$Who Earns What

How much does a costume attendant make?

US Costume Attendants

Answer: A typical costume attendant in the United States makes $50,400 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$50,400

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 7,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$32,150
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$50,400
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$109,520
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

51 of 100
more than half

Costume attendant pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Costume attendant pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$32,150$50,400$109,520about 7,000
States where costume attendants earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
New York$95,230about 950
California$72,030about 2,000
Florida$40,680about 670

Why does pay differ?

In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, sewing and quick-change skills, and how much responsibility the job carries. The kind of production or employer, the city, and how many or what hours you work can also matter.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$50,400
New York$95,230
Georgia$94,890
California$72,030
Washington$64,650
Colorado$57,960
South Carolina$33,510
Michigan$31,920
Texas$28,440

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a costume attendant do?

Select, fit, and take care of costumes for cast members, and aid entertainers. May assist with multiple costume changes during performances.

What's a typical day like?

Before the show, they check costume fit, press or mend outfits, and line each one up in change order. During the performance, they help actors change backstage; afterward, they collect and care for the costumes.

How to get this job

In the U.S., a high school diploma or equivalent is typical; related experience usually isn’t needed, and short on-the-job training teaches the job. Practice sewing and costume care in school or community shows, then apply for wardrobe-assistant work.

High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)

Good for people who like creating and keeping things organized.

Did you know?

On the touring musical Suffs, one backstage costume change was choreographed to happen in just 10 seconds!

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Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY