Tour and Travel Guides pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $46,910 or more. The middle half of tour and travel guides in Chicago earn between $35,090 and $41,090.
- $31K10th
- $35K25th
- $37KMedian
- $41K75th
- $47K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,290 | $3,274 | $18.89 |
| Median | $36,870 | $3,072 | $17.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,090 | $2,924 | $16.87 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $41,090 | $3,424 | $19.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Tour and Travel Guides pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Tour and travel guides in Chicago earn about the same as the Illinois average ($38,420) and 10% less than the U.S. average ($43,720). At the median the gap is -3% against the U.S. median of $38,120.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $39,290 | $36,870 | $31,200 | $46,910 | 840 |
| Illinois | $38,420 | $36,780 | $31,200 | $45,930 | 1,090 |
| United States | $43,720 | $38,120 | $28,520 | $60,930 | 53,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Tour and Travel Guides salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $39,290, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $31,946 a year, or $2,662 a month and $1,229 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $32,601 | $2,717 |
| Working in IL | $31,946 | $2,662 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for tour and travel guides? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $39,290 buys what about $37,927 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 9.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Tour and Travel Guides salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 2nd of 2 Illinois metro areas for this job; Springfield pays the most ($49,740).
- Springfield$49,740
- Chicago$39,290
Highest-paying cities for tour and travel guides
Flagstaff, AZ pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($70,280).
- Flagstaff, AZ$70,280
- Kiryas Joel, NY$68,140
- Seattle, WA$61,460
- San Jose, CA$60,710
- Bremerton, WA$56,200
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Tour and Travel Guides salary in Chicago: questions
How much do tour and travel guides make an hour in Chicago?
$18.89 an hour on average, and $17.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level tour and travel guides salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,090, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the tour and travel guides take-home pay in Chicago?
About $31,946 a year ($2,662 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,290.
Do tour and travel guides earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% less than the U.S. average for this job ($43,720).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 39-7010; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.54, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.54).
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