$Who Earns What

How much does a real estate broker make?

US Real Estate Brokers

Answer: A typical real estate broker in the United States makes $73,220 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$73,220

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 46,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$37,110
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$73,220
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$143,300
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

52 of 100
more than half

Real estate broker pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Real estate broker pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$37,110$73,220$143,300about 46,000
States where real estate brokers earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Michigan$82,510about 1,000
Colorado$79,970about 3,000
Florida$66,010about 4,000
Texas$63,390about 2,000
Oregon$63,070about 2,000

Why does pay differ?

In the U.S., brokers often earn commissions, so income depends on closed deals, property type and price, and how the commission is divided with the firm or other brokers. Experience, local demand, and time spent finding clients also matter; beginners may go weeks or months without a sale.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$73,220
New Jersey$111,390
Connecticut$105,800
Utah$92,830
Washington$82,790
Alabama$82,630
Iowa$50,140
Mississippi$41,690
Minnesota$39,850

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a real estate broker do?

Operate real estate office, or work for commercial real estate firm, overseeing real estate transactions. Other duties usually include selling real estate or renting properties and arranging loans.

What's a typical day like?

A broker may compare nearby home sales, set a listing price, negotiate deal terms, and handle office details. They visit properties and meet clients, sometimes in evenings or on weekends.

How to get this job

In the U.S., finish high school or equivalent, take real-estate classes, and pass an agent exam, usually at 18. Then gain agent experience (at least two years in most states), take broker classes, and pass a broker exam; rules differ by state.

Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)

Good for people who like leading and selling and keeping things organized.

Did you know?

In the U.S., beginners may go weeks or even months without a sale, so a real-estate broker's income can be uneven.

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Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY