Career Explorer Personal care
Human edge, growing
Costume attendants
Select, fit, and take care of costumes for cast members, and aid entertainers. May assist with multiple costume changes during performances.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 90% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +5.9% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on creative vision and physical dexterity.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $50,400
- Job growth to 2035
- +5.9%
- Openings a year
- 1,700
- People doing it (2025)
- 6,600
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then short on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Study details of artistic productions
- Arrange displays or decorations
- Maintain facilities or equipment
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or products
- Distribute materials, supplies, or resources
- Clean workpieces, finished products, or other objects
What the work looks like
- 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.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Exercise trainers and group fitness instructorsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +7.3%
- Animal trainersHuman edge, growing, Index 94, +4.2%
- Makeup artists, theatrical and performanceHuman edge, growing, Index 94, +6.1%
- Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologistsHuman edge, growing, Index 98, +7.7%
Also known as: Costumer, Dresser, Wardrobe Assistant, Wardrobe Supervisor, Costume Draper, Costume Seamstress, Draper, Wardrobe Attendant.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.