Annual Salaries

• According to the BLS, the average annual salary flight attendants living in the United States was $39,840 in May 2008. The median annual earnings for the occupation were $35,930. The middle 50 percent brought home between $28,420 and $49,910 and the 10 percent of flight attendants who earned the least made less than $20,580. The highest-paid tenth earned more than $65,350.
  
  

Starting Salaries

• According to data from a 2009 salary survey conducted by the Association of Flight Attendants, beginning flight attendants had median annual earnings of $16,191 that year. An April 2010 salary survey by the private company Payscale.com places the median expected hourly wage range of flight attendants at $12.77 through $18.23. However, according to the BLS, the starting salaries of flight attendants can vary from one carrier to the next. Typically, all new hires at a particular airline are paid the same, regardless of past experience as a flight attendant, according to the BLS.
  
  

Work Experience

• The earnings of a flight attendant generally increase with work experience. According to the same salary survey by Payscale.com, flight attendants with between one and four years of work experience can expect to earn between $17.49 and $22.44 hourly. That median expected hourly wage range increases to $23.39 through $30.26 for flight attendants with between five and nine years of work experience. Those who have been on the job between 10 and 19 years bring home between $33.68 and $43.52 hourly.
  
  

Industry

• Another factor that can affect the earnings of flight attendant is type of industry. The vast majority (98 percent) of U.S. flight attendants work in the scheduled air-transportation industry, according to the BLS. This industry encompasses commercial air carriers that depart regularly from airports. Flight attendants in this industry earn $39,730. With an average annual salary of $43,080, flight attendants in the nonscheduled air-transportation industry earn higher incomes. Flight attendants in this industry usually work on private planes. Flight attendants employed by what the BLS classifies as the "management of companies and enterprises" industry are the top earners. They bring home $71,120 and there were only 50 in the country as of May 2008. These flight attendants are generally employed by executives or individuals to accompany them on their flights.
  
  

Perks and Benefits

• Some airline companies pay bonuses to flight attendants for working night, holiday and international flights. Generally, flight attendants receive free or discounted flights on their company's airline. Sometimes, they get discounted flights on other carriers. This privilege is also typically extended to their immediate families. Attendants are entitled to medical and life insurance, retirement packages, paid vacations and stock options. While on the job, flight attendants are compensated for meals and other necessary expenses like dry cleaning.