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Salary comparison

Tour and Travel Guides vs. Amusement and Recreation Attendants: Who Earns More?

Tour and Travel Guides out-earn Amusement and Recreation Attendants by $6K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Tour and Travel Guides land at $38,120 and Amusement and Recreation Attendants at $32,150. The education gap is real: tour and travel guide programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while amusement and recreation attendant programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Tour and Travel Guides is Washington ($54,160); for Amusement and Recreation Attendants it's Alaska ($45,680).

Tour and Travel Guides
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Median salary
$38,120
$32,150
Hourly rate
$18.33/hr
$15.46/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$28,520
$22,350
Senior level (90th %)
$60,930
$42,490
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
53,500
397,830
Job growth (10-year)
8.1%
3.4%
Category
Personal Care
Personal Care
Top-paying state
Washington
Alaska

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Tour and Travel Guides median pay.

State
Tour and Travel Guides
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Washington
$54,160
$37,790
District of Columbia
$49,210
$37,960
California
$46,000
$37,000
Hawaii
$45,940
$39,920
Vermont
$45,920
$35,290
Maine
$44,940
$35,330
New York
$44,450
$36,300
Alaska
$44,210
$45,680
Colorado
$42,840
$35,770
Maryland
$40,310
$36,710
Oregon
$39,260
$35,400
Massachusetts
$37,840
$34,440
Arizona
$37,560
$33,570
New Jersey
$36,640
$34,500
Connecticut
$35,090
$34,860

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Tour and Travel Guides or Amusement and Recreation Attendants?

Tour and Travel Guides earn more nationally. The median is $38,120 for Tour and Travel Guides versus $32,150 for Amusement and Recreation Attendants, a difference of $6K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Tour and Travel Guides or Amusement and Recreation Attendants?

Tour and Travel Guides has the better 10-year outlook at 8.1% projected growth, compared to 3.4% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Tour and Travel Guides or Amusement and Recreation Attendants?

Tour and Travel Guides typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Amusement and Recreation Attendants requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Tour and Travel Guides get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Tour and Travel Guides at $54,160/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Tour and Travel Guides vs. Amusement and Recreation Attendants pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Tour and Travel Guides earn $54,160 vs. $37,790 for Amusement and Recreation Attendants. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Tour and Travel Guides salary breakdownView →Full Amusement and Recreation Attendants salary breakdownView →Best cities for Tour and Travel Guides by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Amusement and Recreation Attendants by take-home payExplore →How to become a tour and travel guidesGuide →How to become a amusement and recreation attendantsGuide →