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

Flight Attendant Salary in Los Angeles, CA

Flight Attendants in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $79,390 a year — 25% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $60,495 take-home, or $5,041 a month.

Median salary
$79,390
$38.17 per hour
Typical range
$48,130 – $113,050
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
10,080
1.90× national concentration
▲2.0%
Pay trend: The median for flight attendants in Los Angeles, CA rose from $77,870 (May 2024) to $79,390 (May 2025). That roughly kept pace with inflation (2.4%).

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median flight attendant salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Flight Attendant in Los Angeles, CA
Deductions, kids & local tax

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

Your take-home pay
$60,495
per year · effective tax rate 23.8%
$5,041Monthly
$2,521Twice a month
$2,327Every 2 weeks
$29.08Hourly
  • Federal income tax$8,636
  • Social Security (6.2%)$4,922
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,151
  • California income tax$3,154
  • CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,032
  • Take-home pay$60,495

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state

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

Flight Attendant pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$48,130$23.14$39,289$3,274
25th percentile$58,790$28.26$47,077$3,923
Median (50th)$79,390$38.17$60,495$5,041
75th percentile$94,380$45.38$69,452$5,788
90th percentile (top earners)$113,050$54.35$80,607$6,717

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

What $79,390 buys in Los Angeles, CA

Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median flight attendant's $60,495 take-home pay has the buying power of $53,269 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$2,245
45% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,755
55% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$2,796
per month for everything else

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

Los Angeles, CA 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

Los Angeles, CA ranks #3 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

*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.

Flight Attendant salaries elsewhere in California

Frequently asked questions

How much does a flight attendant make in Los Angeles, CA?

The median flight attendant salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $79,390 a year, or about $38.17 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $58,790 and $94,380.

What is a flight attendant’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?

On the median $79,390 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $60,495 a year ($5,041 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,186 in California taxes in 2026.

Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a flight attendant?

Pay here is 25% above the national median of $63,580. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $53,269 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #3 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a flight attendant afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 45% 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 Los Angeles, CA →