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The differences between guides and tour guides can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a guide and a tour guide. Additionally, a guide has an average salary of $34,479, which is higher than the $32,323 average annual salary of a tour guide.
The top three skills for a guide include brand awareness, product knowledge and safety rules. The most important skills for a tour guide are local history, customer service, and safety practices.
| Guide | Tour Guide | |
| Yearly salary | $34,479 | $32,323 |
| Hourly rate | $16.58 | $15.54 |
| Growth rate | 28% | - |
| Number of jobs | 1,195 | 1,043 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A guide is an expert on a location's history and gives guided tours to tourists at historic sites, nature and scenic attractions, and other travel destinations. Manuals are usually residents in the area hired by visitors' bureaus and travel companies. The tour guides provide visitors relevant and exciting information about the places they visit and keep the tour safe, organized, and productive. Their primary duties include a brief meeting with the tour manager to know the tourist's interests and needs. They plan itineraries, arrange, and organize transportation between destinations. At certain times, they are in charge of collecting fees, sell souvenirs, and promote gift shops.
As their title describes, tour guides offer guided tours to individuals or groups of visitors. Tour guides undertake research and plan tours, provide sightseeing advice, and organize excursions. They transport and accompany their guests to the tourist spots in specific destinations. They are expected to be experts on the historical background and culture of an area. A useful tour guide must be equipped with enough enthusiasm, punctuality, keen sense, strong communication skills, and a steel-trap memory.
Guides and tour guides have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Guide | Tour Guide | |
| Average salary | $34,479 | $32,323 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $68,000 | Between $18,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Salesforce | Harley-Davidson |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a guide and a tour guide in terms of educational background:
| Guide | Tour Guide | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between guides' and tour guides' demographics:
| Guide | Tour Guide | |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% | Male, 46.8% Female, 53.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 9.9% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 9.9% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |