Passenger Attendant Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of passenger attendants to grow 6.0% from 2025 to 2035 (about 1,600 more jobs), with about 4,300 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $37,720 a year ranks 760th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +6.0%
- Openings a year
- 4,300
- Median pay
- $37,720
- Pay rank
- 760th of 825
Is employment of passenger attendants growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of passenger attendants to rise 6.0% (about 1,600 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +4.3% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 50 transportation and material moving occupations with a projection. That change ranks 163rd of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 27,200 |
| Employment, 2035 | 28,900 |
| Projected change | +6.0% |
| Openings a year | 4,300 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 27,200 jobs here differ from the 27,110 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 4,300 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 404th most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 160 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for passenger attendants rank?
The median of $37,720 a year ranks 760th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: short-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Attendants | +8.8% | 18,500 | $63,580 |
| Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | +4.1% | 21,100 | $59,050 |
| Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | +7.1% | 35,500 | $37,290 |
| Parking Attendants | +2.0% | 16,400 | $35,150 |
| Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | +0.9% | 3,000 | $78,000 |
| Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | +9.2% | 900 | $58,170 |
| Subway and Streetcar Operators | +3.7% | 900 | $86,380 |
| Airfield Operations Specialists | +7.8% | 1,500 | $56,850 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.