Baggage Porters and Bellhops Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, baggage porters and bellhops earn $38,700 at the median, or about $18.6 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $35,544 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 84.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About baggage porters and bellhops
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Baggage porters and bellhops pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 84.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for baggage porters and bellhops in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $35K | $33K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $31K | $32K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level baggage porters and bellhops (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Baggage Porters and Bellhops pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Baggage Porters and Bellhops salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $49K | +31% | 3,610 |
| Hawaii | $42K | +14% | 1,370 |
| New Jersey | $41K | +11% | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $41K | +11% | 1,300 |
| Washington | $41K | +11% | 270 |
| Oregon | $41K | +10% | 240 |
| Illinois | $40K | +9% | 1,480 |
| California | $40K | +8% | 2,940 |
| Colorado | $39K | +6% | 410 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +3% | 380 |
| Kentucky | $38K | +2% | 260 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +1% | 130 |
| Nevada | $37K | -1% | 2,170 |
| Maine | $37K | -1% | 60 |
| Arizona | $37K | -1% | 490 |
| Virginia | $37K | -1% | 800 |
| Vermont | $36K | -2% | 90 |
| Maryland | $36K | -2% | 520 |
| Wyoming | $36K | -2% | 60 |
| Rhode Island | $34K | -7% | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $34K | -8% | 700 |
| Nebraska | $34K | -9% | 70 |
| Idaho | $34K | -10% | 70 |
| North Carolina | $33K | -11% | 650 |
| Alaska | $32K | -13% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $32K | -14% | 570 |
| Wisconsin | $31K | -16% | 310 |
| Arkansas | $31K | -16% | 60 |
| Iowa | $31K | -16% | 30 |
| Texas | $31K | -16% | 1,050 |
| Michigan | $31K | -17% | 410 |
| Florida | $31K | -17% | 4,430 |
| Montana | $31K | -17% | 40 |
| Missouri | $31K | -17% | 260 |
| Utah | $31K | -17% | 240 |
| New Mexico | $30K | -19% | 90 |
| Georgia | $29K | -22% | 370 |
| Ohio | $28K | -24% | 80 |
| Indiana | $28K | -25% | 140 |
| Kansas | $28K | -25% | 30 |
| New Hampshire | $28K | -26% | 50 |
| South Dakota | $27K | -26% | 40 |
| Louisiana | $26K | -29% | 690 |
| Oklahoma | $26K | -29% | 130 |
| South Carolina | $26K | -30% | 330 |
| Alabama | $25K | -32% | 60 |
| West Virginia | $24K | -35% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $23K | -39% | 220 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track baggage porters and bellhops salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a baggage porters and bellhop afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 84.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for baggage porters and bellhops in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new baggage porters and bellhops typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,106/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 107% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is baggage porters and bellhop a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for baggage porters and bellhops?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do baggage porters and bellhops make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $38,700 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,100, and experienced baggage porters and bellhops can clear $45,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,657/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 84.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a baggage porters and bellhops salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median baggage porters and bellhops salary is worth about $35,544 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do baggage porters and bellhops get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.