Flight Attendant Salary in New York, NY
Flight Attendants in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $127,740 a year — 101% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $92,080 take-home, or $7,673 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median flight attendant salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$19,392
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,920
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,852
- New York income tax$6,496
- Take-home pay$92,080
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 5.90% state
Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $4,516 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $87,564 ($7,297 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. 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 New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $52,430 | $25.21 | $42,073 | $3,506 |
| 25th percentile | $80,320 | $38.62 | $61,595 | $5,133 |
| Median (50th) | $127,740 | $61.41 | $92,080 | $7,673 |
| 75th percentile | $163,750 | $78.73 | $114,568 | $9,547 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $165,290 | $79.47 | $115,530 | $9,627 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $127,740 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median flight attendant's $92,080 take-home pay has the buying power of $81,803 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
New York, NY has 2.2× 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
New York, NY ranks #1 of 13 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $127,740 | $92,080 | $81,803 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $89,430 | $66,494 | $57,514 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $79,390 | $60,495 | $53,269 |
| 4 | Dallas, TX | $61,100 | $51,274 | $49,737 |
| 5 | Orlando, FL | $59,400 | $49,908 | $49,210 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,780 | $50,484 | $48,864 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $62,120 | $49,163 | $47,457 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, 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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a flight attendant make in New York, NY?
The median flight attendant salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $127,740 a year, or about $61.41 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $80,320 and $163,750.
What is a flight attendant’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $127,740 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $92,080 a year ($7,673 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $6,496 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a flight attendant?
Pay here is 101% above the national median of $63,580. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $81,803 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #1 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a flight attendant afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 31% of a median flight attendant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in New York, NY
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- Transportation Inspector — $93,420
- Subway and Streetcar Operator — $90,140
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster — $80,000
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $78,130
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $71,510
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector — $65,310
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $65,040
- Bus Drivers, School — $59,790
- Light Truck Driver — $47,440
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,930
- Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other — $45,850