NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.
Income Data
Real Estate Sales Agent Salary (Salary, Jan. 26, 2024)
The average Real Estate Sales Agent salary in the United States is $46,014 as of January 26, 2024, but the range typically falls between $44,951 and $58,528.
Member Profile (National Association of REALTORS®, 2023)
The median gross income of REALTORS® increased to $56,400 from $54,300 in 2021. New members entering the field can be noted by the differences in income by experience and function. Fifty-two percent of members who have two years or less experience made less than $10,000 in 2022 compared to 42 percent of members with more than 16 years of experience who made more than $100,000 in the same time period.
From the NAR Archives
In its first all-member survey conducted in 1949, NAR found that the typical licensed broker earned an annual income of $10,000.
Articles
How Much Does a Real Estate Agent Make? (Glassdoor, Feb. 10, 2024)
The estimated total pay for a Real Estate Agent is $204,940 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $120,164 per year.
Real Estate Agent Salary: How Much Do Agents Really Make? (The Close, Jan. 11, 2024)
According to our proprietary salary database tool, the nationwide average for a real estate salary is $90,506.
Real Estate Agent Commission: How Much Do Agents Make in 2024? (HomeLight, Nov. 21, 2023)
Generally, you can expect to pay between 5%-6% in agent commissions when selling a home in 2024, with some variation based on location. On a property worth the median home sale price of $431,000 as of Q3 2023, that amounts to $21,550 – $25,860 in commission costs.
Websites & Other Resources
Updated each year by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Real Estate Brokers & Agents section of the Occupational Outlook Handbook includes data on average earnings and wages of real estate licensees.
Salary.com's Salary Wizard features information on median expected annual income for real estate licensees, using survey data from human resources departments around the country.
The CEL National Real Estate Compensation & Benefits Survey has become the national standard for the real estate industry. The survey incorporates over 190 positions and nearly 400 participant companies in the office, industrial, retail, residential, advisory and brokerage/services sectors.
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
6 Figures in 12 Months (eBook)
Baby Steps Millionaires (eBook)
Multiple Income Streams for Real Estate Agents and Brokers (eBook)
7 Money Rules for Life: How to Take Control of Your Financial Future (eBook)
Big Money Energy (Audiobook)
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Managing Your Money (Audiobook)
How to Become a Power Agent in Real Estate: A Top Industry Trainer Explains How to Double Your Income in 12 Months (eBook)
Millionaire Success Habits (eBook)
More Money Less Hustle (Audiobook)
Profit First for Real Estate Agents (eBook)
The Richest Man in Babylon (eBook)
The Road to Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Money (eBook)
Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny (Audiobook)
The Half Millionaire Real Estate Agent (eBook)
How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent in Your First Year (eBook)
The Millionaire Mind (eBook)
The Millionaire Real Estate Agent (eBook)
Skill: A Top-Producing Agent’s Guide to Earning Unlimited Income (eBook)
Super Agent (eBook)
Choose to Be Rich (Audiobook)
Rich AF The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life (eBook)
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The inclusion of links on this page does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this page complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.