Statistics · 2026 · Real Estate
Real Estate Agent Statistics (2026)
The median U.S. real estate sales agent who draws a wage or salary earned $52,830 in May 2025, and the 90th percentile earned $123,590, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That survey leaves out the self-employed, who are 54% of sales agents, so it does not measure typical agent income. District of Columbia has the highest median among the states and D.C., at $124,000.
Key takeaways
- The BLS median wage for employed real estate sales agents was $52,830 in May 2025, and the mean was $69,510.
- That figure excludes self-employed agents, who are 54% of sales agents, and it excludes brokers.
- Across the 48 jurisdictions (the states plus D.C.) with published data, the median of the state medians is $57,000, and 26 of 48 sit above the $53,000 national figure used on WealthyBud’s salary pages.
- District of Columbia ($124,000) has the highest median among the states and D.C., and Arkansas ($38,000) the lowest.
- Of 25 jurisdictions with confirmed hours, pre-license requirements run from 40 hours in Massachusetts to 168 in Colorado.
- NAR counted 1,439,163 members on June 18, 2026, a different group from BLS-counted employees.
How much do real estate agents make?
The median real estate sales agent who receives a wage or salary earned $52,830 in May 2025, and the mean was $69,510, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These figures cover employed agents only. Self-employed agents, most of the field, are outside the survey, so none of these numbers is the average agent’s income.
1. Median wage $52,830, mean $69,510 (May 2025)
The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimate for real estate sales agents (SOC 41-9022) is a median of $52,830 a year and a mean of $69,510. The median is the midpoint worker; the mean is the average. WealthyBud’s salary pages round the median to $53,000.
2. 90th percentile $123,590
Ten percent of employed sales agents earned more than $123,590. A percentile marks a cut-off in the distribution; it is not the average of top earners.
3. OEWS excludes the self-employed and brokers
BLS states in its OEWS FAQ: “The survey does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers, or unpaid family workers.” BLS tracks brokers (SOC 41-9021) separately. The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that 54% of real estate sales agents were self-employed in 2025.
4. A different BLS group: median pay $57,400 for brokers and sales agents combined
The Occupational Outlook Handbook lists 2025 median pay of $57,400 a year for “real estate brokers and sales agents” together. That group adds brokers, whose OEWS median was $73,220 in May 2025, so it is not comparable with $52,830.
5. NAR members reported median gross income of $59,200 for 2025
NAR’s 2026 Member Profile, summarized by NAR, puts the median gross real estate income of Realtors at $59,200 in 2025, and $88,500 for members with 16 or more years of experience. This is a member survey of gross income before business expenses, not BLS wages.
Which states pay real estate agents the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for real estate sales agents at $124,000, followed by New York at $103,000 and New Jersey at $100,000. The ranking covers 48 of 51 jurisdictions; BLS withheld estimates for Iowa, Massachusetts and Vermont.
6. District of Columbia leads at $124,000
That is 3.3 times the lowest state median. See the District of Columbia salary page (WealthyBud data · 48 jurisdictions · September 2026). The District of Columbia is not a state, and BLS reports employment of only 590 sales agents there. Small employment counts make an estimate less steady.
7. 26 of 48 jurisdictions are above the $53,000 national median
21 are below it and 1 (Maryland) equals it at the rounded figure. The median of the 48 state medians is $57,000, which is above the national figure (WealthyBud data · 48 jurisdictions · September 2026).
8. Highest 90th percentile: Alabama at $236,000
Alabama’s median is $61,000, so its 90th percentile is 3.9 times its median. The median state 90th percentile is $106,500 (WealthyBud data · 48 jurisdictions · September 2026).
| Rank | State | Median annual wage | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $124,000 | $130,000 |
| 2 | New York | $103,000 | $179,000 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $100,000 | $125,000 |
| 4 | Alaska | $89,000 | $123,000 |
| 5 | Nevada | $80,000 | $154,000 |
| 6= | Montana | $79,000 | $195,000 |
| 6= | Washington | $79,000 | $114,000 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $76,000 | $152,000 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $74,000 | $116,000 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $65,000 | $110,000 |
Montana and Washington tie at the displayed value, so they share rank 6. Each state has its own pay page, such as New York and New Jersey. See also resources for real estate agents.
Which states pay the least?
Arkansas has the lowest state median wage for real estate sales agents at $38,000. Idaho, Kansas and Mississippi tie next at $40,000. The comparison covers 48 of 51 jurisdictions, because BLS withheld the estimates for Iowa, Massachusetts and Vermont, and it excludes them.
9. Arkansas is lowest at $38,000
Its 90th percentile is $101,000, which is below the $124,000 median in District of Columbia (WealthyBud data · 48 jurisdictions · September 2026).
- Arkansas has the lowest median wage, at $38,000, with a 90th percentile of $101,000.
- Idaho ties for the second-lowest median wage, at $40,000, with a 90th percentile of $79,000.
- Kansas ties for the second-lowest median wage, at $40,000, with a 90th percentile of $84,000.
- Mississippi ties for the second-lowest median wage, at $40,000, with a 90th percentile of $94,000.
- Missouri has the fifth-lowest median wage, at $44,000, with a 90th percentile of $105,000.
10. BLS withheld 3 of 51 state estimates
The BLS data service returns “Estimate not released.” for Iowa, Massachusetts and Vermont, so this page excludes them from every ranking and count.
How many hours of pre-license education do states require?
Among the 25 jurisdictions with confirmed figures, the median pre-license requirement is 75 hours. Massachusetts requires the fewest at 40 and Colorado the most at 168. This count leaves out states whose hours WealthyBud has not yet confirmed against a primary source.
11. Median 75 hours; range 40 to 168
The extremes differ by a factor of 4.2. WealthyBud confirmed hours against state commission pages for 25 of 51 jurisdictions, crawled July 5, 2026 (see the methodology), and all 25 are used here (WealthyBud data · 25 jurisdictions · September 2026). Hours are for the entry-level license, which a few states call a broker license.
12. 3 of 25 jurisdictions require more than 100 hours
The rest ask for 100 hours or fewer. Totals can combine courses: Iowa’s 96 hours are a 60-hour course plus three 12-hour courses, and Missouri’s 72 hours are 48 plus 24.
13. 6 jurisdictions require exactly 90 hours
Louisiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Washington and West Virginia each require 90 hours (WealthyBud data · 25 jurisdictions · September 2026). North Dakota’s 90 hours apply to resident salesperson applicants.
The five strictest confirmed requirements are:
- Colorado requires 168 hours of pre-license education.
- California requires 135 hours of pre-license education.
- Utah requires 120 hours of pre-license education.
- Delaware requires 99 hours of pre-license education.
- Iowa requires 96 hours of pre-license education.
The lightest is Massachusetts at 40 hours. 6 jurisdictions tie for second-lowest at 60: Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Mississippi and Virginia.
See the license requirements in every state
How many real estate agents are there?
It depends on the count. BLS counted 193,370 wage-and-salary sales agents in May 2025, and its Outlook Handbook lists 427,000 sales agent jobs in 2025. NAR had 1,439,163 members on June 18, 2026. These measure different groups, so no total can be built by adding them.
14. 193,370 wage-and-salary sales agents (May 2025)
This OEWS employment figure counts employees only. It is not a count of licensees.
15. 427,000 sales agent jobs and 103,500 broker jobs in 2025
The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports these job counts, including the self-employed (54% of agents and 55% of brokers). Together they total 530,600 jobs.
16. NAR membership: 1,439,163 on June 18, 2026
NAR reports that “As of June 18, NAR membership stood at 1,439,163, down only slightly from 1,463,352 a year ago.” That is a 1.7% decline by WealthyBud’s calculation. Realtors are association members, not all licensees.
How has agent pay changed?
On the same BLS series, the national median wage fell from $54,300 in May 2023 to $52,830 in May 2025, while the 90th percentile rose from $119,590 to $123,590. These are nominal dollars, and BLS calls the survey less useful for looking at changes over time.
| Measure | May 2023 | May 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 197,720 | 193,370 | -2.2% |
| Mean annual wage | $69,610 | $69,510 | -0.1% |
| Median annual wage | $54,300 | $52,830 | -2.7% |
| 90th percentile annual wage | $119,590 | $123,590 | +3.3% |
17. Median fell 2.7% and the 90th percentile rose 3.3% in two years
WealthyBud calculated both changes from the May 2023 and May 2025 national estimates. Dollars are not adjusted for inflation. Employment fell 2.2%, and the mean changed -0.1%.
18. BLS cautions against reading year-to-year changes
BLS writes that the OEWS “is less useful for looking at changes over time” because each estimate “is produced by combining six semiannual panels of survey data collected over a three-year period.” Each vintage pools three years of panels, so the 2023 and 2025 estimates draw on overlapping survey years, and this page does not explain the change.
19. NAR members’ median gross income: $58,100 (2024) to $59,200 (2025)
NAR reports a 1.9% rise in median gross real estate income among members, a separate survey from BLS wages (NAR).
20. BLS projects 2% job growth for brokers and sales agents, 2025 to 2035
The Outlook Handbook projects 8,300 more jobs in the combined group, which it calls slower than the average for all occupations (BLS). See home sales statistics for the market side.
What this means for new and working agents
For people considering the career, do not read $52,830 as what you will earn. Most agents are self-employed and paid commission. Check your state’s pre-license hours on its Texas or California licensing page.
For investors, pair this page with real estate investor statistics when you compare markets.
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