# Travel Agents

> Plan and sell transportation and accommodations for customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required. May also describe, plan, and arrange itineraries and sell tour packages. May assist in resolving clients' travel problems.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/travel-agents
- SOC code: 41-3041.00
- Career family: Sales
- Median annual pay: $50,160 (10th percentile $34,610, 90th percentile $76,660)
- Projected growth: Little or no change, +0.2%
- Openings a year: 5,900
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 2 |
| Investigative (I) | 9 |
| Artistic (A) | 15 |
| Social (S) | 55 |
| Enterprising (E) | 80 |
| Conventional (C) | 80 |

## What you'd do

- Working with Computers (importance 90/100)
- Getting Information (importance 89/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 81/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 77/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 73/100)
- Processing Information (importance 72/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 70/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 70/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 69/100)
- Performing Administrative Activities (importance 69/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Service Orientation, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Learning, Coordination, Critical Thinking

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Sales and Marketing, Geography, Computers and Electronics, Administrative, Telecommunications, Transportation, Administration and Management, Communications and Media

## Also called

Auto Travel Counselor, Beach Expert, Booking Agent, Business Travel Consultant, Certified Travel Counselor, Corporate Travel Agent, Corporate Travel Consultant, Corporate Travel Counselor, Corporate Travel Expert, Destination Specialist

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5218) (CIP 5218, 358 colleges)
- [Specialized Sales, Merchandising and  Marketing Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5219) (CIP 5219, 189 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Baylor University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/baylor-university-194) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $85,374 | $125,167 | $21,375 |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $72,444 | $93,141 | $18,458 |
| [Bowling Green State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bowling-green-state-university-main-campus-290) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $63,510 | $86,245 | $22,625 |
| [Weber State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/weber-state-university-3186) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $73,639 | $82,549 | $15,668 |
| [Purdue University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/purdue-university-main-campus-2163) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $66,112 | $82,441 | $19,043 |
| [University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-wisconsin-madison-main-campus-3084) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $58,551 | $82,081 | $14,567 |
| [Saint Joseph's University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-joseph-s-university-2308) | Specialized Sales, Merchandising and  Marketing Operations | $62,952 | $80,764 | $24,335 |
| [Kennesaw State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/kennesaw-state-university-1376) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $77,431 | $79,147 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/reservation-and-transportation-ticket-agents-and-travel-clerks): $44,390 median pay
- [Travel Guides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/travel-guides): $38,120 median pay
- [Counter and Rental Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/counter-and-rental-clerks): $41,300 median pay
- [Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-representatives-of-services-except-advertising-insurance-financial-services-and): $69,990 median pay
- [Customer Service Representatives](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/customer-service-representatives): $44,770 median pay
- [Telemarketers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/telemarketers): $35,450 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.