Passenger Attendants: Career Overview
Provide services to ensure the safety of passengers aboard ships, buses, trains, or within the station or terminal. Perform duties such as explaining the use of safety equipment, serving meals or beverages, or answering questions related to travel.
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What Tasks Do Passenger Attendants Perform?
Typical responsibilities of passenger attendants include:
- Secure passengers for transportation by buckling seatbelts or fastening wheelchairs with tie-down straps.
- Provide boarding assistance to elderly, sick, or injured people.
- Respond to passengers' questions, requests, or complaints.
- Determine or facilitate seating arrangements.
Skills and Knowledge
Top passenger attendants draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Airline Lounge Receptionist
- Airport Attendant
- Attendant
- Bath Aide
- Bath Steward
- Bath Stewardess
- Bus Aide
- Bus Assistant
Job Outlook
There are roughly 699,234 passenger attendants working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -0.2% over the projection horizon.
Passenger Attendants Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $33,031 |
| Hourly median | $15.88 |
| 10th percentile | $20,918 |
| 25th percentile | $26,974 |
| 75th percentile | $39,087 |
| 90th percentile | $45,144 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Passenger Attendants Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $54,290 |
| District of Columbia | $52,730 |
| Washington | $45,430 |
| Kentucky | $44,020 |
| Hawaii | $41,760 |
| California | $40,890 |
| New York | $40,470 |
| Oregon | $39,190 |
| Michigan | $39,180 |
| New Jersey | $39,100 |
| Minnesota | $39,080 |
| Florida | $38,810 |
| Georgia | $38,410 |
| Connecticut | $36,590 |
| Colorado | $36,400 |
| Maryland | $36,300 |
| Louisiana | $36,230 |
| Arizona | $35,880 |
| Massachusetts | $35,670 |
| Utah | $33,780 |
| Missouri | $33,500 |
| Maine | $33,410 |
| Oklahoma | $32,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $32,040 |
| Wisconsin | $31,610 |
| Nevada | $31,340 |
| North Carolina | $30,490 |
| Texas | $30,330 |
| Illinois | $29,120 |
| Virginia | $28,610 |
| South Carolina | $27,040 |
| Tennessee | $26,720 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for passenger attendants vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $41,966 | 22.8% | 2.02 |
| Middle Atlantic | $40,882 | 28.7% | 2.45 |
| Southeast | $35,998 | 13.3% | 0.94 |
| New England | $35,631 | 5.8% | 1.58 |
| Rocky Mountains | $33,780 | 0.3% | 0.21 |
| Southwest | $30,735 | 24.0% | 1.98 |
| Great Lakes | $28,397 | 5.2% | 0.84 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Passenger Attendants
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $49,920 | 840 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $45,430 | 520 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $43,710 | 520 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $43,610 | 250 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $43,540 | 140 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $40,460 | 4,180 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | FL | $40,330 | 890 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $38,740 | 130 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of passenger attendants are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 21,180 | $36,450 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 170 | $33,400 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 50 | $28,990 |
| Educational Services | 40 | $37,840 |
Passenger Attendants work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for passenger attendants tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Physical Proximity
- Contact With Others
- Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
- Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
- Spend Time Sitting
Education and Training
Typical passenger attendants positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Orderlies (Supplemental)
- School Bus Monitors (Supplemental)
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop (Supplemental)
- Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers (Supplemental)
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants (Primary-Long)
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops (Primary-Short)
- Concierges (Supplemental)
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks (Supplemental)
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-6061.00 (Passenger Attendants).
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