Flight Attendant Salary in San Francisco, CA
Flight Attendants in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median $89,430 a year — 41% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $66,494 take-home, or $5,541 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median flight attendant salary in San Francisco, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$10,845
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,545
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,297
- California income tax$4,087
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,163
- Take-home pay$66,494
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 San Francisco, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $52,700 | $25.34 | $42,628 | $3,552 |
| 25th percentile | $60,890 | $29.27 | $48,611 | $4,051 |
| Median (50th) | $89,430 | $43.00 | $66,494 | $5,541 |
| 75th percentile | $110,310 | $53.03 | $78,970 | $6,581 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $141,700 | $68.13 | $97,327 | $8,111 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $89,430 buys in San Francisco, CA
Prices in San Francisco, CA are 15.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.95× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median flight attendant's $66,494 take-home pay has the buying power of $57,514 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Francisco, CA 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
San Francisco, CA ranks #2 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.
Flight Attendant salaries elsewhere in California
- Los Angeles, CA — $79,390
Frequently asked questions
How much does a flight attendant make in San Francisco, CA?
The median flight attendant salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $89,430 a year, or about $43.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $60,890 and $110,310.
What is a flight attendant’s take-home pay in San Francisco, CA?
On the median $89,430 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $66,494 a year ($5,541 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,250 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to work as a flight attendant?
Pay here is 41% above the national median of $63,580. Local prices are 15.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $57,514 would in a typical U.S. city. San Francisco, CA ranks #2 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a flight attendant afford rent in San Francisco, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Francisco, CA is $2,620 a month ($3,187 for two bedrooms) — 47% of a median flight attendant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Francisco, CA
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers — $239,200+
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $78,900
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $73,950
- Bus Drivers, School — $73,680
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $66,450
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $59,240
- Light Truck Driver — $50,820
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $48,400
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $48,370
- Stocker and Order Filler — $45,130
- Parking Attendant — $44,480
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $44,350