The average salary for a tour guide in the United States is around $38,120 per year.
Avg Salary
Tour guides earn an average yearly salary of $38,120.
Wages typically start from $28,520 and go up to $60,930.
36% below national average Updated in 2025
Tour guide earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level tour guide earnings begin at:
$29.29 per hour
$60,930 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level tour guide earnings begin at:
$22.93 per hour
$47,700 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level tour guide earnings begin at:
$18.33 per hour
$38,120 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level tour guide earnings begin at:
$15.82 per hour
$32,910 per year
10th percentile
Starting level tour guide earnings begin at:
$13.71 per hour
$28,520 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Tour guide salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $54,160 |
| District of Columbia | $49,210 |
| Wyoming | $47,020 |
| California | $46,000 |
| Hawaii | $45,940 |
| Vermont | $45,920 |
| Maine | $44,940 |
| New York | $44,450 |
| Alaska | $44,210 |
| Kansas | $43,700 |
| Colorado | $42,840 |
| Florida | $41,600 |
| New Hampshire | $41,600 |
| Maryland | $40,310 |
| Georgia | $40,190 |
| Montana | $40,100 |
| Minnesota | $39,650 |
| Nevada | $39,360 |
| Oregon | $39,260 |
| Utah | $38,540 |
| Rhode Island | $38,310 |
| Idaho | $37,960 |
| Massachusetts | $37,840 |
| Arizona | $37,560 |
| New Mexico | $37,080 |
| Illinois | $36,780 |
| New Jersey | $36,640 |
| Kentucky | $36,070 |
| North Dakota | $35,360 |
| South Carolina | $35,190 |
| South Dakota | $35,100 |
| Connecticut | $35,090 |
| Michigan | $35,090 |
| Arkansas | $34,290 |
| Tennessee | $33,760 |
| Delaware | $33,210 |
| Texas | $33,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $32,910 |
| Ohio | $32,800 |
| North Carolina | $32,570 |
| Oklahoma | $32,150 |
| Louisiana | $32,060 |
| Missouri | $31,980 |
| Alabama | $31,700 |
| Nebraska | $31,580 |
| Indiana | $31,030 |
| Wisconsin | $30,160 |
| West Virginia | $28,570 |
| Mississippi | $27,460 |
| Virginia | $23,660 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $23,620 |
| Iowa | $22,490 |
| Guam | $19,190 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,490 |
How do tour guide salaries compare to similar careers?
Tour guides earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than shipping and receiving clerks but more than switchboard operators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Shipping and receiving clerk salary | $45K |
| Medical administrative assistant salary | $46K |
| Customer service representative salary | $45K |
| Tailor salary | $42K |
| Hairdresser salary | $36K |
| Tour guide salary | $38K |
| Concierge salary | $39K |
| Security guard salary | $38K |
| Teller salary | $43K |
| Switchboard operator salary | $39K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)