Passenger Attendants Salary
The median pay for a passenger attendants in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $41,760/year ($20.08/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $37,578 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 83.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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 passenger attendants
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What this looks like in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits well above the national pay line for passenger attendants, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,501/month, which is 84.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for passenger attendants in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $40K | $38K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level passenger attendants (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $6K spread from bottom to top.
Passenger Attendants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Passenger Attendants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $54K | +44% | 220 |
| District of Columbia | $53K | +40% | 710 |
| Kentucky | $45K | +19% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $43K | +15% | 1,330 |
| California | $43K | +15% | 2,810 |
| Hawaii | $42K | +12% | 610 |
| Washington | $42K | +11% | 900 |
| New York | $42K | +10% | 3,190 |
| Michigan | $40K | +7% | 840 |
| Oregon | $40K | +6% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $40K | +5% | 640 |
| Illinois | $39K | +3% | 1,700 |
| Virginia | $39K | +3% | 70 |
| Colorado | $38K | -0% | 870 |
| Arizona | $37K | -2% | 250 |
| North Carolina | $36K | -5% | 110 |
| Connecticut | $34K | -9% | 110 |
| Missouri | $34K | -10% | 480 |
| Maryland | $33K | -12% | 950 |
| Pennsylvania | $33K | -13% | 500 |
| Oklahoma | $33K | -13% | 40 |
| Nevada | $32K | -15% | 90 |
| Texas | $31K | -17% | 5,170 |
| Florida | $30K | -21% | 2,590 |
| South Carolina | $29K | -24% | 120 |
| Tennessee | $27K | -27% | 300 |
| Georgia | $26K | -30% | N/A |
| Ohio | $26K | -30% | N/A |
| Utah | $26K | -31% | 370 |
| Wisconsin | $25K | -35% | 330 |
Showing 1–10 of 30 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track passenger attendants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a passenger attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 84.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for passenger attendants in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new passenger attendants typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,465/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 101% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is passenger attendant a high-paying job in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $42K here vs. $38K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for passenger attendants?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do passenger attendants make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $41,760 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,080, and experienced passenger attendants can clear $46,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,966/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 84.3% 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 passenger attendants salary go in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (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 passenger attendants salary is worth about $37,578 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do passenger attendants 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.