39 Series · SOC 39-3092
Costume Attendants Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $50,400
- Median / year
- $109,520
- Top 10% earn
- +5.9%
- Growth '23–'33
- 6,510
- US workers
Costume Attendants earn a median of $50,400 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $50,400, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $32,150 (10th percentile) to $109,520 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 6,510 US workers. New York pays the most ($95,230), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Costume Attendants earn a median of $50,400, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 34% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Personal Care and Service, it ranks #5 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.9% by 2033.
- $50,400
- Median annual wage
- Top 66%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #5 of 32
- in Personal Care and Service
- 3.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New York at $95,230. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Costume Attendants (SOC 39-3092) pays a national median of $50,400 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $32,150 at the 10th percentile to $109,520 at the 90th, with a mean of $63,440 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 6,510 Americans work in this occupation across 30 reporting states and 34 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New York pays the highest state median at $95,230, which is +89% above the national figure. The top metro is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $106,810 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$50,400
per year
Median Hourly
$24.23/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$63,440
average
Employment
6,510
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Costume Attendants pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$50,400 Bottom 34% higher than 34% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 39-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Costume Attendants; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 39-series occupations with growth data, Costume Attendants sits on the faster-growing side at +5.9% growth and $50,400 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.9%
About average
Annual Openings
1,800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
2/100
Danger Index
8.8/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Costume Attendants roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Create worksheets for dressing lists, show notes, or costume checks.
- ▸ Provide dressing assistance to cast members or assign cast dressers to assist specific cast members with costume changes.
- ▸ Arrange costumes in order of use to facilitate quick-change procedures for performances.
- ▸ Design or construct costumes or send them to tailors for construction, major repairs, or alterations.
- ▸ Examine costume fit on cast members and sketch or write notes for alterations.
- ▸ Distribute costumes or related equipment and keep records of item status.
- ▸ Check the appearance of costumes on stage or under lights to determine whether desired effects are being achieved.
- ▸ Clean and press costumes before and after performances and perform any minor repairs.
- ▸ Collaborate with production designers, costume designers, or other production staff to discuss and execute costume design details.
- ▸ Monitor, maintain, or secure inventories of costumes, wigs, or makeup, providing keys or access to assigned directors, costume designers, or wardrobe mistresses/masters.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$32,150
25th Percentile
$38,610
Median
$50,400
75th Percentile
$77,680
90th Percentile
$109,520
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 30 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $95,230 | +89% above national |
| 2 | Georgia | $94,890 | +88% above national |
| 3 | California | $72,030 | +43% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $64,650 | +28% above national |
| 5 | Colorado | $57,960 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Hawaii | $57,660 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Nevada | $55,640 | +10% above national |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $55,190 | +10% above national |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $53,290 | +6% above national |
| 10 | Minnesota | $52,000 | +3% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $51,680 | +3% above national |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $50,270 | same as national |
| 13 | Illinois | $49,170 | 2% below national |
| 14 | Utah | $47,850 | 5% below national |
| 15 | Virginia | $46,790 | 7% below national |
| 16 | Ohio | $46,330 | 8% below national |
| 17 | Tennessee | $45,220 | 10% below national |
| 18 | New Jersey | $45,010 | 11% below national |
| 19 | Connecticut | $44,550 | 12% below national |
| 20 | Missouri | $40,800 | 19% below national |
| 21 | Florida | $40,680 | 19% below national |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $38,470 | 24% below national |
| 23 | Arizona | $37,430 | 26% below national |
| 24 | Kentucky | $37,240 | 26% below national |
| 25 | Alabama | $35,910 | 29% below national |
| 26 | Indiana | $34,160 | 32% below national |
| 27 | North Carolina | $33,920 | 33% below national |
| 28 | South Carolina | $33,510 | 34% below national |
| 29 | Michigan | $31,920 | 37% below national |
| 30 | Texas | $28,440 | 44% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 34 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $106,810 | +112% above national |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $95,230 | +89% above national |
| 3 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $94,900 | +88% above national |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $69,930 | +39% above national |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $65,460 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $59,420 | +18% above national |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $59,260 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $56,690 | +12% above national |
| 9 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $56,000 | +11% above national |
| 10 | Columbus, OH | $55,310 | +10% above national |
| 11 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $52,000 | +3% above national |
| 12 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $51,280 | +2% above national |
| 13 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $50,020 | 1% below national |
| 14 | Pittsburgh, PA | $49,660 | 1% below national |
| 15 | Lancaster, PA | $49,600 | 2% below national |
| 16 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $49,180 | 2% below national |
| 17 | Cleveland, OH | $48,780 | 3% below national |
| 18 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $47,160 | 6% below national |
| 19 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $45,750 | 9% below national |
| 20 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $45,010 | 11% below national |
| 21 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $44,280 | 12% below national |
| 22 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $43,780 | 13% below national |
| 23 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $43,620 | 13% below national |
| 24 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $41,440 | 18% below national |
| 25 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $40,800 | 19% below national |
| 26 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $40,440 | 20% below national |
| 27 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $39,800 | 21% below national |
| 28 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $39,730 | 21% below national |
| 29 | Madison, WI | $39,190 | 22% below national |
| 30 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $35,100 | 30% below national |
| 31 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $33,510 | 34% below national |
| 32 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $27,090 | 46% below national |
| 33 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $26,380 | 48% below national |
| 34 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $24,410 | 52% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 39 (personal care and service) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Costume Attendants make? ▼
What state pays Costume Attendants the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Costume Attendants? ▼
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Is Costume Attendants a good career? ▼
How does Costume Attendants pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Costume Attendants pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $77,680/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New York leads at $95,230/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.