🎭
Theater and Performing Arts
Disney Theatrical Group, Roundabout Theatre Company, The Public Theater
Costume Attendants
Costume attendants keep performance clothing ready for the stage: they press, repair, organize, track, and sometimes help build costumes so actors can change quickly and look right under the lights. The job sits between craft work and backstage logistics, which means the tradeoff is clear—your work is visible in every show, but it is also deadline-driven, physical, and tightly tied to production schedules.
Also known as Wardrobe AttendantCostume DresserWardrobe DresserTheatrical Wardrobe AssistantCostume Wardrobe Attendant
Median Salary
$54,810
Mean $65,890
U.S. Workforce
~6K
1.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+5.9%
6.7K to 7.1K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Costume Attendants sits in the Creative category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~6K workers, with a median annual pay of $54,810 and roughly 1.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 6.7 K in 2024 to 7.1K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Wardrobe Assistant and can progress toward Wardrobe Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Garment Steaming, Pressing & Fabric Care, Sewing Machines, Hand Stitching & Minor Repairs, and Wardrobe Inventory & Excel Spreadsheets, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Coordination, and Monitoring.
Core Responsibilities
- Clean, steam, press, and do small fixes on costumes before and after performances.
- Arrange outfits and accessories so performers can make fast changes between scenes.
- Check how costumes look on stage and under stage lighting, then adjust them if the effect is off.
- Keep an inventory of costumes, shoes, and accessories and note what needs repair or replacement.
Keep exploring: more Creative careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Clean, steam, press, and do small fixes on costumes before and after performances.
02 Arrange outfits and accessories so performers can make fast changes between scenes.
03 Check how costumes look on stage and under stage lighting, then adjust them if the effect is off.
04 Keep an inventory of costumes, shoes, and accessories and note what needs repair or replacement.
05 Buy, rent, request, return, and store wardrobe items as productions start and finish.
06 Research historical clothing styles or work with tailors to build, alter, or finish costume pieces.
Industries That Hire
🎬
Film and Television Production
Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Netflix
🎢
Live Entertainment and Theme Parks
Disney Parks, Universal Studios, Cirque du Soleil
🩰
Opera, Ballet, and Dance Companies
American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Opera
🏛️
Museums and Historic Attractions
Smithsonian, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Colonial Williamsburg
Pros and Cons
Advantages
+
You can usually start with a high school diploma and short-term on-the-job training, so the entry barrier is relatively low.
+
The work is hands-on and varied, mixing sewing, pressing, organizing, research, and problem-solving instead of the same task all day.
+
Your work is immediately visible when performers look sharp on stage and quick changes run smoothly.
+
Pay is decent for a credential-light creative job, with median annual pay at $54,810 and mean pay at $65,890.
+
The field is small but still steady, with about 1.8K annual openings and projected growth of 5.9% over the next decade.
Challenges
-
The pay ceiling is not especially high for the amount of physical labor and precision the job demands, and the median is still only $54,810.
-
Hours often follow production schedules, so nights, weekends, and last-minute calls are common when a show opens or a costume fails.
-
Growth is modest at 5.9%, and the occupation is projected to add only about 0.4K jobs from 2024 to 2034, so expansion is limited.
-
The work is hard on your body because it involves standing, lifting, sorting, pressing, and repeated hand work.
-
This is a niche backstage role, so opportunities depend heavily on local theater, film, live-event, or museum budgets rather than a broad job market.
Career Progression
Wardrobe Assistant
0-1 years
$30K-$40K
Learns the stockroom, helps prep garments, and handles basic cleaning, sorting, and organization work.
Costume Attendant
1-4 years
$45K-$60K
Manages costume readiness for performances, handles repairs and fittings, and keeps quick-change pieces in order.
Senior Costume Attendant THIS ROLE
4-8 years
$61K-$74K
Takes on the hardest maintenance, oversees backstage wardrobe flow, and solves last-minute costume problems during shows.
Wardrobe Supervisor
8+ years
$75K-$95K
Runs the wardrobe team, plans staffing and maintenance, and coordinates costume needs with designers, stage managers, and performers.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
The most common entry point, held by 32.24% of workers in this role.
Bachelor's degree in theater, costume design, or fashion
A common alternative path, held by 29.6% of workers in this role.
Some college coursework in theater, fashion, or sewing
A less common route, held by 14.85% of workers in this role.
Post-secondary certificate in sewing, costume making, or alterations
A practical alternative, held by 7.52% of workers in this role.
Key Skills
Technical
Garment Steaming, Pressing & Fabric Care 63%
Sewing Machines, Hand Stitching & Minor Repairs 63%
Wardrobe Inventory & Excel Spreadsheets 61%
Costume Fittings & Alterations 60%
Quick-Change Wardrobe Setup & Labeling 60%
Period Costume Research & Reference Materials 58%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningCoordinationMonitoringSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService Orientation Job Outlook and Trends
+5.9%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
1.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 6.7K to 7.1 K over the next decade, representing 5.9% growth. Around 1.8 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.