Travel agents
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Travel agents in the United States earn a median salary of $50,160 per year — about $24 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 66K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +2%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core functions of a travel agent—researching destinations, comparing prices, building itineraries, and processing bookings—are entirely digital and involve information synthesis that AI can now perform instantly. While high-end human agents provide personalized judgment and crisis management, AI's ability to handle complex natural language queries and real-time logistics makes the vast majority of the occupation's routine tasks highly susceptible to automation.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MTBEST VALUE | $67,440 | Average (99.0) | $68,116 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $60,110 | Below avg (91.6) | $65,621 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $63,400 | Average (98.3) | $64,506 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $59,090 | Below avg (92.4) | $63,966 |
| Reading, PA | $60,470 | Below avg (96.5) | $62,685 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $60,580 | Average (97.1) | $62,360 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $59,820 | Average (97.0) | $61,655 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $60,310 | Average (98.3) | $61,368 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $59,860 | Average (98.4) | $60,861 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $56,210 | Below avg (93.2) | $60,309 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $60,560 | Average (100.8) | $60,107 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $57,390 | Average (97.3) | $58,954 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $59,370 | Average (101.0) | $58,794 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area | $62,870 | Above avg (107.0) | $58,751 |
| Bend, OR | $61,570 | Above avg (105.3) | $58,484 |