| Measure | Arkansas | National | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual pay | $38,000 | $53,000 | −28% |
| Top 10% (90th percentile) | $101,000 | $124,000 | −19% |
| Entry-level (estimated) | $21,000 | $29,000 | −28% |
Agent income
How much do real estate agents make in Arkansas?
Real estate agents in Arkansas earn a median of about $38,000 per year, according to May 2025 U.S. government wage data. First-year agents typically start near $21,000, while the top 10% of Arkansas agents earn more than $101,000. Pay is commission-based, so income scales with each agent's deal volume and price point.
Arkansas real estate agent salary by experience
Real estate pay in Arkansas climbs sharply with experience. Newer agents earn near $21,000, the typical agent earns about $38,000, experienced agents around $70,000, and the top 10% clear $101,000 — a range driven mostly by deal volume and average sale price.
Because income is commission-based rather than salaried, the gap between a first-year agent and a top producer in Arkansas is wide and depends on production, not tenure alone. The single fastest lever on income is average sale price, which is why luxury and high-cost metros pay a multiple of the state median. Ready to start? See how to get licensed in Arkansas.
Do Arkansas agents earn more than the national average?
Arkansas's median agent pay of $38,000 is about 28% lower than the U.S. median of $53,000. At the top end, the best Arkansas agents earn $101,000, versus $124,000 for the top 10% of agents nationally.
How are real estate agents paid in Arkansas?
Agents in Arkansas are almost always paid on commission — a percentage of each sale price, split with their brokerage — not a fixed salary. Earnings rise directly with deal volume and price point, so the numbers above are ranges, not guaranteed pay.
Four factors drive what a Arkansas agent actually takes home:
- Average sale price. A 2.5–3% commission on a $1M home dwarfs the same rate on a $250K home, so market and price tier matter more than hours worked.
- Deal volume. Income scales linearly with closings; the top decile simply completes more transactions per year.
- Commission split. New agents may keep 50–70% of each commission; established producers negotiate 80–100% splits or cap arrangements.
- Niche and referrals. Repeat and referral business lowers acquisition cost and lifts effective hourly pay over time.
“The single biggest lever on a Arkansas agent’s income isn’t the commission rate — it’s average sale price, which is why luxury markets pay a multiple of the state median.”— Jasper Lindqvist, Commercial Real Estate Analyst