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Salary comparison

Tour and Travel Guides vs. Childcare Workers: Who Earns More?

Tour and Travel Guides out-earn Childcare Workers by $3K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Tour and Travel Guides land at $38,120 and Childcare Workers at $34,980. The education gap is real: tour and travel guide programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while childcare worker programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Tour and Travel Guides is Washington ($54,160); for Childcare Workers it's District of Columbia ($47,340).

Tour and Travel Guides
Childcare Workers
Median salary
$38,120
$34,980
Hourly rate
$18.33/hr
$16.82/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$28,520
$24,260
Senior level (90th %)
$60,930
$46,010
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
53,500
518,910
Job growth (10-year)
8.1%
-2.9%
Category
Personal Care
Personal Care
Top-paying state
Washington
District of Columbia

Pay by state

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

State
Tour and Travel Guides
Childcare Workers
Washington
$54,160
$41,680
District of Columbia
$49,210
$47,340
California
$46,000
$40,020
Hawaii
$45,940
$37,030
Vermont
$45,920
$38,030
Maine
$44,940
$36,350
New York
$44,450
$37,590
Alaska
$44,210
$36,200
Colorado
$42,840
$40,750
New Hampshire
$41,600
$37,080
Oregon
$39,260
$38,650
Rhode Island
$38,310
$36,940
Massachusetts
$37,840
$40,900
New Jersey
$36,640
$36,390
Connecticut
$35,090
$36,660

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Tour and Travel Guides or Childcare Workers?

Tour and Travel Guides earn more nationally. The median is $38,120 for Tour and Travel Guides versus $34,980 for Childcare Workers, a difference of $3K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Tour and Travel Guides or Childcare Workers?

Tour and Travel Guides has the better 10-year outlook at 8.1% projected growth, compared to -2.9% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Tour and Travel Guides or Childcare Workers?

Tour and Travel Guides typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Childcare Workers 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. Childcare Workers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Tour and Travel Guides earn $54,160 vs. $41,680 for Childcare Workers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Tour and Travel Guides salary breakdownView →Full Childcare Workers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Tour and Travel Guides by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Childcare Workers by take-home payExplore →How to become a tour and travel guidesGuide →How to become a childcare workersGuide →