Flight Attendant Salary: How Much Do Flight Attendants Make?
Median pay, percentiles and employment for flight attendants — nationally, in all 50 states, and by metro.
Short answer: the median flight attendant salary in the United States is $63,580 a year. The middle of the market runs $51,760 to $95,640, and the 10th to 90th percentile spans $35,110 to $136,430. Location matters more than most people expect: the median is $126,650 in New York and $39,520 in Pennsylvania — a $87,130 gap for the same job. About 131,650 people work as flight attendants nationally.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Public-domain federal data, surveyed from employers.
Flight Attendant salary by state
Annual wages for Flight Attendants (BLS occupation code 53-2031). Percentiles show the spread within each state.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $32,390 | $61,780 | $81,860 | 4,590 |
| California | $48,130 | $82,170 | $129,290 | 15,840 |
| Colorado | $31,510 | $59,500 | $95,640 | 7,110 |
| Connecticut | $53,990 | $78,180 | $134,050 | 250 |
| Florida | $27,790 | $47,320 | $90,260 | 13,220 |
| Georgia | $62,410 | $78,320 | $127,390 | — |
| Idaho | $62,200 | $62,200 | $130,060 | — |
| Illinois | $40,040 | $62,120 | $98,810 | 9,350 |
| Massachusetts | $31,730 | $61,510 | $99,390 | 4,390 |
| Michigan | $61,270 | $62,490 | $129,070 | — |
| Minnesota | $30,010 | $61,230 | $96,710 | 4,050 |
| Nevada | $31,120 | $51,800 | $75,130 | 4,040 |
| New York | $52,430 | $126,650 | $163,750 | 12,060 |
| Ohio | $26,590 | $62,440 | $95,510 | 990 |
| Oregon | $30,930 | $61,480 | $96,790 | 980 |
| Pennsylvania | $25,960 | $39,520 | $65,370 | 2,290 |
| Texas | $28,800 | $58,220 | $77,740 | 13,470 |
| Utah | $49,830 | $82,730 | $133,230 | 2,490 |
| Virginia | not released | not released | not released | 3,900 |
| Washington | $48,050 | $74,090 | $135,320 | — |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. “Not released” means BLS suppressed the estimate, usually because the state sample was too small — this page shows that rather than guessing. Suppressed in: Virginia.
Highest-paying metro areas for flight attendants
| Metro area | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $127,740 | $165,290 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89,430 | $141,700 |
| Columbus, OH | $83,450 | $95,510 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $82,730 | $133,230 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $79,390 | $113,050 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $78,320 | $127,390 |
| Tucson, AZ | $75,610 | $135,450 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $75,100 | $135,320 |
| Richmond, VA | $72,600 | $125,710 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $67,140 | $128,220 |
Top 10 of the 393 metro areas BLS publishes. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average flight attendant salary?
The median flight attendant salary in the United States is $63,580 a year as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of flight attendants earn more than that and half earn less. The 10th percentile is $35,110 and the 90th percentile is $136,430.
Which state pays flight attendants the most?
New York, with a median of $126,650. The lowest of the states BLS publishes is Pennsylvania at $39,520, a gap of $87,130. Higher-paying states also tend to have higher housing costs, so compare take-home pay and rent rather than the headline figure alone.
How much do flight attendants make an hour?
BLS reports this occupation on an annual basis; it does not publish a median hourly wage above $115.00.
Is this data self-reported?
No. These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which collects wage data from employers rather than from workers submitting their own salaries. It is public-domain federal data.