SOC 41-9022 · May 2025
Real Estate Agent Salary
Real Estate Agents in the US earn a median of $52,830 a year ($33.42 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Real Estate Agent pay climbed from $62,060 in 2019 to $69,510 in 2025, a +12.0% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$52,830
Half of all Real Estate Agents in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+12.0% since 2019 · -2.1% YoY
Hourly
$33.42
Job growth 2025-35
+1.7%
US workers
193,370
BLS series
Annual median wage for Real Estate Sales Agents in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Real Estate Agents is $32,970 – $123,590.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$32,970
25th
$40,040
Median
$52,830
75th
$82,020
90th
$123,590
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Real Estate Agents. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $32,970 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $40,040 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $52,830 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $82,020 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $123,590 |
Geography
Real Estate Agent pay by state
Real Estate Agents earn the most in D.C. ($123,770, +134% against the national median) and the least in Arkansas ($38,180). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 48 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$52,830
Highest-paying states for real estate agents
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $123,770 | +134% | 590 |
| New York | $102,990 | +95% | 8,660 |
| New Jersey | $99,990 | +89% | – |
| Alaska | $89,170 | +69% | 170 |
| Nevada | $79,990 | +51% | 1,490 |
| Washington | $79,130 | +50% | 5,150 |
| Montana | $79,100 | +50% | 370 |
| New Mexico | $76,170 | +44% | 550 |
| North Dakota | $73,920 | +40% | – |
| South Dakota | $65,170 | +23% | 640 |
All 48 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $123,770 | 590 |
| New York | $102,990 | 8,660 |
| New Jersey | $99,990 | – |
| Alaska | $89,170 | 170 |
| Nevada | $79,990 | 1,490 |
| Washington | $79,130 | 5,150 |
| Montana | $79,100 | 370 |
| New Mexico | $76,170 | 550 |
| North Dakota | $73,920 | – |
| South Dakota | $65,170 | 640 |
| Virginia | $63,980 | 5,750 |
| Colorado | $63,670 | 6,120 |
| Oregon | $61,610 | 1,940 |
| Alabama | $60,890 | 1,580 |
| Rhode Island | $60,310 | – |
| Illinois | $59,220 | 6,030 |
| West Virginia | $59,050 | 370 |
| Arizona | $58,780 | 5,610 |
| Kentucky | $58,610 | 1,120 |
| Wisconsin | $58,120 | 5,680 |
| Michigan | $57,880 | 2,210 |
| New Hampshire | $57,620 | 240 |
| California | $57,560 | 17,500 |
| Maine | $56,930 | 740 |
| South Carolina | $56,580 | 4,930 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,040 | 5,510 |
| Maryland | $52,630 | 2,940 |
| North Carolina | $51,240 | 7,960 |
| Utah | $50,720 | 4,240 |
| Wyoming | $49,990 | 300 |
| Florida | $49,310 | 26,790 |
| Oklahoma | $47,980 | 3,710 |
| Nebraska | $47,240 | 1,400 |
| Delaware | $47,180 | 900 |
| Indiana | $46,880 | 3,680 |
| Connecticut | $46,770 | – |
| Georgia | $46,730 | 9,940 |
| Minnesota | $46,410 | 2,530 |
| Tennessee | $46,250 | 2,360 |
| Ohio | $46,240 | 5,130 |
| Hawaii | $46,220 | 690 |
| Louisiana | $45,850 | 1,940 |
| Texas | $45,740 | 22,250 |
| Missouri | $43,960 | 1,590 |
| Idaho | $39,820 | 1,170 |
| Kansas | $39,770 | 1,450 |
| Mississippi | $39,550 | 670 |
| Arkansas | $38,180 | 1,640 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Real Estate Agents
Real estate sales agents (BLS SOC 41-9022) help clients buy, sell, and rent properties. The role requires state licensure (varies by state, typically 60–180 hours of pre-licensing education plus a state exam). Compensation is almost entirely commission-based; OEWS figures attempt to reflect this but capture imperfectly. Top producers in high-cost markets earn multiples of the OEWS median; new agents in slow markets may earn substantially less than the figure suggests.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $32,970 – $123,590. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., New York and New Jersey. Pay in D.C. runs 3.2 times the level in Arkansas, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as high school diploma or equivalent, and projects about 32,600 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 1.7% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Real Estate Agent salary in the US?
How much does a Real Estate Agent make an hour?
How much do Real Estate Agents make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Real Estate Agents the most?
Is the average Real Estate Agent salary higher than the median?
Is Real Estate Agent a growing career?
Open positions
Open Real Estate Agent roles hiring now
Browse current Real Estate Agent listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 41-9022. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.