| Pay level | Illinois |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (bottom 10%) | $35,830 |
| 25th percentile | $38,060 |
| Median (50th) | $59,220 |
| 75th percentile | $61,790 |
| 90th percentile (top 10%) | $79,750 |
| Mean (average) | $57,260 |
Agent income · BLS May 2025
How much do real estate agents make in Illinois?
Real estate sales agents in Illinois earned a median of $59,220 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bottom 10% earned less than $35,830 and the top 10% more than $79,750. That median ranks #16 of 48 states with published data and is 12% higher than the U.S. median of $52,830.
Median pay
$59,220
BLS May 2025
Bottom 10% earn under
$35,830
10th percentile
Top 10% earn over
$79,750
90th percentile
Payroll-employed agents
6,030
Excludes self-employed
What do real estate agents earn in Illinois at each pay level?
Half of Illinois's payroll-employed real estate agents earned more than $59,220 in May 2025 and half earned less. The middle 50% ranged from $38,060 to $61,790, while the gap between the 10th percentile ($35,830) and the 90th ($79,750) shows how widely commission income varies.
How does Illinois agent pay compare with the U.S.?
Illinois's $59,220 median agent pay ranks #16 of 48 states and DC with published BLS data, 12% higher than the national median of $52,830. At the low end, Illinois's 10th percentile is $35,830 versus $32,970 nationally.
| Measure | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual pay | $59,220 | $52,830 |
| 10th percentile | $35,830 | $32,970 |
| 90th percentile | $79,750 | $124,000 (rounded) |
| Payroll employment | 6,030 | 193,370 |
How many real estate agents work in Illinois?
BLS counts about 6,030 real estate sales agents on Illinois payrolls in May 2025, or 0.988 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. Real estate brokers there earned a $62,540 median. These counts exclude self-employed agents, who make up most of the profession, so the true number of active Illinois agents is much higher.
What are home prices like in Illinois’s real estate markets?
WealthyBud tracks 28 Illinois housing markets. Their median listing prices have a midpoint of $194,322 as of September 2026, from $99,900 in Canton to $389,450 in Chicago; 11 of 28 are below last year's asking price.
| Market | Median list price | YoY | Days on market | Active listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $389,450 | +4.6% | 36 | 15,929 |
| Peoria, IL | $179,300 | -0.4% | 35 | 658 |
| Champaign, IL | $299,950 | +10.1% | 55 | 506 |
| Rockford, IL | $268,500 | +7.4% | 35 | 450 |
| Ottawa, IL | $226,969 | +13.5% | 56 | 355 |
| Springfield, IL | $212,200 | +4.0% | 37 | 322 |
Every tracked market is on the Illinois housing market hub.
How are real estate agents paid in Illinois?
Agents in Illinois are almost always paid on commission, a percentage of each sale price split with their brokerage, not a fixed salary. Earnings rise with deal volume and price point, so BLS wage percentiles describe a wide range rather than guaranteed pay.
Four factors drive what a Illinois 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.
Thinking about becoming an agent? See how to get a real estate license in Illinois, or compare every state in the agent salary by state table.
Illinois real estate agent salary FAQ
What is the average real estate agent salary in Illinois?
The median real estate sales agent in Illinois earned $59,220 in May 2025 and the mean was $57,260, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Commission income varies widely: the bottom 10% earned under $35,830 and the top 10% over $79,750.
Do Illinois real estate agents earn more than the national average?
Illinois's $59,220 median is 12% higher than the U.S. median of $52,830 for real estate sales agents and ranks #16 of 48 states with published May 2025 data.
How much do new real estate agents make in Illinois?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The closest official benchmark is the 10th percentile: 10% of payroll-employed Illinois agents earned less than $35,830 in May 2025. First-year commission income depends on how many deals an agent closes.
How many real estate agents work in Illinois?
BLS counts about 6,030 payroll-employed real estate sales agents in Illinois (May 2025). Most agents are self-employed independent contractors and are not included, so the licensed agent count is far higher.
How are real estate agents paid in Illinois?
Agents in Illinois are almost always paid on commission, a share of each sale price split with their brokerage, rather than a salary. Income rises with deal volume and average sale price.
Wages are BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for wage-and-salary real estate sales agents in Illinois. They exclude self-employed agents and may not reflect total commission income. n/a means BLS did not publish the value.