 10,080 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $78,320 | n/a |
| Tucson, AZ | $75,610 | n/a |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $75,100 | n/a |
| Richmond, VA | $72,600 | 40 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $67,140 | n/a |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $64,890 | 1,440 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $63,580 | 3,750 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $62,770 | 150 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $62,490 | n/a |
| Boise City, ID | $62,200 | n/a |
Metro areas with the most flight attendants
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 18,030 | $127,740 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 10,080 | $79,390 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 9,240 | $62,120 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 8,100 | $47,320 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 7,680 | $61,100 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 6,930 | $59,500 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 4,510 | $61,780 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 4,420 | $89,430 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,310 | $61,510 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,060 | $61,230 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 3,960 | $51,800 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,750 | $63,580 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 3,410 | $59,400 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,810 | $39,520 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,440 | $64,890 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $232,140 | — |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 | — |
| Air Traffic Controller | $148,080 | $71.19 |
| Airfield Operations Specialist | $56,850 | $27.33 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $40,240 | $19.35 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,330 | $17.95 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | $28.19 |
| Light Truck Driver | $44,860 | $21.57 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $46,420 | $22.32 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $62,890 | $30.23 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $36,280 | $17.44 |
| Driver/Sales Worker | $38,770 | $18.64 |
| Bus Drivers, School | $47,920 | $23.04 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $35,830 | $17.23 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-2031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a flight attendant make in the U.S.?
The median salary for flight attendants in the U.S. is $63,580 a year. Pay ranges from $35,110 for the lowest-paid 10% to $136,430 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid flight attendants make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of flight attendants in the U.S. earn at least $136,430 a year. The top 25% earn $95,640 or more.
What is the starting pay for flight attendants in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,110 a year, and a quarter of flight attendants earn $51,760 or less.
How many flight attendants work in the U.S.?
About 131,650 flight attendants are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.