Travel Counselors

Median Salary: $30,800

Many travel counselors across the United States share a number of key professional traits. For example, cooperation, self control, and independence can be critical for success in the industry, especially when mixed with career training. Around 76,990 individuals were working as travel counselors nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's crucial to build on these characteristics and receive top-notch training, particularly if you're planning to progress in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for travel counselors in the U.S. was $30,800 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $14.80. Of course, income can vary with training and by place. Below, you'll find more data about travel counselors, including wages and job density for metropolitan areas all over the United States.

Travel counselors should be skilled in:

  • Near Vision
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Information Ordering
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Category Flexibility

Different individuals go into different careers; travel counselors are typically:

  • Enterprising
  • Conventional
  • Social

Working as a travel counselor requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Transportation
  • English Language
  • Clerical

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of individuals working as travel counselors). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of travel counselors in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Birmingham 120 $42,000 $20.20 $58,000 $27.90 -60.1%
Huntsville 80 $29,200 $14.10 $35,500 $17.10 -32.1%
Mobile 50 $31,700 $15.30 $36,000 $17.30 -48%
Alaska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Anchorage 190 $34,800 $16.70 $38,200 $18.40 91.5%
Fairbanks NA $34,400 $16.60 $40,900 $19.70 NA
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 1,750 $26,200 $12.60 $33,800 $16.30 68.1%
Tucson 90 $30,500 $14.70 $37,700 $18.10 -58.6%
Arkansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Little Rock 70 $31,400 $15.10 $37,000 $17.80 -64.2%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bakersfield 90 $31,900 $15.30 $36,600 $17.60 -43.6%
Fresno 80 $30,200 $14.50 $38,400 $18.50 -58.4%
Los Angeles (Area) 5,140 $33,400 $16.00 $39,900 $19.20 69.3%
Oakland 530 $36,100 $17.40 $42,400 $20.40 -9.2%
Oxnard 140 $36,500 $17.50 $43,300 $20.80 -17.3%
Riverside 420 $35,100 $16.90 $38,700 $18.60 -41.1%
Sacramento 340 $32,100 $15.40 $36,900 $17.70 -31.9%
Salinas 50 $24,800 $11.90 $33,300 $16.00 -50.4%
San Diego 620 $34,500 $16.60 $51,300 $24.70 -17.3%
San Francisco (Area) 1,490 $36,400 $17.50 $44,900 $21.60 28.4%
San Francisco (City) 960 $36,800 $17.70 $47,300 $22.80 65.9%
San Jose 590 $37,900 $18.20 $44,600 $21.40 12.7%
Santa Barbara 80 $41,500 $19.90 $49,000 $23.60 -21.2%
Santa Rosa 70 $34,000 $16.40 $38,900 $18.70 -31.6%
Stockton 60 $29,300 $14.10 $34,000 $16.40 -50.6%
Vallejo 40 $32,900 $15.80 $39,700 $19.10 -48.2%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boulder 170 $34,100 $16.40 $44,800 $21.50 83.9%
Colorado Springs 240 $24,400 $11.70 $29,300 $14.10 66.4%
Denver 830 $31,500 $15.10 $36,600 $17.60 15.1%
Fort Collins 80 $28,700 $13.80 $34,500 $16.60 7%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bridgeport NA $30,400 $14.60 $47,000 $22.60 NA
Hartford 200 $27,500 $13.20 $40,900 $19.60 -38.5%
New Haven 210 $30,500 $14.70 $39,200 $18.90 -0.3%
Norwich 40 $34,600 $16.60 $38,800 $18.70 -49.1%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 1,800 $36,500 $17.60 $43,300 $20.80 5.9%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bradenton 280 $15,600 $7.50 $29,600 $14.20 90.8%
Cape Coral 120 $32,200 $15.50 $40,600 $19.50 3.4%
Deltona 130 $20,300 $9.70 $35,600 $17.10 46.2%
Fort Walton Beach NA $29,400 $14.10 $36,200 $17.40 NA
Jacksonville 300 $34,500 $16.60 $37,800 $18.20 -11.9%
Lakeland 80 $28,100 $13.50 $35,200 $16.90 -31.7%
Miami (Area) 3,320 $27,400 $13.20 $32,000 $15.40 137.7%
Naples 110 $31,100 $14.90 $38,000 $18.30 64.5%
Orlando 2,040 $24,900 $12.00 $32,600 $15.70 249.7%
Palm Bay 110 $26,300 $12.60 $30,500 $14.70 -3.2%
Palm Coast 40 $21,600 $10.40 $28,400 $13.70 274.5%
Panama City 100 $28,000 $13.50 $30,100 $14.50 148%
Pensacola 220 $23,600 $11.30 $27,600 $13.30 145.3%
Port St. Lucie 80 $23,400 $11.30 $30,400 $14.60 6.5%
Tallahassee 50 $23,000 $11.10 $28,000 $13.50 -43.3%
Tampa 810 $24,900 $12.00 $31,700 $15.20 21.6%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 1,060 $36,100 $17.30 $40,300 $19.40 -21.6%
Savannah 30 $33,000 $15.90 $38,200 $18.40 -63.8%
Hawaii
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Honolulu 660 $25,800 $12.40 $30,400 $14.60 161.6%
Idaho
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boise City 180 $33,300 $16.00 $37,900 $18.20 15.3%
Coeur d'Alene NA $23,900 $11.50 $29,700 $14.30 NA
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chicago (Area) 3,970 $29,300 $14.10 $35,000 $16.80 7.8%
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bloomington NA $33,700 $16.20 $36,300 $17.40 NA
Evansville 50 $26,200 $12.60 $31,100 $14.90 -49.1%
Fort Wayne 80 $27,900 $13.40 $33,200 $16.00 -37.4%
Indianapolis 310 $30,400 $14.60 $37,700 $18.10 -39.4%
South Bend 50 $29,300 $14.10 $34,600 $16.60 -31.4%
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Cedar Rapids 60 $32,800 $15.80 $37,400 $18.00 -31.1%
Davenport NA $26,700 $12.80 $33,900 $16.30 NA
Des Moines 110 $32,400 $15.60 $40,000 $19.20 -42.3%
Kansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Wichita 160 $31,700 $15.30 $37,400 $18.00 -9.3%
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lexington 130 $33,900 $16.30 $39,600 $19.00 -5.9%
Louisville 180 $24,000 $11.50 $29,600 $14.20 -49.1%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge 80 $24,900 $12.00 $30,300 $14.60 -65%
New Orleans NA $25,800 $12.40 $31,100 $14.90 NA
Shreveport 60 $24,400 $11.70 $30,200 $14.50 -37%
Maine
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Portland 80 $33,700 $16.20 $41,200 $19.80 -33.8%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 520 $32,200 $15.50 $44,000 $21.10 -29.4%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Barnstable Town 40 $30,100 $14.50 $33,700 $16.20 -20.4%
Boston (Area) 2,380 $34,600 $16.60 $41,400 $19.90 21.7%
Springfield 100 $28,700 $13.80 $35,400 $17.00 -42.4%
Worcester 120 $29,800 $14.30 $36,100 $17.30 -17%
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ann Arbor 90 $29,600 $14.20 $36,900 $17.80 -16.1%
Detroit (Area) NA $27,300 $13.10 $38,000 $18.30 NA
Flint 30 NA NA NA NA -60.1%
Grand Rapids 240 $28,300 $13.60 $31,000 $14.90 14.1%
Holland 50 $20,900 $10.10 $25,900 $12.50 -11.2%
Kalamazoo 50 $29,200 $14.00 $34,500 $16.60 -37.7%
Saginaw NA $30,200 $14.50 $36,200 $17.40 NA
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis 1,320 $32,500 $15.60 $39,700 $19.10 29.2%
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Jackson 50 $21,900 $10.50 $30,700 $14.80 -63%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Kansas City 460 $31,600 $15.20 $36,900 $17.70 -20.2%
Springfield 260 $25,400 $12.20 $33,700 $16.20 135.8%
St. Louis 1,690 $32,500 $15.60 $37,400 $18.00 120.5%
Montana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Billings 60 $27,600 $13.30 $38,900 $18.70 20.5%
Missoula 30 $26,600 $12.80 $29,800 $14.30 -8.3%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lincoln 80 $29,500 $14.20 $37,300 $18.00 -11%
Omaha 440 $28,200 $13.50 $35,700 $17.20 64%
Nevada
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Las Vegas 870 $27,700 $13.30 $38,700 $18.60 72.3%
Reno 40 $26,300 $12.60 $42,300 $20.30 -68.3%
New Hampshire
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Manchester 50 $30,900 $14.90 $36,700 $17.60 -18.3%
New Jersey
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlantic City 50 $34,400 $16.60 $38,300 $18.40 -36.7%
Trenton 190 $37,300 $17.90 $61,900 $29.70 46.3%
New Mexico
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albuquerque 160 $24,500 $11.80 $30,600 $14.70 -30.2%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 160 $28,700 $13.80 $31,500 $15.20 -38.5%
Buffalo 320 $30,400 $14.60 $37,000 $17.80 2.4%
New York (Area) 7,970 $34,800 $16.70 $44,100 $21.20 40.1%
Poughkeepsie NA $31,600 $15.20 $36,800 $17.70 NA
Rochester 260 $32,100 $15.40 $39,500 $19.00 -10.9%
Syracuse 190 $28,800 $13.90 $34,700 $16.70 3.7%
Utica 50 $26,200 $12.60 $31,000 $14.90 -35.7%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Asheville 30 $32,600 $15.70 $52,600 $25.30 -65.4%
Charlotte 400 $33,400 $16.10 $41,700 $20.10 -19.7%
Durham 80 $61,000 $29.30 $74,300 $35.70 -53.7%
Fayetteville 50 $26,900 $12.90 $33,300 $16.00 -35.8%
Greensboro 80 $28,000 $13.50 $38,000 $18.30 -61.3%
Raleigh 230 $36,100 $17.30 $39,400 $18.90 -20.5%
Wilmington 30 $32,400 $15.60 $41,900 $20.20 -61.5%
Winston-Salem 50 $32,300 $15.50 $37,000 $17.80 -57%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron 100 $25,700 $12.40 $34,500 $16.60 -46.2%
Cincinnati 420 $27,300 $13.10 $31,700 $15.20 -28.4%
Cleveland 580 $30,200 $14.50 $37,900 $18.20 -2.4%
Columbus 580 $19,800 $9.50 $30,600 $14.70 7.6%
Dayton 240 $23,800 $11.50 $28,000 $13.40 7.8%
Toledo 80 $23,000 $11.10 $25,500 $12.20 -52.3%
Youngstown 40 $21,200 $10.20 $26,900 $12.90 -67.6%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Oklahoma City 170 $23,600 $11.40 $31,200 $15.00 -48.6%
Tulsa 130 $29,200 $14.10 $32,400 $15.60 -49.2%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Eugene 70 $27,500 $13.20 $34,200 $16.40 -11.7%
Portland 620 $29,300 $14.10 $34,700 $16.70 5.9%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Allentown 440 $29,900 $14.40 $38,000 $18.30 126%
Erie 40 $28,300 $13.60 $36,300 $17.50 -41.3%
Harrisburg 170 $28,800 $13.90 $37,200 $17.90 -8.7%
Lancaster 130 $36,100 $17.40 $45,100 $21.70 -4.6%
Philadelphia (Area) 1,850 $30,900 $14.90 $39,400 $18.90 2.7%
Pittsburgh 610 $33,000 $15.90 $40,300 $19.40 -7%
Reading 210 $32,500 $15.60 $39,100 $18.80 118.7%
Scranton 150 $33,200 $15.90 $39,400 $19.00 1%
State College 40 $36,200 $17.40 $44,700 $21.50 8.7%
York 70 $32,300 $15.50 $39,200 $18.80 -30.6%
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence 350 $30,800 $14.80 $37,000 $17.80 8.1%
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 100 $29,300 $14.10 $38,500 $18.50 -39.6%
Columbia 110 $30,500 $14.70 $35,100 $16.90 -45.5%
Greenville 90 $30,800 $14.80 $39,700 $19.10 -51.1%
Myrtle Beach 80 $25,500 $12.30 $29,500 $14.20 15.6%
South Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Rapid City 50 $29,000 $13.90 $34,300 $16.50 30.2%
Sioux Falls 50 $27,400 $13.20 $31,100 $15.00 -40.7%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chattanooga 50 $29,900 $14.40 $37,400 $18.00 -61.3%
Knoxville 80 $34,100 $16.40 $37,800 $18.20 -58.4%
Memphis 150 $32,700 $15.70 $45,500 $21.90 -57.7%
Nashville 510 $34,100 $16.40 $39,000 $18.70 20.9%
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Austin 350 $33,800 $16.20 $37,600 $18.10 -23.8%
Corpus Christi 40 $18,500 $8.90 $33,500 $16.10 -64.9%
Dallas (Area) 2,130 $31,800 $15.30 $38,100 $18.30 8.3%
El Paso 110 $30,300 $14.60 $48,000 $23.10 -28%
Houston 2,200 $30,400 $14.60 $37,700 $18.10 45.5%
Lubbock NA $29,100 $14.00 $42,300 $20.30 NA
San Antonio 570 $30,000 $14.40 $35,800 $17.20 14.6%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ogden 70 $23,600 $11.40 $33,900 $16.30 -39.9%
Provo NA $21,400 $10.30 $26,400 $12.70 NA
Salt Lake City 320 $29,600 $14.20 $40,100 $19.30 -10%
Vermont
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Burlington NA $31,000 $14.90 $36,700 $17.70 NA
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Richmond 270 $41,500 $19.90 $57,000 $27.40 -23.1%
Virginia Beach 490 $32,900 $15.80 $37,100 $17.80 13.1%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bremerton NA $34,800 $16.70 $67,100 $32.20 NA
Olympia 50 $29,400 $14.10 $35,600 $17.10 -14.1%
Seattle (Area) 1,270 $34,400 $16.50 $42,400 $20.40 -10.2%
Spokane NA $35,700 $17.20 $39,800 $19.20 NA
West Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Huntington NA $35,200 $16.90 $37,600 $18.10 NA
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Green Bay 120 $33,700 $16.20 $38,900 $18.70 26.7%
Madison 120 $30,700 $14.80 $36,000 $17.30 -37.9%
Milwaukee 550 $34,400 $16.50 $37,900 $18.20 13.4%
Racine 60 $27,400 $13.20 $34,500 $16.60 40.4%
Wyoming
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Cheyenne 30 $22,500 $10.80 $28,900 $13.90 35.1%