167 metro areas
Tour Guide and Escort Salary by City (2026)
Tour guides and escorts earn the most in Flagstaff, AZ, an average of $70,280 a year, against $43,720 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Flagstaff, AZ ($70,050 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $43,720BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $70,280Flagstaff, AZ
- Best after cost of living
- $70,050Flagstaff, AZ
- Metro areas
- 167With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for tour guides and escorts
Top 10 metro areas
- Flagstaff, AZ$70,280
- Kiryas Joel, NY$68,140
- Seattle, WA$61,460
- San Jose, CA$60,720
- Bremerton, WA$56,200
- Atlanta, GA$55,140
- Bridgeport, CT$55,080
- Casper, WY$54,560
- Kahului, HI$54,350
- San Francisco, CA$54,350
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | $70,280 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $68,140 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,460 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,720 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $56,200 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $55,140 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $55,080 |
| Casper, WY | $54,560 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $54,350 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,350 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Flagstaff, AZ$70,280 nominal$70,050
- Kiryas Joel, NY$68,140 nominal$62,270
- Casper, WY$54,560 nominal$58,150
- Seattle, WA$61,460 nominal$55,300
- Atlanta, GA$55,140 nominal$55,110
- San Jose, CA$60,720 nominal$54,990
- Springfield, IL$49,750 nominal$53,640
- Bremerton, WA$56,200 nominal$53,220
- Augusta, GA-SC$48,610 nominal$52,890
- Slidell, LA$48,980 nominal$52,820
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | $70,050 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $62,270 |
| Casper, WY | $58,150 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $55,300 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $55,110 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $54,990 |
| Springfield, IL | $53,640 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $53,220 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $52,890 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $52,820 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Tour Guide and Escort salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flagstaff, AZ | $70,280 | $32,970 | $88,650 | $70,050 |
| 2 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $68,140 | $32,880 | $85,510 | $62,270 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $61,460 | $42,330 | $70,890 | $55,300 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $60,720 | $54,040 | $64,000 | $54,990 |
| 5 | Bremerton, WA | $56,200 | $39,750 | $64,290 | $53,220 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $55,140 | $31,640 | $66,710 | $55,110 |
| 7 | Bridgeport, CT | $55,080 | $35,570 | $64,690 | $51,540 |
| 8 | Casper, WY | $54,560 | $41,100 | $61,190 | $58,150 |
| 9 | Kahului, HI | $54,350 | $42,910 | $59,970 | $49,680 |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | $54,350 | $40,770 | $61,030 | $47,010 |
| 11 | New York, NY-NJ | $52,980 | $36,730 | $60,960 | $47,070 |
| 12 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $51,440 | $37,360 | $58,360 | $47,370 |
| 13 | Orlando, FL | $50,690 | $35,050 | $58,390 | $49,980 |
| 14 | Charleston, SC | $50,130 | $25,810 | $62,110 | $49,650 |
| 15 | Santa Rosa, CA | $49,770 | $38,110 | $55,520 | $46,180 |
| 16 | Springfield, IL | $49,750 | $33,650 | $57,660 | $53,640 |
| 17 | Santa Maria, CA | $49,210 | $35,960 | $55,740 | $45,230 |
| 18 | Slidell, LA | $48,980 | $24,500 | $61,030 | $52,820 |
| 19 | Bozeman, MT | $48,800 | $30,800 | $57,660 | $47,610 |
| 20 | Augusta, GA-SC | $48,610 | $30,850 | $57,370 | $52,890 |
| 21 | Oxnard, CA | $48,320 | $39,060 | $52,890 | $43,720 |
| 22 | Anchorage, AK | $47,440 | $33,030 | $54,560 | $45,000 |
| 23 | Sacramento, CA | $47,320 | $38,210 | $51,790 | $44,360 |
| 24 | Santa Fe, NM | $47,280 | $32,950 | $54,330 | $47,870 |
| 25 | Wenatchee, WA | $47,260 | $38,080 | $51,790 | $45,510 |
| 26 | Riverside, CA | $47,260 | $36,170 | $52,730 | $44,400 |
| 27 | Fresno, CA | $47,200 | $35,110 | $53,140 | $46,200 |
| 28 | Santa Cruz, CA | $47,050 | $37,250 | $51,880 | $42,810 |
| 29 | Napa, CA | $46,800 | $39,540 | $50,380 | $41,580 |
| 30 | Burlington, VT | $46,570 | $42,560 | $48,550 | $46,130 |
| 31 | North Port, FL | $46,130 | $31,840 | $53,190 | $45,040 |
| 32 | Portland, ME | $45,910 | $35,730 | $50,920 | $45,070 |
| 33 | Los Angeles, CA | $45,880 | $37,230 | $50,130 | $40,400 |
| 34 | Fort Collins, CO | $45,880 | $33,570 | $51,960 | $45,370 |
| 35 | Fairbanks, AK | $45,840 | $30,450 | $53,440 | $44,420 |
| 36 | Salinas, CA | $45,760 | $36,380 | $50,380 | $41,970 |
| 37 | Rochester, NY | $45,740 | $33,160 | $51,940 | $47,140 |
| 38 | Providence, RI-MA | $45,550 | $33,260 | $51,600 | $44,760 |
| 39 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $45,490 | $34,130 | $51,080 | $41,780 |
| 40 | San Diego, CA | $45,300 | $36,300 | $49,730 | $40,490 |
| 41 | Miami, FL | $45,200 | $32,470 | $51,460 | $39,600 |
| 42 | Denver, CO | $44,600 | $36,030 | $48,800 | $42,160 |
| 43 | Portland, OR-WA | $44,010 | $34,650 | $48,630 | $41,750 |
| 44 | Topeka, KS | $43,970 | $30,530 | $50,590 | $49,500 |
| 45 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $43,890 | $32,280 | $49,590 | $39,550 |
| 46 | Buffalo, NY | $43,680 | $32,990 | $48,960 | $45,570 |
| 47 | Visalia, CA | $43,370 | $35,340 | $47,340 | $43,450 |
| 48 | Olympia, WA | $43,200 | $37,040 | $46,220 | $41,670 |
| 49 | Kingston, NY | $42,870 | $34,030 | $47,220 | $42,570 |
| 50 | Grand Junction, CO | $42,810 | $35,590 | $46,380 | $44,840 |
| 51 | Barnstable Town, MA | $42,760 | $35,440 | $46,380 | $43,480 |
| 52 | St. George, UT | $42,720 | $34,280 | $46,880 | $43,900 |
| 53 | Monroe, LA | $42,620 | $19,740 | $53,890 | $50,980 |
| 54 | Bend, OR | $42,450 | $31,700 | $47,760 | $40,970 |
| 55 | New Orleans, LA | $42,160 | $23,820 | $51,210 | $45,530 |
| 56 | Boise City, ID | $42,080 | $28,230 | $48,880 | $42,770 |
| 57 | Austin, TX | $42,060 | $26,480 | $49,730 | $42,890 |
| 58 | Helena, MT | $41,910 | $30,510 | $47,530 | $43,800 |
| 59 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $41,560 | $30,240 | $47,150 | $44,910 |
| 60 | Pittsfield, MA | $41,370 | $33,400 | $45,300 | $43,500 |
| 61 | Savannah, GA | $41,250 | $29,330 | $47,130 | $43,330 |
| 62 | Albuquerque, NM | $41,250 | $30,560 | $46,510 | $43,170 |
| 63 | Jacksonville, FL | $41,200 | $31,490 | $45,990 | $41,410 |
| 64 | Tampa, FL | $41,180 | $31,030 | $46,200 | $40,820 |
| 65 | Eugene, OR | $41,180 | $29,620 | $46,860 | $40,540 |
| 66 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $40,980 | $34,360 | $44,220 | $39,090 |
| 67 | Ogden, UT | $40,960 | $29,520 | $46,590 | $40,820 |
| 68 | Boston, MA-NH | $40,910 | $34,200 | $44,220 | $37,790 |
| 69 | Salt Lake City, UT | $40,810 | $32,780 | $44,760 | $40,460 |
| 70 | Reno, NV | $40,730 | $30,010 | $45,990 | $40,320 |
| 71 | Winchester, VA-WV | $40,500 | $29,930 | $45,700 | $41,990 |
| 72 | Bakersfield, CA | $40,390 | $34,320 | $43,370 | $40,040 |
| 73 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $40,160 | $33,110 | $43,640 | $43,150 |
| 74 | Nashville, TN | $40,000 | $31,890 | $43,990 | $41,520 |
| 75 | Albany, NY | $39,890 | $32,860 | $43,370 | $40,060 |
| 76 | Naples, FL | $39,710 | $33,400 | $42,790 | $38,480 |
| 77 | Baltimore, MD | $39,580 | $32,200 | $43,220 | $37,880 |
| 78 | Provo, UT | $39,560 | $29,890 | $44,320 | $40,270 |
| 79 | Baton Rouge, LA | $39,460 | $23,190 | $47,440 | $43,470 |
| 80 | Dallas, TX | $39,460 | $27,850 | $45,180 | $38,280 |
| 81 | Cape Coral, FL | $39,350 | $31,840 | $43,060 | $38,450 |
| 82 | Houston, TX | $39,310 | $26,120 | $45,820 | $39,860 |
| 83 | Prescott Valley, AZ | $39,290 | $33,340 | $42,200 | $39,990 |
| 84 | Chicago, IL-IN | $39,290 | $33,300 | $42,240 | $37,930 |
| 85 | Fayetteville, AR | $39,210 | $29,490 | $43,990 | $42,920 |
| 86 | Las Vegas, NV | $39,170 | $30,490 | $43,450 | $39,090 |
| 87 | Lakeland, FL | $38,750 | $33,110 | $41,520 | $39,890 |
| 88 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $38,710 | $32,700 | $41,680 | $42,710 |
| 89 | Greenville, SC | $38,710 | $27,040 | $44,450 | $41,510 |
| 90 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $38,650 | $27,040 | $44,370 | $38,660 |
| 91 | New Haven, CT | $38,600 | $34,110 | $40,830 | $36,920 |
| 92 | Colorado Springs, CO | $38,460 | $30,800 | $42,220 | $38,190 |
| 93 | Richmond, VA | $38,170 | $29,700 | $42,330 | $39,010 |
| 94 | Kalamazoo, MI | $38,040 | $27,870 | $43,060 | $40,110 |
| 95 | Charlottesville, VA | $38,020 | $27,060 | $43,430 | $38,350 |
| 96 | Greeley, CO | $38,000 | $31,180 | $41,350 | $37,930 |
| 97 | Lafayette, LA | $37,790 | $22,960 | $45,090 | $43,330 |
| 98 | Columbus, OH | $37,540 | $29,020 | $41,750 | $39,320 |
| 99 | Gettysburg, PA | $37,420 | $27,960 | $42,100 | $39,230 |
| 100 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $37,380 | $28,830 | $41,600 | $36,450 |
| 101 | Worcester, MA | $37,380 | $33,840 | $39,120 | $36,460 |
| 102 | Milwaukee, WI | $37,290 | $26,580 | $42,560 | $38,470 |
| 103 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $37,270 | $29,240 | $41,250 | $40,430 |
| 104 | Bowling Green, KY | $37,090 | $25,690 | $42,700 | $41,130 |
| 105 | Asheville, NC | $37,070 | $27,160 | $41,950 | $38,410 |
| 106 | Springfield, MO | $37,020 | $28,810 | $41,080 | $41,790 |
| 107 | Utica, NY | $37,020 | $32,700 | $39,150 | $39,940 |
| 108 | Lynchburg, VA | $36,940 | $26,980 | $41,850 | $41,340 |
| 109 | Duluth, MN-WI | $36,920 | $29,970 | $40,330 | $41,590 |
| 110 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $36,880 | $28,450 | $41,020 | $37,660 |
| 111 | Brownsville, TX | $36,840 | $28,520 | $40,930 | $42,850 |
| 112 | Atlantic City, NJ | $36,750 | $32,220 | $38,980 | $37,170 |
| 113 | Waco, TX | $36,670 | $25,460 | $42,180 | $39,620 |
| 114 | Scranton, PA | $36,380 | $26,080 | $41,450 | $38,890 |
| 115 | Springfield, MA | $36,360 | $32,090 | $38,460 | $37,850 |
| 116 | Eau Claire, WI | $36,320 | $26,100 | $41,330 | $39,140 |
| 117 | Tulsa, OK | $36,150 | $25,080 | $41,600 | $40,520 |
| 118 | Detroit, MI | $36,110 | $32,700 | $37,790 | $36,000 |
| 119 | Hartford, CT | $36,090 | $34,030 | $37,110 | $35,130 |
| 120 | Ann Arbor, MI | $35,800 | $35,050 | $36,190 | $35,490 |
| 121 | Rapid City, SD | $35,670 | $29,450 | $38,750 | $40,010 |
| 122 | Grand Rapids, MI | $35,610 | $27,250 | $39,730 | $37,270 |
| 123 | Palm Bay, FL | $35,550 | $30,390 | $38,110 | $35,550 |
| 124 | Ocala, FL | $35,440 | $30,370 | $37,940 | $37,210 |
| 125 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $35,260 | $29,700 | $37,980 | $37,080 |
| 126 | Lexington, KY | $35,240 | $26,870 | $39,370 | $37,940 |
| 127 | Davenport, IA-IL | $35,170 | $21,840 | $41,750 | $39,480 |
| 128 | Knoxville, TN | $35,050 | $30,370 | $37,360 | $37,860 |
| 129 | San Antonio, TX | $34,860 | $25,000 | $39,710 | $36,800 |
| 130 | Omaha, NE-IA | $34,740 | $29,540 | $37,290 | $37,800 |
| 131 | Birmingham, AL | $34,570 | $26,960 | $38,330 | $37,720 |
| 132 | Cleveland, OH | $34,420 | $23,250 | $39,940 | $36,650 |
| 133 | Greensboro, NC | $34,170 | $23,980 | $39,210 | $36,800 |
| 134 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $34,110 | $25,520 | $38,330 | $35,040 |
| 135 | Winston, NC | $34,030 | $25,880 | $38,040 | $36,970 |
| 136 | Pittsburgh, PA | $34,010 | $25,600 | $38,150 | $35,920 |
| 137 | Raleigh, NC | $33,860 | $25,210 | $38,130 | $34,500 |
| 138 | Corpus Christi, TX | $33,860 | $24,170 | $38,630 | $36,540 |
| 139 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $33,820 | $25,630 | $37,860 | $35,460 |
| 140 | Durham, NC | $33,550 | $27,120 | $36,730 | $34,380 |
| 141 | Lancaster, PA | $33,470 | $25,580 | $37,360 | $34,060 |
| 142 | Roanoke, VA | $33,450 | $27,290 | $36,480 | $35,730 |
| 143 | Fort Wayne, IN | $33,430 | $29,490 | $35,380 | $36,110 |
| 144 | Harrisburg, PA | $33,400 | $24,860 | $37,630 | $33,860 |
| 145 | Huntsville, AL | $33,340 | $31,660 | $34,150 | $35,820 |
| 146 | San Juan, PR | $33,340 | $22,550 | $38,650 | N/A |
| 147 | Staunton, VA | $33,300 | $27,190 | $36,320 | $36,540 |
| 148 | Little Rock, AR | $33,240 | $27,790 | $35,940 | $37,200 |
| 149 | Green Bay, WI | $33,180 | $29,660 | $34,900 | $35,640 |
| 150 | Sandusky, OH | $33,070 | $24,110 | $37,500 | $37,040 |
| 151 | Wilmington, NC | $32,990 | $26,620 | $36,130 | $34,210 |
| 152 | Madison, WI | $32,760 | $26,100 | $36,050 | $33,670 |
| 153 | Indianapolis, IN | $32,680 | $23,820 | $37,020 | $34,150 |
| 154 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $32,570 | $25,310 | $36,150 | $37,680 |
| 155 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $31,910 | $27,770 | $33,950 | $34,890 |
| 156 | Dayton, OH | $31,910 | $22,400 | $36,590 | $34,430 |
| 157 | Montgomery, AL | $31,680 | $23,360 | $35,780 | $35,320 |
| 158 | South Bend, IN-MI | $31,240 | $24,920 | $34,340 | $33,640 |
| 159 | Oklahoma City, OK | $30,850 | $20,880 | $35,760 | $34,120 |
| 160 | Columbia, SC | $30,620 | $22,280 | $34,720 | $32,690 |
| 161 | Toledo, OH | $30,560 | $24,710 | $33,430 | $33,420 |
| 162 | McAllen, TX | $29,830 | $19,280 | $35,030 | $34,730 |
| 163 | Mobile, AL | $28,700 | $24,150 | $30,950 | $32,580 |
| 164 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $28,390 | $22,030 | $31,530 | $32,140 |
| 165 | Des Moines, IA | $27,580 | $21,130 | $30,760 | $30,080 |
| 166 | Terre Haute, IN | $27,250 | $19,910 | $30,870 | $31,040 |
| 167 | Gulfport, MS | $26,960 | $20,650 | $30,040 | $29,950 |
More
More on tour guides and escorts
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Tour Guide and Escort salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays tour guides and escorts the most?
Flagstaff, AZ, where the average (mean) wage is $70,280 a year, followed by Kiryas Joel, NY ($68,140), Seattle, WA ($61,460), San Jose, CA ($60,720). The national mean is $43,720 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do tour guides and escorts earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Flagstaff, AZ ($70,050 at national prices, $70,280 nominal), Kiryas Joel, NY ($62,270 at national prices, $68,140 nominal), Casper, WY ($58,150 at national prices, $54,560 nominal).
How much do tour guides and escorts make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $52,980; Los Angeles, CA: $45,880; Chicago, IL-IN: $39,290; Dallas, TX: $39,460; Houston, TX: $39,310 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do tour guides and escorts earn the least?
Of the 167 metro areas with their own estimate, Gulfport, MS has the lowest mean wage, $26,960. At local prices that is worth $29,950.