The average salary for a travel agent in the United States is around $39,689 per year.
Avg Salary
Travel agents earn an average yearly salary of $39,689.
Wages typically start from $23,095 and go up to $68,206.
34% below national average Updated in 2019
Travel agent earnings by seniority
Top-level travel agent earnings begin at:
$32.79 per hour
$68,206 per year
Senior-level travel agent earnings begin at:
$25.37 per hour
$52,775 per year
Mid-level travel agent earnings begin at:
$19.08 per hour
$39,689 per year
Junior-level travel agent earnings begin at:
$14.35 per hour
$29,847 per year
Starting level travel agent earnings begin at:
$11.10 per hour
$23,095 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Travel agent salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $54,810 |
| Washington | $51,520 |
| Massachusetts | $47,160 |
| Kansas | $46,050 |
| Wyoming | $45,940 |
| California | $45,320 |
| Virginia | $44,810 |
| Minnesota | $44,140 |
| Connecticut | $43,510 |
| New Jersey | $42,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,337 |
| New Hampshire | $41,300 |
| Iowa | $41,010 |
| Colorado | $40,780 |
| Arizona | $40,685 |
| Vermont | $40,680 |
| Delaware | $40,610 |
| Alabama | $40,370 |
| Illinois | $40,257 |
| Tennessee | $40,050 |
| New Mexico | $39,950 |
| Montana | $39,870 |
| Indiana | $39,647 |
| Nebraska | $39,430 |
| Alaska | $39,060 |
| Kentucky | $38,920 |
| Nevada | $38,880 |
| North Carolina | $38,530 |
| Hawaii | $38,516 |
| Utah | $36,970 |
| Idaho | $36,881 |
| Oklahoma | $36,780 |
| Florida | $36,730 |
| Louisiana | $36,130 |
| Michigan | $35,720 |
| Rhode Island | $35,650 |
| West Virginia | $35,330 |
| New York | $35,320 |
| Oregon | $35,260 |
| Wisconsin | $35,090 |
| Arkansas | $34,840 |
| Maryland | $34,510 |
| Texas | $34,150 |
| Maine | $33,460 |
| Mississippi | $33,380 |
| Ohio | $33,270 |
| South Dakota | $32,030 |
| North Dakota | $31,150 |
| Missouri | $31,130 |
| Georgia | $31,100 |
| South Carolina | $27,200 |
| Guam | $25,100 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,660 |
How much does a Travel Agent earn?
In 2015, the ASTA Labor and Compensation report stated that in 2014, 86% of travel agents working at an agency (including both corporate and leisure agencies) were either salaried or earned a mix of salary/commission. The ASTA report found the average travel agent salary (when working for an agency) to be $34,181.
Experienced agents that booked primarily corporate travel earned an average travel agent salary of $40,677/year versus a salary of $32,249/year for an experienced agent booking primarily leisure travel. Experienced leisure agents bring home approximately $10,000 more compared to travel agents just entering the industry. Experienced corporate travel agent salaries are nearly $13,000 more per year compared to new corporate travel agents.
The ASTA 2014 Independent Agents Report cited that the average independent contractor agent (86% of which are home based) earns approximately $31,056 a year. However, like most small businesses, it takes most independent travel agents a good three to five years to start seeing profits they can live off of and quite a few travel agents never make it past the first or second year.
How do travel agent salaries compare to similar careers?
Travel agents earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than meter readers but more than financial clerks.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Meter reader salary | $42K |
| Precious metal worker salary | $41K |
| Postal service clerk salary | $44K |
| Locksmith salary | $42K |
| Family social worker salary | $42K |
| Travel agent salary | $40K |
| Correctional officer salary | $42K |
| Highway maintenance worker salary | $41K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $40K |
| Financial clerk salary | $39K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)