State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Flight Attendant Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Flight Attendants earn a median of $63,580 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 9.2% through 2034, with about 19,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 53-2031Transportation and Material MovingLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $63,580
- Projected growth
- +9.2%
- Openings a year
- 19,800
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Flight Attendant, In-Flight Crew Member, Inflight Services Flight Attendant, International Flight Attendant, Purser.
How much do Flight Attendants make?
10th percentile$35,110
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$51,760
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$63,580
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$95,640
Upper quartile
90th percentile$136,430
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $63,580 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | N/A |
| Mean annual wage | $77,440 |
| People employed | 131,650 |
Versus all US occupations
At $63,580, Flight Attendants earn 25% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $12,600 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $58,405, this is 9% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $136,430 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,110, a gap of 3.9×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 48% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $126,650, and still leads at $117,354 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Flight Attendants the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $126,650 | $117,354 | 12,060 |
| Utah | $82,730 | $83,681 | 2,490 |
| California | $82,170 | $74,214 | 15,840 |
| Georgia | $78,320 | $81,335 | N/A |
| Connecticut | $78,180 | $75,456 | 250 |
| Washington | $74,090 | $69,235 | N/A |
| Michigan | $62,490 | $64,947 | N/A |
| Ohio | $62,440 | $67,303 | 990 |
| Idaho | $62,200 | $65,135 | N/A |
| Illinois | $62,120 | $62,146 | 9,350 |
Is Flight Attendant a growing career?
Flight Attendants9.2%
All US occupations3.1%
+9.2% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Flight Attendants to change 9.2% over 2024–2034, roughly 3.0× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 12,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 19,800 openings are projected each year, 15.1% of the 130,800 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Demand for air travel, particularly from leisure travelers, will continue to support employment growth for flight attendants. Federal regulations require a minimum number of attendants per flight. These workers will continue to be needed to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers on flights.
How to become a Flight Attendant
There is no degree requirement and no state license. The real sequence is being hired by an airline, completing that carrier's FAA-approved initial training including operating experience, and then holding the FAA Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency — a federal certificate that belongs to you, not the airline, but which the airline has to apply for on your behalf.
The credential path, step by step
- Meet the airline's baseline hiring requirements
Applicants must meet minimum age requirements — typically 18 or 21 — be eligible to work in the United States, hold a valid passport, and pass a background check and drug test. Vision must be correctable to at least 20/40, airlines often set height requirements, and some require a medical evaluation.
- Get a high school diploma and customer-service experience
A high school diploma is typically required; some airlines prefer applicants with college coursework or a degree. Flight attendants typically need 1 or 2 years of service work first — restaurants, hotels, resorts, sales or other close-contact customer roles. Fluency in a foreign language may be needed for international flights.
- Get hired by an airline
This is the actual gate. You cannot obtain the FAA certificate independently: only a part 121 or part 135 carrier operating aircraft with 20 or more seats can put you through the approved training and apply for it.
- Complete the carrier's FAA-approved initial trainingSeveral weeks to a few months
Held at the airline's flight training center and covering emergency procedures, equipment, first aid, regulations and company operations, ending in practice flights and the operating experience required by 14 CFR 121.434. Completing it is a condition of keeping the job.
- Receive the FAA Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency
Your Director of Operations enters the completion record into the FAA Flight Attendant Certification System; the certificate takes effect immediately and the hardcopy arrives in 10 to 14 days, carrying your airplane group rating. It stays yours if you leave the airline.
- Keep it current
Complete annual recurrent training, take new training for each aircraft type you work, and have the carrier add a Group 1 or Group 2 rating to your certificate if you move onto different aircraft.
Exams you have to pass
Airline initial training program examination
To be certified, flight attendants must complete their employer's initial training program and pass an exam. Training covers emergency procedures such as evacuating aircraft, operating emergency equipment and administering first aid, plus flight regulations, company operations and job duties, and ends with practice flights.
Administered by The employing air carrier, under its FAA-approved training program.
- Program accreditation
FAA-approved flight attendant training program
The certificate is only issued after the carrier's Director of Operations confirms you have successfully completed all requirements of the FAA-approved training program, including operating experience. The certificate is effective immediately when the FAA receives that record, and a hardcopy is mailed within 10 to 14 days.
- How long the training takes
Several weeks to a few months
Airline initial training typically lasts several weeks to a few months at the airline's flight training center, and completing it is required both for the job and for FAA certification.
- Continuing education
Required to stay credentialed
Flight attendants receive recurrent training every year to maintain their certification, plus additional on-the-job training as their employer requires. New training is needed for each aircraft type worked, and adding a new airplane group rating requires the carrier to update the FAA record.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
This is a federal certificate, not a state license, and the standard is the same everywhere in the US. The Vision 100 Act applies to flight attendants working in the cabin of aircraft with 20 or more seats operated by part 121 and part 135 air carriers; the FAA will not issue the certificate to anyone outside that definition. The certificate is the property of the individual flight attendant, not the carrier, and the airline's name is not printed on it — so it is not carrier-specific. What it is specific to is the airplane group: Group 1 (propeller-driven) or Group 2 (turbojet-powered) as defined in 14 CFR 121.400. Changing airlines means completing the new carrier's training and having it update the FAA record; training on an additional airplane group results in a new certificate showing both ratings. Flight attendants need not carry the certificate but must produce it to the FAA, NTSB or another federal agency within a reasonable time, which the FAA defines as 15 days.
Who governs the credential
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) — Issues the Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency and approves the training programs air carriers run. Congress created the requirement in the Vision 100 — Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act: since December 11, 2004 no person may serve as a flight attendant on an air carrier aircraft unless they hold the certificate.
- The employing air carrier — Delivers the FAA-approved initial training and, through its Director of Operations, applies for your certificate by entering a record into the FAA Flight Attendant Certification System once you have completed all requirements including the operating experience required by 14 CFR 121.434.
Credential detail for flight attendants is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Flight Attendants, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- Federal Aviation Administration — Flight Attendant Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Flight attendants receive training from their employer and must be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Flight attendants typically need a high school diploma or the equivalent and work experience in customer service.
Applicants must meet minimum age requirements, typically 18 or 21; be eligible to work in the United States; have a valid passport; and pass a background check and drug test. They must have vision that is correctable to at least 20/40 and often need to conform to height requirements set by the airline. Flight attendants also may have to pass a medical evaluation.
Flight attendants should present a professional appearance, which may be defined by the employer.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | Less than 5 years |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as flight attendants.
- High School Diploma70.3%
- Bachelor's Degree12.4%
- Some College Courses10.4%
- Less than a High School Diploma3.5%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)2.7%
What does a Flight Attendant do?
Monitor safety of the aircraft cabin. Provide services to airline passengers, explain safety information, serve food and beverages, and respond to emergency incidents.
Flight attendants provide routine services and respond to emergencies to ensure the safety and comfort of airline passengers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Verify that first aid kits and other emergency equipment, including fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles, are in working order.
- Announce and demonstrate safety and emergency procedures, such as the use of oxygen masks, seat belts, and life jackets.
- Walk aisles of planes to verify that passengers have complied with federal regulations prior to takeoffs and landings.
- Prepare passengers and aircraft for landing, following procedures.
- Attend preflight briefings concerning weather, altitudes, routes, emergency procedures, crew coordination, lengths of flights, food and beverage services offered, and numbers of passengers.
- Reassure passengers when situations, such as turbulence, are encountered.
- Check to ensure that food, beverages, blankets, reading material, emergency equipment, and other supplies are aboard and are in adequate supply.
- Greet passengers boarding aircraft and direct them to assigned seats.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Flight attendants may have variable schedules, and part-time work is common. They often work nights, weekends, and holidays because airlines operate every day and have overnight flights. They may spend several nights per week or per month away from home. In most cases, a contract between the airline and the flight attendant union determines the total daily and monthly workable hours.
On-duty shifts per day may vary from 4 to 18 hours or longer, such as for international flights. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires specific hours of rest between duty periods based on the duration of a completed duty period. Each month, flight attendants may fly a specified number of hours and generally spend another specified number of hours on the ground preparing flights, writing reports, and waiting for aircraft to arrive.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Physical demands
- On their feet more than half the working day
- Regular bending or twisting
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
- Dealing with customers or the public is very important
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
- Handling conflict situations at least monthly
- Mistakes carry very serious consequences
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where flight attendants work
| Scheduled air transportation | 97% |
|---|---|
| Nonscheduled air transportation | 1% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Speaking4.1/5
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Monitoring3.9/5
- Reading Comprehension3.1/5
- Critical Thinking3.1/5
- Active Learning3.1/5
- Writing3.0/5
- Learning Strategies2.8/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.8/5
- Service Orientation3.8/5
- Coordination3.6/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Persuasion3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Negotiation2.9/5
- Instructing2.9/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Computer based training software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Flight Attendant?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary4.0
Investigative2.0
Artistic1.3
Socialprimary4.2
Enterprising3.6
Conventionalprimary4.4
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Flight Attendant: frequently asked questions
How much do Flight Attendants make?
Flight Attendants earn a median of $63,580 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 25% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. The middle half earn between $51,760 and $95,640. The top 10% earn $136,430 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Flight Attendant?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Flight Attendants. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 70.3% hold high school diploma.
Is Flight Attendant a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 9.2% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 19,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Flight Attendant do?
Flight attendants provide routine services and respond to emergencies to ensure the safety and comfort of airline passengers. A core O*NET task: verify that first aid kits and other emergency equipment, including fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles, are in working order. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Flight Attendants the most?
The highest state medians for Flight Attendants are New York ($126,650), Utah ($82,730), California ($82,170) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Flight Attendant?
O*NET scores Flight Attendants highest on the Conventional, Social and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ESTJ, ISFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Flight Attendant?
Several weeks to a few months. Airline initial training typically lasts several weeks to a few months at the airline's flight training center, and completing it is required both for the job and for FAA certification.
Do you need a license to work as a Flight Attendant?
Not a state license. This is a federal certificate, not a state license, and the standard is the same everywhere in the US. The Vision 100 Act applies to flight attendants working in the cabin of aircraft with 20 or more seats operated by part 121 and part 135 air carriers; the FAA will not issue the certificate to anyone outside that definition. The certificate is the property of the individual flight attendant, not the carrier, and the airline's name is not printed on it — so it is not carrier-specific. What it is specific to is the airplane group: Group 1 (propeller-driven) or Group 2 (turbojet-powered) as defined in 14 CFR 121.400. Changing airlines means completing the new carrier's training and having it update the FAA record; training on an additional airplane group results in a new certificate showing both ratings. Flight attendants need not carry the certificate but must produce it to the FAA, NTSB or another federal agency within a reasonable time, which the FAA defines as 15 days.
What exams and certifications apply to a Flight Attendant?
The Airline initial training program examination. To be certified, flight attendants must complete their employer's initial training program and pass an exam. Training covers emergency procedures such as evacuating aircraft, operating emergency equipment and administering first aid, plus flight regulations, company operations and job duties, and ends with practice flights.