Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,140 | $15.45 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $44,390 | $21.34 |
| Mean (average) | $49,630 | $23.86 |
| 90th percentile | $78,150 | $37.57 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,620 | $29,520 | $78,100 | 150 | 0.09 |
| Alaska | $45,870 | $38,310 | $79,200 | 1,000 | 4.02 |
| Arizona | $45,710 | $34,740 | $77,980 | 3,020 | 1.22 |
| Arkansas | $42,040 | $30,310 | $80,990 | 430 | 0.43 |
| California | $49,420 | $41,630 | $76,450 | 10,580 | 0.76 |
| Colorado | $45,960 | $38,410 | $79,520 | 3,650 | 1.66 |
| Connecticut | $39,380 | $34,880 | $71,180 | 510 | 0.39 |
| Delaware | $43,140 | $37,120 | $60,310 | 70 | 0.19 |
| District of Columbia | $46,550 | $37,620 | $63,320 | 100 | 0.19 |
| Florida | $39,490 | $32,130 | $78,620 | 14,740 | 1.94 |
| Georgia | $47,860 | $37,990 | $76,880 | 5,880 | 1.58 |
| Guam | $27,230 | $22,770 | $51,380 | 220 | 4.39 |
| Hawaii | $45,020 | $35,890 | $71,670 | 1,590 | 3.32 |
| Idaho | $40,230 | $33,610 | $79,770 | 420 | 0.65 |
| Illinois | $47,850 | $37,850 | $77,200 | 7,080 | 1.52 |
| Indiana | $41,400 | $34,810 | $76,830 | 550 | 0.22 |
| Iowa | $36,880 | $30,490 | $75,790 | 200 | 0.17 |
| Kansas | $34,940 | $30,360 | $53,070 | 180 | 0.16 |
| Kentucky | $45,840 | $34,490 | $77,130 | 1,860 | 1.21 |
| Louisiana | $44,520 | $27,770 | $74,260 | 520 | 0.35 |
| Maine | $40,700 | $34,930 | $62,200 | 410 | 0.84 |
| Maryland | $40,750 | $37,380 | $76,780 | 720 | 0.34 |
| Massachusetts | $44,230 | $40,750 | $62,640 | 1,560 | 0.56 |
| Michigan | $60,220 | $33,640 | $79,600 | 1,980 | 0.59 |
| Minnesota | $60,090 | $44,940 | $86,860 | 2,160 | 0.96 |
| Mississippi | $37,730 | $25,470 | $71,180 | 170 | 0.19 |
| Missouri | $40,560 | $28,600 | $76,910 | 1,770 | 0.79 |
| Montana | $43,110 | $26,430 | $73,430 | 480 | 1.22 |
| Nebraska | $37,850 | $34,610 | $50,390 | 650 | 0.84 |
| Nevada | $41,000 | $34,770 | $66,440 | 2,660 | 2.25 |
| New Hampshire | $40,920 | $37,240 | $54,930 | 150 | 0.28 |
| New Jersey | $38,780 | $38,780 | $76,910 | 2,780 | 0.85 |
| New Mexico | $47,850 | $32,110 | $80,300 | 600 | 0.91 |
| New York | $42,990 | $37,160 | $76,810 | 5,510 | 0.74 |
| North Carolina | $44,630 | $35,690 | $77,980 | 5,760 | 1.53 |
| North Dakota | $34,870 | $34,520 | $52,010 | 150 | 0.46 |
| Ohio | $36,070 | $33,940 | $78,300 | 1,200 | 0.28 |
| Oklahoma | $47,340 | $40,860 | $81,050 | 920 | 0.71 |
| Oregon | $40,570 | $35,360 | $71,180 | 1,340 | 0.89 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,380 | $31,990 | $81,540 | 4,020 | 0.87 |
| Puerto Rico | Data unavailable | 510 | 0.71 | ||
| Rhode Island | $45,420 | $35,660 | $77,840 | 210 | 0.54 |
| South Carolina | $43,740 | $21,960 | $76,800 | 1,010 | 0.58 |
| South Dakota | $35,860 | $30,220 | $48,160 | 230 | 0.66 |
| Tennessee | $38,530 | $35,750 | $81,020 | 1,410 | 0.56 |
| Texas | $38,220 | $29,870 | $79,110 | 18,410 | 1.71 |
| Utah | $38,660 | $36,330 | $77,530 | 3,260 | 2.46 |
| Vermont | $38,310 | $37,660 | $45,420 | 140 | 0.62 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,030 | $28,330 | $47,640 | 300 | 12.28 |
| Virginia | $44,140 | $38,040 | $77,340 | 2,540 | 0.81 |
| Washington | $48,520 | $44,080 | $79,170 | 2,970 | 1.1 |
| West Virginia | $34,030 | $27,350 | $42,400 | 100 | 0.19 |
| Wisconsin | $35,950 | $30,170 | $50,600 | 880 | 0.39 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 11,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.9%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Make and confirm reservations for transportation and accommodations, using telephones, faxes, mail, and computers.
- Confer with customers to determine their service requirements and travel preferences.
- Prepare customer invoices and accept payment.
- Answer inquiries regarding information, such as schedules, accommodations, procedures, or policies.
- Determine whether space is available on travel dates requested by customers, assigning requested spaces when available.
- Contact customers or travel agents to advise them of travel conveyance changes or to confirm reservations.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Amadeus Altea Reservation
- Computer reservation system CRS software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Delphi Technology
- Email software
- Galileo 360 Fares
- GuestServe
- MICROS Systems MICROS 9700 HMS
- MICROS Systems OPERA Property Management System PMS
- Property management system PMS software
Transferable skills for career changers: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management.
Common job titles: Airline Ticket Agent, Airport Sales Agent, Baggage Service Agent, Corporate Travel Agent, Reservation Agent, Reservationist, Reservations Agent, Station Agent, Ticket Agent, Tour Sales Representative.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks make?
The national median annual wage for reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks was $44,390 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $32,140 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $78,150. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks a growing career?
BLS projects employment of reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks to change +2.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 11,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Michigan ($60,220), Minnesota ($60,090), California ($49,420). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.