Real Estate Sales Agents
Real Estate Sales Agents (SOC 41-9022) earn a median $52,830 a year ($25.40 an hour) in the United States, with 193,370 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What real estate sales agents do
Real estate sales agents rent, buy, or sell property for clients, and the code includes agents who represent the buyer. They study property listings, interview prospective clients, take clients to the site, discuss conditions of sale, and draw up real estate contracts. They draft paperwork including representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases, present purchase offers to sellers, and mediate negotiations, usually representing either the buyer or the seller. They make lists of properties that fit buyers' needs and finances, compare a property with similar recent sales to judge a competitive price, and promote sales through advertisements, open houses, and multiple listing services. Before closing, they confer with escrow companies, lenders, home inspectors, and pest control operators so the buyer and seller each meet their obligations, and they oversee the closing, including document signing and the disbursement of funds. Both apartment leasing agent and buyers' agent are titles O*NET files here.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 43 percent).
Also called: Agricultural Real Estate Agent, Apartment Leasing Agent, Apartment Leasing Consultant, Apartment Rental Agent, Building Consultant.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.85 | $19.25 | $25.40 | $39.43 | $59.42 | $33.42 | 193,370 |
| Annual | $32,970 | $40,040 | $52,830 | $82,020 | $123,590 | $69,510 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where real estate sales agents earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $18.49 | $21.24 | $59.51 | $59.51 | $62.39 | $47.84 | 590 | 0.84 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $38,450 | $44,180 | $123,770 | $123,770 | $129,760 | $99,500 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.25 | $27.90 | $49.51 | $75.39 | $85.92 | $54.20 | 8,660 | 0.89 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $48,350 | $58,030 | $102,990 | $156,810 | $178,710 | $112,730 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $22.66 | $30.29 | $48.07 | $53.84 | $60.09 | $44.38 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $47,130 | $63,000 | $99,990 | $111,990 | $124,990 | $92,310 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $25.20 | $34.32 | $42.87 | $49.78 | $59.19 | $42.46 | 170 | 0.52 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $52,420 | $71,390 | $89,170 | $103,540 | $123,120 | $88,330 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $13.63 | $22.47 | $38.46 | $51.05 | $73.89 | $40.13 | 1,490 | 0.96 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $28,340 | $46,740 | $79,990 | $106,190 | $153,680 | $83,470 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.91 | $23.71 | $38.46 | $73.65 | $35.39 | 26,790 | 2.70 | 2.17 |
| Annual | $31,190 | $39,330 | $49,310 | $79,990 | $153,200 | $73,600 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.00 | $17.75 | $21.99 | $35.90 | $57.72 | $30.58 | 22,250 | 1.58 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $29,110 | $36,920 | $45,740 | $74,660 | $120,050 | $63,610 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $19.30 | $21.88 | $27.68 | $37.62 | $53.52 | $32.49 | 17,500 | 0.96 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $40,150 | $45,520 | $57,560 | $78,250 | $111,320 | $67,570 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $14.53 | $17.78 | $22.47 | $35.52 | $62.72 | $31.37 | 9,940 | 2.03 | 1.63 |
| Annual | $30,220 | $36,980 | $46,730 | $73,880 | $130,460 | $65,250 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.25 | $27.90 | $49.51 | $75.39 | $85.92 | $54.20 | 8,660 | 0.89 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $48,350 | $58,030 | $102,990 | $156,810 | $178,710 | $112,730 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $25.25 | $29.03 | $55.68 | $55.71 | $78.87 | $48.44 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $52,520 | $60,370 | $115,820 | $115,870 | $164,040 | $100,760 | ||||
| Midland, TX | Hourly | $18.08 | $29.17 | $52.77 | $82.18 | $105.01 | $57.01 | 340 | 2.75 | 2.21 |
| Annual | $37,600 | $60,680 | $109,760 | $170,930 | $218,420 | $118,580 | ||||
| Reno, NV | Hourly | $22.49 | $31.31 | $51.05 | $51.05 | $51.05 | $43.41 | 380 | 1.36 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $46,770 | $65,130 | $106,190 | $106,190 | $106,190 | $90,290 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.25 | $30.29 | $49.78 | $75.39 | $86.30 | $54.57 | 8,320 | 0.88 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $48,350 | $63,000 | $103,550 | $156,810 | $179,500 | $113,500 | ||||
| Las Cruces, NM | Hourly | $17.44 | $28.53 | $48.21 | $51.83 | $71.90 | $43.07 | 70 | 0.90 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $36,270 | $59,340 | $100,280 | $107,810 | $149,540 | $89,590 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $17.48 | $20.31 | $22.63 | $56.99 | $73.65 | $40.58 | 9,160 | 3.25 | 2.61 |
| Annual | $36,360 | $42,230 | $47,080 | $118,540 | $153,200 | $84,400 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.25 | $30.29 | $49.78 | $75.39 | $86.30 | $54.57 | 8,320 | 0.88 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $48,350 | $63,000 | $103,550 | $156,810 | $179,500 | $113,500 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $18.64 | $20.63 | $22.61 | $27.77 | $49.12 | $27.76 | 7,340 | 1.17 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $38,760 | $42,910 | $47,020 | $57,760 | $102,170 | $57,740 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $15.92 | $19.65 | $22.47 | $34.95 | $67.86 | $32.65 | 6,960 | 2.41 | 1.94 |
| Annual | $33,120 | $40,860 | $46,730 | $72,700 | $141,150 | $67,910 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $13.76 | $17.72 | $21.44 | $31.48 | $50.91 | $29.24 | 6,950 | 1.72 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $28,610 | $36,870 | $44,580 | $65,490 | $105,900 | $60,830 | ||||
Top industries employing real estate sales agents
Real Estate employ 81.5% of real estate sales agents nationally (157,630 jobs) at a median $49,850 a year ($23.97 an hour), followed by Residential Building Construction (6.3%) and Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) (1.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Estate NAICS 531000 | 157,630 | 81.5% | $49,850 | $23.97 |
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 12,160 | 6.3% | $52,900 | $25.43 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 3,320 | 1.7% | $97,470 | $46.86 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 2,340 | 1.2% | $81,970 | $39.41 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 1,840 | 1.0% | $77,870 | $37.44 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (193,370). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,340 for real estate sales agents in May 2021 and $52,830 in May 2025, with employment of 175,920 and 193,370.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,340 | $23.24 | 175,920 |
| May 2022 | $49,980 | $24.03 | 193,010 |
| May 2023 | $54,300 | $26.11 | 197,720 |
| May 2024 | $56,320 | $27.08 | 190,600 |
| May 2025 | $52,830 | $25.40 | 193,370 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $59.51 | $123,770 | $38,450 | $129,760 | 590 | 0.84 | 0.67 |
| 2 | New York profile | $49.51 | $102,990 | $48,350 | $178,710 | 8,660 | 0.89 | 0.72 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $48.07 | $99,990 | $47,130 | $124,990 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Alaska profile | $42.87 | $89,170 | $52,420 | $123,120 | 170 | 0.52 | 0.42 |
| 5 | Nevada profile | $38.46 | $79,990 | $28,340 | $153,680 | 1,490 | 0.96 | 0.77 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $38.04 | $79,130 | $48,680 | $114,090 | 5,150 | 1.45 | 1.17 |
| 7 | Montana profile | $38.03 | $79,100 | $49,010 | $194,630 | 370 | 0.72 | 0.58 |
| 8 | New Mexico profile | $36.62 | $76,170 | $38,340 | $151,560 | 550 | 0.63 | 0.51 |
| 9 | North Dakota profile | $35.54 | $73,920 | $36,500 | $115,920 | ** | ** | ** |
| 10 | South Dakota profile | $31.33 | $65,170 | $45,970 | $110,160 | 640 | 1.41 | 1.13 |
| 11 | Virginia profile | $30.76 | $63,980 | $36,610 | $122,100 | 5,750 | 1.40 | 1.13 |
| 12 | Colorado profile | $30.61 | $63,670 | $37,040 | $128,220 | 6,120 | 2.13 | 1.71 |
| 13 | Oregon profile | $29.62 | $61,610 | $37,100 | $105,020 | 1,940 | 0.99 | 0.79 |
| 14 | Alabama profile | $29.28 | $60,890 | $24,750 | $236,210 | 1,580 | 0.75 | 0.60 |
| 15 | Rhode Island profile | $28.99 | $60,310 | $38,840 | $122,430 | ** | ** | ** |
| 16 | Illinois profile | $28.47 | $59,220 | $35,830 | $79,750 | 6,030 | 0.99 | 0.79 |
| 17 | West Virginia profile | $28.39 | $59,050 | $32,180 | $97,470 | 370 | 0.53 | 0.43 |
| 18 | Arizona profile | $28.26 | $58,780 | $35,160 | $113,460 | 5,610 | 1.73 | 1.39 |
| 19 | Kentucky profile | $28.18 | $58,610 | $34,320 | $105,000 | 1,120 | 0.56 | 0.45 |
| 20 | Wisconsin profile | $27.94 | $58,120 | $37,960 | $96,780 | 5,680 | 1.93 | 1.55 |
| 21 | Michigan profile | $27.83 | $57,880 | $31,590 | $104,170 | 2,210 | 0.50 | 0.40 |
| 22 | New Hampshire profile | $27.70 | $57,620 | $43,950 | $97,780 | 240 | 0.35 | 0.28 |
| 23 | California profile | $27.68 | $57,560 | $40,150 | $111,320 | 17,500 | 0.96 | 0.77 |
| 24 | Maine profile | $27.37 | $56,930 | $30,920 | $114,130 | 740 | 1.15 | 0.93 |
| 25 | South Carolina profile | $27.20 | $56,580 | $36,530 | $189,590 | 4,930 | 2.14 | 1.72 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $26.94 | $56,040 | $31,500 | $95,760 | 5,510 | 0.91 | 0.73 |
| 27 | Maryland profile | $25.31 | $52,630 | $37,370 | $99,990 | 2,940 | 1.06 | 0.86 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $24.64 | $51,240 | $27,940 | $126,380 | 7,960 | 1.61 | 1.30 |
| 29 | Utah profile | $24.38 | $50,720 | $30,290 | $82,790 | 4,240 | 2.44 | 1.97 |
| 30 | Wyoming profile | $24.03 | $49,990 | $30,930 | $87,430 | 300 | 1.05 | 0.85 |
| 31 | Florida profile | $23.71 | $49,310 | $31,190 | $153,200 | 26,790 | 2.70 | 2.17 |
| 32 | Oklahoma profile | $23.07 | $47,980 | $27,480 | $120,690 | 3,710 | 2.17 | 1.75 |
| 33 | Nebraska profile | $22.71 | $47,240 | $34,380 | $90,530 | 1,400 | 1.37 | 1.10 |
| 34 | Delaware profile | $22.68 | $47,180 | $34,220 | $103,140 | 900 | 1.86 | 1.49 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $22.54 | $46,880 | $27,550 | $82,270 | 3,680 | 1.15 | 0.92 |
| 36 | Connecticut profile | $22.49 | $46,770 | $39,820 | $92,100 | ** | ** | ** |
| 37 | Georgia profile | $22.47 | $46,730 | $30,220 | $130,460 | 9,940 | 2.03 | 1.63 |
| 38 | Minnesota profile | $22.31 | $46,410 | $36,150 | $108,040 | 2,530 | 0.86 | 0.69 |
| 39 | Tennessee profile | $22.24 | $46,250 | $32,160 | $92,010 | 2,360 | 0.72 | 0.58 |
| 40 | Ohio profile | $22.23 | $46,240 | $29,990 | $96,840 | 5,130 | 0.92 | 0.74 |
| 41 | Hawaii profile | $22.22 | $46,220 | $36,030 | $101,750 | 690 | 1.10 | 0.89 |
| 42 | Louisiana profile | $22.04 | $45,850 | $20,210 | $86,590 | 1,940 | 1.00 | 0.80 |
| 43 | Texas profile | $21.99 | $45,740 | $29,110 | $120,050 | 22,250 | 1.58 | 1.27 |
| 44 | Missouri profile | $21.14 | $43,960 | $30,160 | $104,770 | 1,590 | 0.54 | 0.44 |
| 45 | Idaho profile | $19.15 | $39,820 | $21,120 | $79,440 | 1,170 | 1.36 | 1.09 |
| 46 | Kansas profile | $19.12 | $39,770 | $30,190 | $83,760 | 1,450 | 1.01 | 0.81 |
| 47 | Mississippi profile | $19.02 | $39,550 | $20,950 | $94,500 | 670 | 0.58 | 0.46 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $18.36 | $38,180 | $24,600 | $100,800 | 1,640 | 1.26 | 1.01 |
| – | Iowa profile | * | * | * | * | 680 | 0.44 | 0.35 |
| – | Massachusetts profile | * | * | * | * | 4,530 | 1.24 | 1.00 |
| – | Vermont profile | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.22 | 0.18 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (41-9020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Sales and Related Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 41-9022 Real Estate Sales Agents.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 41-9022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 41-9022.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.