Flight Attendants earn a median of $63,580 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 8.8% through 2035, with about 18,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 53-2031
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Flight Attendant in four numbers
- Median pay
- $63,580a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $35KTop 10% $136K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +8.8%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+8.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +8.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 18,500133,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025133.7K
- Projected 2035145.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 133.7K Projected 2035 145.5K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school3.5%
- High school70.3%
- Certificate0.8%
- Some college10.4%
- Associate's2.7%
- Bachelor's12.4%
Highest education held by flight attendants Segment Value Less than high school 3.5% High school 70.3% Certificate 0.8% Some college 10.4% Associate's 2.7% Bachelor's 12.4%
Also advertised as: Flight Attendant, In-Flight Crew Member, Inflight Services Flight Attendant, International Flight Attendant, Purser.
Pay
How much do flight attendants make?
Flight Attendants earn a median of $63,580 a year (about $5,300 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $35,110 and the top 10% more than $136,430 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
By city, pay is highest around New York ($127,220 average).
Every flight attendant in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$63,580
Middle half earn $51,760 to $95,640
- 10th
- $35,110
- 25th
- $51,760
- 75th
- $95,640
- 90th
- $136,430
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,110 |
| 25th | $51,760 |
| Median | $63,580 |
| 75th | $95,640 |
| 90th | $136,430 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
The median is typical for the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840.
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 38% of the 1,741 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.
Pay by state
Which states pay flight attendants the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $126,650 | $117,354 | 12,060 |
| 2Utah | $82,730 | $83,681 | 2,490 |
| 3California | $82,170 | $74,214 | 15,840 |
| 4Georgia | $78,320 | $81,335 | N/A |
| 5Connecticut | $78,180 | $75,456 | 250 |
| 6Washington | $74,090 | $69,235 | N/A |
| 7Michigan | $62,490 | $64,947 | N/A |
| 8Ohio | $62,440 | $67,303 | 990 |
| 9Idaho | $62,200 | $65,135 | N/A |
| 10Illinois | $62,120 | $62,146 | 9,350 |
Job outlook
Is flight attendant a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +8.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Flight Attendants | +8.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Flight Attendants to change 8.8% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.5× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 11,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 18,500 openings are projected each year, 13.8% of the 133,700 jobs that existed in 2025. 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.
AI exposure: high
BLS places this occupation in its high relative AI exposure category, above the middle of the pack: a substantial share of the work overlaps with what AI can do.
Getting in
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
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 Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)70.3%
- Bachelor's Degree12.4%
- Some College Courses10.4%
- Less than a High School Diploma3.5%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree2.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 70.3% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 12.4% |
| Some College Courses | 10.4% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 3.5% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 2.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
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, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where flight attendants work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Scheduled air transportation97%
- Nonscheduled air transportation2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Scheduled air transportation | 97% |
| Nonscheduled air transportation | 2% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking4.1
- Active Listening3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Writing3.0
- Learning Strategies2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.8
- Service Orientation3.8
- Coordination3.6
- Time Management3.1
- Persuasion3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Negotiation2.9
- Instructing2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 |
| Service Orientation | 3.8 |
| Coordination | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Negotiation | 2.9 |
| Instructing | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
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.
The workforce
Who works as a flight attendant?
Women make up 74.1% of flight attendants, against 47.1% of all employed people: a female-dominated occupation.
30.2% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs), so a larger-than-usual share of the workforce reaches retirement age over the next decade. Those exits are counted in the BLS openings figure.
The median worker is 44.7 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 74.1%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 44.7All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 30.2%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 129,000BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of flight attendants | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 74.1% | 47.1% |
| White | 64.6% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 16.5% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 15.2% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 17.3% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 30.2% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 10.9% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a flight attendant?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Flight Attendant |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
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.
- Conventional4.4
- Social4.2
- Realistic4.0
- Enterprising3.6
- Investigative2.0
- Artistic1.3
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Flight Attendant
O*NET related occupations
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Office and Administrative Support
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agent and Travel Clerk
$44,390median a year
Most earn $32K to $78K
+2.5%High school - Transportation and Material Moving
- Personal Care and Service
- Protective Service
- Transportation and Material Moving
- First-Line Supervisor of Passenger Attendants · $62,840 median
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with flight attendants highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator$46,420
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator | $46,420 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within flight attendant
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Flight Attendant appears on
Questions
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.
What is the starting salary for a flight attendant?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of flight attendants earn less than $35,110 a year and the bottom quarter less than $51,760 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Do flight attendants make $100k?
A minority do. $100,000 sits between the 75th percentile ($95,640) and the 90th ($136,430), so roughly 10% to 25% of flight attendants earn more than that (BLS OEWS, May 2025). One state has a median above $100,000: New York ($126,650).
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 kind of flight attendant earns the most?
BLS does not split flight attendants' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $136,430, against a median of $63,580 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are New York ($126,650), Utah ($82,730), California ($82,170). BLS also counts a specialty career inside this occupation (corporate flight attendant), which shares its federal pay figures.
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 or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is flight attendant a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 8.8% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 18,500 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.
Do flight attendants work 40 hours a week?
Most work fewer than 40. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 17% of flight attendants usually work more than 40 hours a week, 29% work exactly 40 and 53% work fewer. 25% say their schedule is regular and 74% irregular. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
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 1,731 careers 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.
What percentage of flight attendants are women?
Women make up 74.1% of flight attendants, against 47.1% of all employed people: a female-dominated occupation. 30.2% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs), so a larger-than-usual share of the workforce reaches retirement age over the next decade. Those exits are counted in the BLS openings figure. The median worker is 44.7 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages.