Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$28,520
- 25th Percentile — Junior$32,910
- 50th Percentile — Median$38,120
- 75th Percentile — Senior$47,700
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$60,930
The top 10% of Travel Guides earn $60,930 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $28,520, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $70,860 | +62.1% |
| Washington | $56,820 | +30.0% |
| District of Columbia | $52,460 | +20.0% |
| Vermont | $51,440 | +17.7% |
| New York | $50,890 | +16.4% |
| California | $49,180 | +12.5% |
| Georgia | $49,040 | +12.2% |
| Alaska | $48,510 | +11.0% |
| Virginia (est.) | $48,092 | +10.0% |
| Hawaii | $47,270 | +8.1% |
| Wyoming | $46,880 | +7.2% |
| Rhode Island | $46,710 | +6.8% |
| New Jersey | $46,570 | +6.5% |
| New Hampshire | $46,430 | +6.2% |
| South Carolina | $44,790 | +2.4% |
| Maine | $44,250 | +1.2% |
| Florida | $44,060 | +0.8% |
| Colorado | $43,520 | -0.5% |
| Oregon | $43,170 | -1.3% |
| Connecticut | $42,990 | -1.7% |
| Kansas | $42,120 | -3.7% |
| Utah | $42,080 | -3.8% |
| Louisiana | $41,200 | -5.8% |
| Maryland | $40,630 | -7.1% |
| Massachusetts | $40,620 | -7.1% |
| Minnesota | $40,600 | -7.1% |
| Idaho | $40,470 | -7.4% |
| New Mexico | $40,370 | -7.7% |
| Montana | $39,800 | -9.0% |
| North Dakota | $39,410 | -9.9% |
| Nevada | $39,300 | -10.1% |
| Texas | $38,680 | -11.5% |
| Illinois | $38,420 | -12.1% |
| Kentucky | $37,680 | -13.8% |
| South Dakota | $37,640 | -13.9% |
| Michigan | $36,650 | -16.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $36,500 | -16.5% |
| Wisconsin | $36,440 | -16.7% |
| Arkansas | $36,240 | -17.1% |
| Tennessee | $36,040 | -17.6% |
| Missouri | $35,870 | -18.0% |
| Delaware | $35,570 | -18.6% |
| Nebraska | $34,400 | -21.3% |
| North Carolina | $34,290 | -21.6% |
| West Virginia | $34,140 | -21.9% |
| Ohio | $33,430 | -23.5% |
| Oklahoma | $33,140 | -24.2% |
| Indiana | $31,970 | -26.9% |
| Alabama | $31,620 | -27.7% |
| Mississippi | $29,200 | -33.2% |
| Iowa | $28,730 | -34.3% |
What Factors Affect Travel Guides Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Travel Guides is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Arizona pays an average of $70,860, while Iowa pays $28,730 — a gap of $42,130 per year.
The middle half of Travel Guides earn between $32,910 and $47,700 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $28,520, while the top 10% earn more than $60,930.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Hairdressers Hairstylists and Cosmetologists $43,960/yr United States +0.5% vs this role
- Childcare Workers $35,030/yr United States 19.9% vs this role
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $52,420/yr United States +19.9% vs this role
- Animal Caretakers $37,300/yr United States 14.7% vs this role
- Barbers $47,070/yr United States +7.7% vs this role
- Manicurists and Pedicurists $38,570/yr United States 11.8% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +132.0% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +214.0% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Travel Guides?
The average salary for Travel Guides in the United States is $43,720 per year, with a median of $38,120.
What is the starting salary for Travel Guides?
Entry-level Travel Guides typically earn between $28,520 and $32,910 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Travel Guides the most?
Arizona pays Travel Guides the most at $70,860 per year on average, followed by Washington ($56,820) and District of Columbia ($52,460).
How much do Travel Guides make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $43,720, Travel Guides earn approximately $21.02 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Travel Guides a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 53,500 Travel Guides jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $43,720 and a median of $38,120 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data