Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the scenic and sightseeing transportation, water industry earns $42,997 per year ($20.67/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water Workers Earn?
At $42,997/year (equivalent to $20.67/hour for a full-time worker), scenic and sightseeing transportation, water wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical scenic and sightseeing transportation, water business employs 7 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average scenic and sightseeing transportation, water business generating $804K/year with 7 employees at $42,997 each, total payroll represents roughly 37.4% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a scenic and sightseeing transportation, waterbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $55,896/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 7 employees = ~$300,979/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $20.67/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $804K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do scenic and sightseeing transportation, water employees make?
- The average scenic and sightseeing transportation, water employee earns $42,997 per year, which is equivalent to $20.67/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the scenic and sightseeing transportation, water industry?
- The scenic and sightseeing transportation, water industry employs 17,134 workers across 2,456 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 7 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).