Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Flight Attendant Salary in Boston, MA

Flight Attendants in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $61,510 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,748 take-home, or $4,062 a month.

Median salary
$61,510
$29.57 per hour
Typical range
$31,730 – $99,390
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Boston, MA
4,310
1.88× national concentration
▼10.4%
Pay trend: The median for flight attendants in Boston, MA fell from $68,650 (May 2024) to $61,510 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 12.8%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median flight attendant salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Flight Attendant in Boston, MA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$48,748
per year · effective tax rate 20.7%
$4,062Monthly
$2,031Twice a month
$1,875Every 2 weeks
$23.44Hourly
  • Federal income tax$5,201
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,814
  • Medicare (1.45%)$892
  • Massachusetts income tax$2,856
  • Take-home pay$48,748

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state

The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Flight Attendant pay by experience in Boston, MA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$31,730$15.25$26,309$2,192
25th percentile$59,520$28.62$47,248$3,937
Median (50th)$61,510$29.57$48,748$4,062
75th percentile$96,520$46.40$72,126$6,010
90th percentile (top earners)$99,390$47.78$74,001$6,167

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $61,510 buys in Boston, MA

Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median flight attendant's $48,748 take-home pay has the buying power of $45,026 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$2,276
56% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,762
68% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,786
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Boston, MA has 1.9× the national concentration of flight attendant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for flight attendants, adjusted for cost of living

Boston, MA ranks #11 of 13 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1New York, NY $127,740$92,080$81,803
2San Francisco, CA $89,430$66,494$57,514
3Los Angeles, CA $79,390$60,495$53,269
4Dallas, TX $61,100$51,274$49,737
5Orlando, FL $59,400$49,908$49,210
6Phoenix, AZ $61,780$50,484$48,864
7Chicago, IL $62,120$49,163$47,457
8Minneapolis, MN $61,230$48,738$46,496
11Boston, MA$61,510$48,748$45,026

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 13 metros →

About the job: flight attendants

Monitor safety of the aircraft cabin. Provide services to airline passengers, explain safety information, serve food and beverages, and respond to emergency incidents.

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
+8.8% (much faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a flight attendant make in Boston, MA?

The median flight attendant salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $61,510 a year, or about $29.57 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $59,520 and $96,520.

What is a flight attendant’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?

On the median $61,510 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $48,748 a year ($4,062 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,856 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.

Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a flight attendant?

Pay here is 3% below the national median of $63,580. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $45,026 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #11 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a flight attendant afford rent in Boston, MA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 56% of a median flight attendant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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Cost of living & all salaries in Boston, MA →