Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 43-4181 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$44,387
$21.34/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks is $44,387 per year ($21.34/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $37,856 and $59,654 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $78,146 per year. There are approximately 118,710 reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Make and confirm reservations for transportation or lodging, or sell transportation tickets. May check baggage and direct passengers to designated concourse, pier, or track; deliver tickets and contact individuals and groups to inform them of package tours; or provide tourists with travel or transportation information.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+2.8%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
14K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
132K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth97% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Scheduled Air Transportation
NAICS 481100
76K
$45,420
Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services
NAICS 561500
17K
$44,310
Support Activities for Air Transportation
NAICS 488100
12K
$39,310
Traveler Accommodation
NAICS 721100
4K
$42,420
Rail Transportation
NAICS 482100
900
$61,920
Wage range across top 5 industries: $39,310 to $61,920 (58% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$15.45
$32,136
P25
$18.20
$37,856
P50MEDIAN
$21.34
$44,387
P75
$28.68
$59,654
P90
$37.57
$78,146
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
3.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%
The labor market rebounded in March: hires jumped to 5.6M (+655K) and separations rose to 5.4M (+356K), both more than offsetting February's drop. Job openings held at 6.9M. Quits ticked to 2.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks salary?
The national median salary for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks is $44,387 per year ($21.34/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $37,856 and $59,654 annually.
How much do top-earning reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks make?
The 90th percentile salary for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks is $78,146 per year ($37.57/hr). The 75th percentile is $59,654 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks?
Entry-level Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks (10th percentile) earn approximately $32,136 per year ($15.45/hr). The 25th percentile is $37,856 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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