Costume Attendants Career | Salary | Job Trend

For decades, thousands of job seekers have used the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) and its associated assessments to help them identify fulfilling careers. The Strong Interest Inventory Assessment provides insights through a two-step process. First, job seekers take a robust assessment consisting of 291 questions that analyzes their preferences in a range of areas, from workplace environment to degree of professional independence to subject matter and beyond. This interest inventory analyzes the results and compares them to a database of professionals from countless different careers. It uses this analysis to direct job seekers towards specific careers as well as one or more of six career categories based on their revealed preferences. People with a proclivity for office settings, organization, and structure tend to be good fits for Conventional career types.

Strong Interest Inventory® Conventional Theme Code Costume Attendants

Read about a career as a costume attendant, including information such as costume attendant salary, daily tasks, and other career information.

Costume Attendants are considered Conventional careers because they are responsible for the selection, care, storage, and organization of costumes. In contrast to costume designers, which are considered Artistic careers because of their creative aspects, Costume Attendants are Conventional because of their logistical focus. During performances and rehearsals themselves, Costume Attendants must assist cast members with costume changes. However, a significant amount of preparation is involved in ensuring that the cast has what they need when they need it. The job involves close collaboration with production and costume designers as well as other production staff to plan the costuming details. Once a master list of needs has been created, Costume Attendants compare needs to the troupe’s existing inventory, identify any purchases that need to be made, and procure necessary materials while staying within budget.

During the costume design process and after each performance, Costume Attendants must examine each costume component, both backstage and under stage lights, to ensure it is in good condition. They also assess costume fit, note any necessary alterations or changes, coordinate repairs and alterations as needed, and oversee cleaning and ironing between shows. Typically, they are responsible for returning any rented or borrowed items in a timely fashion. Costume Attendants may also handle other logistical responsibilities relating to costuming or dressing. For example, they may need to assign lockers or dressing stations, create worksheets and checklists for dressing lists and costume checks, arrange costumes in order of use so performers can change quickly, and participate in hiring and training other staff and vendors.

Costume Attendants do not typically have extensive higher education. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 32% of Costume Attendants hold a high school diploma or equivalent, 30% hold a bachelor’s degree, and 15% have completed some higher education without completing a degree. Instead, they develop their expertise through on-the-job training and apprenticeships, often starting in a school or community theater and then progressively working on larger and more profitable productions. Successful Costume Attendants have a strong understanding of production and organization, design, and customer and personal service. They need to be comfortable collaborating and communicating with other people in oral and written English, as well as any other relevant languages. While extensive technological experience is not necessary, Costume Attendants should be comfortable with standard communications and office software (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, web browsers, e-mail) and hardware (computers, tablets, smartphones, digital organizers, etc.). They should also be familiar with the jargon specific to their performance context and troupe. For instance, they need to understand a request to “move upstage” or “put the hat backstage on house left.”

The median salary for Costume Attendants in the United States is $23.00 per hour, which comes to $47,850 per year. However, there is significant variation based on the profitability of the entertainment and performance industry in different areas. For example, the median in New York is over $60,000, with the top 10% of Costume Attendants earning over $125,000 per year. The median in California is also high, though it drops off quickly, and the top 10% levels off just above $77,000. In contrast, states with less profitable entertainment industries like Florida and Arizona have median incomes closer to $35,000. Employment rates are also important to consider. Some 5,400 Costume Attendants are employed in the US today, and that number is projected to grow by over 15% in the next decade.

Below are some employment trends for Costume Attendants: