How much does a real estate sales agent make?

The median pay is $25.40 per hour — roughly $53,000 a year, with the real range running from about $15.85/hr (10th percentile) to $59.42/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a real estate sales agent?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

What does a real estate sales agent actually do all day?

Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases. Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration. Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other.

Sales

Real Estate Sales Agents

Rent, buy, or sell property for clients. Perform duties such as study property listings, interview prospective clients, accompany clients to property site, discuss conditions of sale, and draw up real estate contracts. Includes agents who represent buyer.

What it pays
Real Estate Sales Agents earn a median of $25.40/hr — about $53,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $15.85/hr; the top 10% earn $59.42/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases.
Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration.
Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other.
Generate lists of properties that are compatible with buyers' needs and financial resources.
Confer with escrow companies, lenders, home inspectors, and pest control operators to ensure that terms and conditions of purchase agreements are met before closing dates.
Promote sales of properties through advertisements, open houses, and participation in multiple listing services.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; you're around people constantly; time pressure is a real part of the job; it rewards working independently. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 53.7% of real estate sales agents are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are take-charge, organized and detail-focused and people-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a real estate sales agent make?: The median pay is $25.40 per hour — roughly $53,000 a year, with the real range running from about $15.85/hr (10th percentile) to $59.42/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a real estate sales agent?: The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
What does a real estate sales agent actually do all day?: Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases. Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration. Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.