Plan and sell transportation and accommodations for customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required. May also describe, plan, and arrange itineraries and sell tour packages. May assist in resolving clients’ travel problems.
National median · BLS
$50,160
▲ +3.53%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$54,660
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
55,110
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Travel Agents
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$34,610
25th
$41,950
Median (50th)
$50,160
75th
$63,060
90th — top pay
$76,660
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Travel Agents
BLS projects employment of travel agents to grow 0.2% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 5,900 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
61,500 → 61,700
+100 jobs
Projected change
+0.2%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
5,900
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
12% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Travel Agents salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Travel Agents
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening4.1
Service Orientation4.1
Reading Comprehension4.0
Speaking4.0
Social Perceptiveness3.8
Persuasion3.6
Judgment and Decision Making3.4
Active Learning3.1
Coordination3.1
Critical Thinking3.1
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.3
English Language4.0
Sales and Marketing3.9
Geography3.4
Computers and Electronics3.4
Administrative3.2
Telecommunications3.2
Transportation3.1
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookAmadeus CRSSabre Central CommandIntuit QuickBooksMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordSAP ConcurZoomApollo Reservation SystemColibripms Software ColibriDataSwellGalor Travel BoosterGlobal distribution system GDS softwareGlobekey AgentkeyIllusions Online Illusions OnDemand
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What travel agents do
Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer.
Plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.
Converse with customer to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required.
Compute cost of travel and accommodations, using calculator, computer, carrier tariff books, and hotel rate books, or quote package tour's costs.
Record and maintain information on clients, vendors, and travel packages.
Book transportation and hotel reservations, using computer or telephone.
Print or request transportation carrier tickets, using computer printer system or system link to travel carrier.
Provide customer with brochures and publications containing travel information, such as local customs, points of interest, or foreign country regulations.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Travel Agents, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $50,160.
