Tour and Travel Guides
Tour and Travel Guides (SOC 39-7010) earn a median $38,120 a year ($18.33 an hour) in the United States, with 53,500 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What tour and travel guides do
This OEWS code combines two SOC occupations: tour guides and escorts (39-7011) and travel guides (39-7012). Tour guides and escorts take people on sightseeing trips or through places of interest such as factories, public buildings, and galleries. They explain what visitors are looking at, answer questions, give directions, monitor visitor behavior for compliance with tour rules and safety practices, and lead educational activities for school children. They research topics such as site history and choose routes and stops. Travel guides plan, organize, and lead long-distance trips, tours, and expeditions for individuals and groups. They arrange details such as lodging, transport, equipment, and the availability of medical staff, draw up itineraries, fix problems with plans, service, or accommodations, look after participants' special needs, give first aid to injured travelers, and sell travel packages. Docent, adventure guide, and cruise director appear among the alternate titles.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report an associate degree as the usual education level (about 31 percent).
Also called: Admitting Office Escort, Adventure Guide, Alpine Guide, Art Museum Aide, Art Museum Docent.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.71 | $15.82 | $18.33 | $22.93 | $29.29 | $21.02 | 53,500 |
| Annual | $28,520 | $32,910 | $38,120 | $47,700 | $60,930 | $43,720 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where tour and travel guides earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $18.05 | $20.75 | $26.04 | $31.74 | $36.92 | $27.32 | 1,420 | 0.40 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $37,540 | $43,150 | $54,160 | $66,020 | $76,790 | $56,820 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.76 | $19.06 | $23.66 | $28.34 | $36.92 | $25.22 | 380 | 0.55 | 1.59 |
| Annual | $36,940 | $39,650 | $49,210 | $58,940 | $76,790 | $52,460 | ||||
| Wyoming | Hourly | $11.34 | $16.33 | $22.60 | $27.90 | $29.55 | $22.54 | 560 | 2.00 | 5.80 |
| Annual | $23,580 | $33,960 | $47,020 | $58,040 | $61,460 | $46,880 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.55 | $18.64 | $22.11 | $27.65 | $31.84 | $23.64 | 6,900 | 0.38 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $36,500 | $38,770 | $46,000 | $57,510 | $66,220 | $49,180 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $14.92 | $18.44 | $22.09 | $24.19 | $28.79 | $22.72 | 1,370 | 2.19 | 6.35 |
| Annual | $31,040 | $38,350 | $45,940 | $50,320 | $59,870 | $47,270 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.55 | $18.64 | $22.11 | $27.65 | $31.84 | $23.64 | 6,900 | 0.38 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $36,500 | $38,770 | $46,000 | $57,510 | $66,220 | $49,180 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.45 | $17.86 | $21.37 | $24.33 | $41.22 | $24.47 | 2,870 | 0.30 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $34,220 | $37,160 | $44,450 | $50,600 | $85,740 | $50,890 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $14.67 | $16.11 | $20.00 | $25.35 | $30.93 | $21.18 | 2,720 | 0.27 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $30,520 | $33,510 | $41,600 | $52,720 | $64,340 | $44,060 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $15.23 | $16.78 | $18.06 | $22.41 | $29.82 | $34.07 | 2,450 | 0.76 | 2.20 |
| Annual | $31,680 | $34,910 | $37,560 | $46,610 | $62,020 | $70,860 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.35 | $13.58 | $15.90 | $21.77 | $30.72 | $18.60 | 2,250 | 0.16 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $23,600 | $28,250 | $33,080 | $45,270 | $63,910 | $38,680 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $18.44 | $22.79 | $30.59 | $35.05 | $38.91 | $29.55 | 870 | 0.42 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $38,350 | $47,410 | $63,630 | $72,900 | $80,930 | $61,460 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $23.01 | $28.53 | $28.53 | $28.53 | $32.75 | $29.19 | 640 | 0.56 | 1.63 |
| Annual | $47,870 | $59,330 | $59,330 | $59,330 | $68,110 | $60,710 | ||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $16.66 | $21.50 | $26.86 | $29.97 | $35.48 | $27.02 | 30 | 0.36 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $44,720 | $55,870 | $62,340 | $73,790 | $56,200 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $17.17 | $18.81 | $26.23 | $28.77 | $30.97 | $24.73 | 120 | 0.98 | 2.85 |
| Annual | $35,700 | $39,130 | $54,550 | $59,850 | $64,420 | $51,430 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $18.43 | $21.51 | $25.23 | $28.92 | $37.06 | $26.13 | 970 | 0.41 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $38,330 | $44,740 | $52,480 | $60,150 | $77,090 | $54,340 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.62 | $18.41 | $20.61 | $23.20 | $30.53 | $22.06 | 2,360 | 0.38 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $36,640 | $38,290 | $42,870 | $48,260 | $63,490 | $45,880 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.31 | $18.35 | $21.93 | $26.22 | $41.22 | $25.47 | 2,180 | 0.23 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $36,000 | $38,160 | $45,610 | $54,530 | $85,740 | $52,970 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,330 | 0.56 | 1.63 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $15.46 | $17.59 | $18.48 | $20.61 | $25.05 | $19.67 | 1,290 | 0.48 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $32,150 | $36,590 | $38,440 | $42,880 | $52,100 | $40,920 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $15.46 | $17.76 | $22.18 | $23.72 | $28.10 | $21.87 | 1,280 | 0.41 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $32,160 | $36,940 | $46,130 | $49,340 | $58,440 | $45,490 | ||||
Top industries employing tour and travel guides
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions employ 30.1% of tour and travel guides nationally (16,080 jobs) at a median $35,250 a year ($16.95 an hour), followed by Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (18.5%) and Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (13.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions NAICS 712100 | 16,080 | 30.1% | $35,250 | $16.95 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 9,910 | 18.5% | $42,870 | $20.61 |
| Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services NAICS 561500 | 7,240 | 13.5% | $45,890 | $22.06 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land NAICS 487100 | 2,440 | 4.6% | $44,390 | $21.34 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 1,980 | 3.7% | $35,650 | $17.14 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (53,500). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,780 for tour and travel guides in May 2021 and $38,120 in May 2025, with employment of 30,980 and 53,500.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,780 | $14.32 | 30,980 |
| May 2022 | $34,440 | $16.56 | 41,180 |
| May 2023 | $36,060 | $17.34 | 46,760 |
| May 2024 | $36,660 | $17.63 | 49,010 |
| May 2025 | $38,120 | $18.33 | 53,500 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $26.04 | $54,160 | $37,540 | $76,790 | 1,420 | 0.40 | 1.16 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $23.66 | $49,210 | $36,940 | $76,790 | 380 | 0.55 | 1.59 |
| 3 | Wyoming profile | $22.60 | $47,020 | $23,580 | $61,460 | 560 | 2.00 | 5.80 |
| 4 | California profile | $22.11 | $46,000 | $36,500 | $66,220 | 6,900 | 0.38 | 1.10 |
| 5 | Hawaii profile | $22.09 | $45,940 | $31,040 | $59,870 | 1,370 | 2.19 | 6.35 |
| 6 | Vermont profile | $22.08 | $45,920 | $40,070 | $65,250 | 140 | 0.46 | 1.34 |
| 7 | Maine profile | $21.61 | $44,940 | $32,910 | $55,240 | 270 | 0.43 | 1.25 |
| 8 | New York profile | $21.37 | $44,450 | $34,220 | $85,740 | 2,870 | 0.30 | 0.86 |
| 9 | Alaska profile | $21.25 | $44,210 | $33,410 | $58,890 | 1,660 | 5.09 | 14.79 |
| 10 | Kansas profile | $21.01 | $43,700 | $30,900 | $57,790 | 400 | 0.28 | 0.81 |
| 11 | Colorado profile | $20.59 | $42,840 | $31,380 | $55,600 | 2,150 | 0.75 | 2.17 |
| 12 | Florida profile | $20.00 | $41,600 | $30,520 | $64,340 | 2,720 | 0.27 | 0.80 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | $20.00 | $41,600 | $30,010 | $61,790 | 260 | 0.38 | 1.09 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | $19.38 | $40,310 | $31,200 | $47,670 | 510 | 0.19 | 0.54 |
| 15 | Georgia profile | $19.32 | $40,190 | $28,430 | $79,510 | 1,080 | 0.22 | 0.64 |
| 16 | Montana profile | $19.28 | $40,100 | $23,770 | $59,280 | 680 | 1.33 | 3.88 |
| 17 | Minnesota profile | $19.06 | $39,650 | $31,230 | $46,040 | 630 | 0.22 | 0.63 |
| 18 | Nevada profile | $18.92 | $39,360 | $29,870 | $50,500 | 620 | 0.40 | 1.16 |
| 19 | Oregon profile | $18.88 | $39,260 | $30,920 | $64,620 | 530 | 0.27 | 0.78 |
| 20 | Utah profile | $18.53 | $38,540 | $31,130 | $57,930 | 1,630 | 0.94 | 2.73 |
| 21 | Rhode Island profile | $18.42 | $38,310 | $32,270 | $96,450 | 210 | 0.42 | 1.21 |
| 22 | Idaho profile | $18.25 | $37,960 | $23,920 | $58,090 | 460 | 0.54 | 1.56 |
| 23 | Massachusetts profile | $18.19 | $37,840 | $33,510 | $50,960 | 1,760 | 0.48 | 1.41 |
| 24 | Arizona profile | $18.06 | $37,560 | $31,680 | $62,020 | 2,450 | 0.76 | 2.20 |
| 25 | New Mexico profile | $17.83 | $37,080 | $26,030 | $62,770 | 360 | 0.42 | 1.21 |
| 26 | Illinois profile | $17.68 | $36,780 | $31,200 | $45,930 | 1,090 | 0.18 | 0.52 |
| 27 | New Jersey profile | $17.61 | $36,640 | $32,220 | $80,800 | 390 | 0.09 | 0.26 |
| 28 | Kentucky profile | $17.34 | $36,070 | $28,090 | $47,690 | 1,010 | 0.51 | 1.47 |
| 29 | North Dakota profile | $17.00 | $35,360 | $32,610 | $47,840 | 90 | 0.22 | 0.63 |
| 30 | South Carolina profile | $16.92 | $35,190 | $22,770 | $60,370 | 660 | 0.29 | 0.83 |
| 31 | South Dakota profile | $16.88 | $35,100 | $29,780 | $46,080 | 440 | 0.97 | 2.81 |
| 32 | Connecticut profile | $16.87 | $35,090 | $34,010 | $62,330 | 220 | 0.13 | 0.38 |
| 33 | Michigan profile | $16.87 | $35,090 | $28,130 | $47,250 | 1,160 | 0.26 | 0.76 |
| 34 | Arkansas profile | $16.49 | $34,290 | $26,060 | $47,980 | 160 | 0.13 | 0.37 |
| 35 | Tennessee profile | $16.23 | $33,760 | $28,320 | $43,130 | 1,840 | 0.56 | 1.63 |
| 36 | Delaware profile | $15.97 | $33,210 | $31,200 | $38,140 | 330 | 0.68 | 1.96 |
| 37 | Texas profile | $15.90 | $33,080 | $23,600 | $63,910 | 2,250 | 0.16 | 0.47 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania profile | $15.82 | $32,910 | $23,390 | $53,540 | 1,970 | 0.33 | 0.94 |
| 39 | Ohio profile | $15.77 | $32,800 | $22,400 | $47,110 | 1,000 | 0.18 | 0.52 |
| 40 | North Carolina profile | $15.66 | $32,570 | $22,660 | $47,020 | 1,650 | 0.33 | 0.97 |
| 41 | Oklahoma profile | $15.46 | $32,150 | $18,690 | $46,620 | 350 | 0.21 | 0.60 |
| 42 | Louisiana profile | $15.42 | $32,060 | $21,310 | $78,000 | 580 | 0.30 | 0.88 |
| 43 | Missouri profile | $15.38 | $31,980 | $29,470 | $48,120 | 1,360 | 0.46 | 1.35 |
| 44 | Alabama profile | $15.24 | $31,700 | $24,110 | $41,040 | 410 | 0.19 | 0.56 |
| 45 | Nebraska profile | $15.18 | $31,580 | $28,080 | $46,020 | 340 | 0.33 | 0.97 |
| 46 | Indiana profile | $14.92 | $31,030 | $19,290 | $41,080 | 700 | 0.22 | 0.64 |
| 47 | Wisconsin profile | $14.50 | $30,160 | $26,250 | $54,530 | 910 | 0.31 | 0.90 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $13.74 | $28,570 | $21,700 | $49,910 | 270 | 0.38 | 1.11 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $13.20 | $27,460 | $21,030 | $41,660 | 150 | 0.13 | 0.38 |
| 50 | Iowa profile | $10.81 | $22,490 | $20,800 | $43,000 | 330 | 0.21 | 0.61 |
Part of Personal Care and Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 39-7010 Tour and Travel Guides.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 39-7011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 39-7012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-7011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.