$Who Earns What

How much does a usher make?

US Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers

Answer: A typical usher in the United States makes $32,910 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$32,910

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 122,000 people work in this job. Below the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$23,560
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$32,910
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$42,470
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

37 of 100
not many

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

Usher 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
$23,560$32,910$42,470about 122,000
States where ushers earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Washington$41,010about 4,000
Colorado$38,380about 3,000
District of Columbia$37,930about 770
California$37,870about 16,000
New York$37,110about 7,000

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, pay can differ with experience and skills, the employer and venue, local demand, and extra duties. Many usher schedules are seasonal or irregular, so the number of shifts can also change total earnings.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$32,910
Washington$41,010
Colorado$38,380
District of Columbia$37,930
California$37,870
New York$37,110
Iowa$25,720
Alabama$22,360
Mississippi$21,570

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

What does a usher do?

Assist patrons at entertainment events by performing duties, such as collecting admission tickets and passes from patrons, assisting in finding seats, searching for lost articles, and helping patrons locate such facilities as restrooms and telephones.

What's a typical day like?

Before a show, an usher greets guests, checks tickets, and points them toward seats and restrooms. During the event, they answer questions, help with seating problems or access needs, and guide people to exits in an emergency.

How to get this job

In the U.S., a college degree is not required, and some theater chains accept applicants from age 16. New hires learn ticket checking, guest service, and safety procedures through short on-the-job training.

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

Good for people who like keeping things organized and helping and teaching.

Did you know?

Before cell phones, some U.S. movie ushers had to find audience members in the theater when an urgent phone call came for them.

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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