Find Trade Colleges
Costume Attendants: Career Profile
Select, fit, and take care of costumes for cast members, and aid entertainers. May assist with multiple costume changes during performances.
What Tasks Do Costume Attendants Perform?
Typical responsibilities of costume attendants include:
- Create worksheets for dressing lists, show notes, or costume checks.
- Provide dressing assistance to cast members or assign cast dressers to assist specific cast members with costume changes.
- Arrange costumes in order of use to facilitate quick-change procedures for performances.
- Design or construct costumes or send them to tailors for construction, major repairs, or alterations.
- Examine costume fit on cast members and sketch or write notes for alterations.
- Distribute costumes or related equipment and keep records of item status.
- Check the appearance of costumes on stage or under lights to determine whether desired effects are being achieved.
- Clean and press costumes before and after performances and perform any minor repairs.
What Costume Attendants Need to Know
Successful costume attendants combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Costume Attendants Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Costume Attendant
- Costume Cutter
- Costume Draper
- Costume Dresser
- Costume Mistress
- Costume Seamstress
- Costume Shop Coordinator
- Costume Specialist
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 396,096 costume attendants working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -3.8% over the projection horizon.
Costume Attendants Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $46,757 |
| Hourly median | $22.48 |
| 10th percentile | $29,307 |
| 25th percentile | $38,032 |
| 75th percentile | $55,482 |
| 90th percentile | $64,208 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Costume Attendants Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $80,440 |
| New York | $77,280 |
| Georgia | $68,390 |
| Washington | $62,430 |
| Wisconsin | $59,460 |
| Florida | $59,070 |
| Colorado | $55,270 |
| Hawaii | $55,150 |
| Rhode Island | $49,360 |
| District of Columbia | $48,190 |
| Minnesota | $47,520 |
| Nevada | $47,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,360 |
| Massachusetts | $47,120 |
| Ohio | $46,190 |
| Connecticut | $45,790 |
| Virginia | $44,870 |
| Illinois | $44,690 |
| New Jersey | $44,530 |
| Tennessee | $43,350 |
| Utah | $39,940 |
| Oregon | $37,840 |
| Arizona | $37,660 |
| North Carolina | $37,640 |
| Texas | $37,160 |
| Missouri | $35,850 |
| Indiana | $34,540 |
| South Carolina | $33,870 |
| Michigan | $29,700 |
| Alabama | $29,450 |
Where Costume Attendants Earn the Most
Compensation for costume attendants differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $72,730 | 38.9% | 2.83 |
| Middle Atlantic | $70,183 | 24.1% | 2.48 |
| Southeast | $52,622 | 12.4% | 0.84 |
| New England | $47,062 | 3.6% | 0.96 |
| Great Lakes | $45,105 | 10.7% | 0.79 |
| Rocky Mountains | $44,448 | 2.8% | 1.31 |
| Plains States | $40,295 | 3.5% | 0.92 |
| Southwest | $37,340 | 4.1% | 0.43 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Costume Attendants
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $101,860 | 1,290 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $82,150 | 30 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $80,550 | 1,060 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | WI | $65,580 | 30 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $62,430 | 130 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | FL | $60,860 | 250 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $60,470 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $58,790 |
Top Industries Employing Costume Attendants
Most costume attendants work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3,590 | $48,190 |
| Information | 1,320 | $102,160 |
| Educational Services | 610 | $46,700 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 510 | $44,900 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 160 | $87,160 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 60 | $118,060 |
Below are examples of industries where costume attendants work:
Software Costume Attendants Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for costume attendants is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
Education and Training
Most costume attendants positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Craft Artists (Supplemental)
- Commercial and Industrial Designers (Supplemental)
- Fashion Designers (Primary-Short)
- Interior Designers (Primary-Long)
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers (Primary-Long)
- Set and Exhibit Designers (Primary-Short)
- Choreographers (Supplemental)
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists (Supplemental)
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 39-3092.00 (Costume Attendants).
TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TradeCollege.org – All Rights Reserved.