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Boston Career Explorer

Personal Care and Service

Tour and Travel Guides

Escort individuals or groups on sightseeing tours or through places of interest, such as industrial establishments, public buildings, and art galleries.

Also called: Art Museum Docent, Discovery Guide, Docent, Guide, Historical Interpreter, Museum Docent

Median pay in Greater Boston
$38,440
$18.48/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
1,290
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+10.5%
380 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$32,150$36,590$38,440$42,880$52,100

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Describe tour points of interest to group members, and respond to questions.
  • Escort individuals or groups on cruises, sightseeing tours, or through places of interest, such as industrial establishments, public buildings, or art galleries.
  • Monitor visitors' activities to ensure compliance with establishment or tour regulations and safety practices.
  • Conduct educational activities for school children.
  • Research various topics, including site history, environmental conditions, and clients' skills and abilities to plan appropriate expeditions, instruction, and commentary.
  • Provide directions and other pertinent information to visitors.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure61 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 58
  • Language-model AIOE 64
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 61

Observed AI use today: Not published (Anthropic Economic Index)

Tour and travel guides have moderate AI exposure. AI tools can help with researching site history and drafting commentary, and they can answer common visitor questions. Leading a group in person, keeping visitors safe, and teaching school children rely on people. Massachusetts jobs are projected to grow 10.5% from 2024 to 2034.

Likely to change

  • Researching site history and tour topics
  • Answering routine visitor questions

Still relies on people

  • Leading and engaging a live group
  • Keeping visitors safe on tours

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Recreation Workers

    Leading groups and enforcing safety rules carries over to organizing activities. It has lower AI exposure and 7.0% projected growth.

    Pay difference
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    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Flight Attendants

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    Pay difference
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    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

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    Pay difference
    +$26,750 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
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    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

31 programs near Boston (plus 19 graduate)

Related occupations

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