How much does a tour guide make?
a year · about $18 an hour
A typical tour guide in the United States makes $38,120 a year, about $18 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
A guide checks the route and stories, greets visitors, then leads them through a museum or historic district, pointing out details and answering questions. They keep the group on pace and safe; some guides lead several tours in one day.
Did you know? Some tours last over 12 hours, and tour guides may lead more than one tour in the same day.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $28,520 and $60,930How do you become one?
Most U.S. guides finish high school, then learn routes and tour facts on the job; history, art, and language classes help. There is no one starting-age rule nationwide: local rules differ, and New York City requires guides to be 18 or older and pass a city exam.
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience and skills, credentials or licenses, the employer and location, and the kind of tour. Self-employed guides may set their own rates, and work hours, shifts, and tips can also affect earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($54,160), lowest in Wisconsin ($30,160).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $28,520 | $38,120 | $60,930 | about 54,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $54,160 | about 1,000 |
| Wyoming | $47,020 | about 560 |
| California | $46,000 | about 7,000 |
| Hawaii | $45,940 | about 1,000 |
| New York | $44,450 | about 3,000 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/tour-and-travel-guides.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/39-7011.00
- www.nyc.gov/site/dca/businesses/license-checklist-sightseeing-guide.page
- www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/print/tour-and-travel-guides.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY