Travel Agent Schools in New Jersey

Travel agents help individuals plan trips they will remember for the rest of their lives. This profession requires strong organizational skills, but there is more to it.

In the upcoming sections, we focus on all the steps required to become a successful travel agent in New Jersey. We discuss how candidates can prepare for their education and then consider some viable educational pathways.

We then move on to the licensure and certification requirements and how these can facilitate employment and career growth. We round up the guide by looking at specific high-quality training programs in the state and the possible annual earnings for professionals in this field in New Jersey.

How to Become a Travel Agent in New Jersey

These are the requirements for becoming a travel agent in New Jersey.

Step 1: Receiving Relevant Training

An aspiring travel agent in New Jersey who has some form of experience in tourism and hospitality management may go straight to a travel agency to secure training arrangements on the job. However, candidates without prior experience are strongly advised to attend a training program to get started. They may consider any high-quality travel agent programs courtesy of academic institutions and private providers listed later in the guide.

Step 2: Finding a Host Agency

After completing a training program, those who have attended one may apply to join an agency. Some advantages of joining a host agency instead of starting one include access to marketing tools, software, and more advanced training.

Host agencies also provide travel agents with IATA numbers, which they can’t use to carry out their duties. Furthermore, joining a host agency gives candidates time to settle in and acquire more skills on the job before they branch out and start their agency if they so desire.

Step 3: Marketing & Career Growth

As much as host agencies provide marketing help for travel agents in New Jersey, it is still up to the professionals to market themselves. Earning professional certification is one way to market oneself as a travel agent and secure career growth opportunities.

Explore trades with similar paths:

• Learn how to become a home and building inspector in New Jersey

We take a look at some worthwhile options in the next section.

Licensure & Certification Requirements

The state of New Jersey is similar to most states in that travel agents here are not expected to acquire a license or register before they can start their careers. Candidates who pursue professional credentials only do so because they gain several benefits.

For instance, networking is highly valuable in tourism and hospitality, and obtaining professional certification can be a wonderful way to network with fellow professionals in the field.

Some highly rated organizations offering valuable credentials to travel agents in New Jersey include the Cruise Lines International Association, Travel Industry Designator Service, the International Air Transport Association, and the American Society of Travel Advisors.

Top Travel Agent Schools in New Jersey

The entries below are among the top training destinations for aspiring travel agents in New Jersey.

Explore travel agent schools in New Jersey by city:

• Travel agent schools in Jersey City

Salary & Career Outlook

At the end of each year, travel agents in New Jersey can expect to take home an average salary of $66,660. According to a survey carried out by the employment market, this figure is most relevant to these professionals in the state.

The same survey also showed that a travel agent in New Jersey could earn as high as $84,458 in annual average salary, joining the state’s top earners. On the other hand, those in the bottom 10% take home around $52,613 in salary at the end of the year.

Candidates may consider optimizing their location within the state to earn a higher annual average. Lakewood is currently the highest-paying city for travel agents in New Jersey, with an average salary of $72,617.

Paterson, with an average annual salary of $70,567, and Livingston, with an average annual salary of $70,509, are second and third.