Real Estate Brokers
Also called: Broker, Broker Associate, Buyer Broker, Buyers Agent, Closing Agent, Commercial Leasing Broker, Commercial Real Estate Advisor, Commercial Real Estate Broker
Operate real estate office, or work for commercial real estate firm, overseeing real estate transactions.
What real estate brokers do
Typical tasks
- Obtain agreements from property owners to place properties for sale with real estate firms.
- Sell, for a fee, real estate owned by others.
- Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price.
- Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers over property prices and settlement details and during the closing of sales.
- Generate lists of properties for sale, their locations, descriptions, and available financing options, using computers.
- Maintain knowledge of real estate law, local economies, fair housing laws, types of available mortgages, financing options, and government programs.
- Rent properties or manage rental properties.
- Monitor fulfillment of purchase contract terms to ensure that they are handled in a timely manner.
- Check work completed by loan officers, attorneys, or other professionals to ensure that it is performed properly.
- Appraise property values, assessing income potential when relevant.
- Arrange for financing of property purchases.
- Review property details to ensure that environmental regulations are met.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Real Estate Brokers salary
The median annual wage for real estate brokers is $73,220 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $37,110 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $143,300. The mean annual wage is $83,950.
The mean hourly wage of $40.00 is 5.5× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Real Estate Brokers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $73,220 → in 3 years $79,000 → in 5 years $83,100 → in 10 years $94,400 (10-year range $81,200–$109,600). The model assumes pay growth of +2.6% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Real Estate Brokers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Real Estate Brokers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Real Estate Brokers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Real Estate Brokers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become real estate brokers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as real estate brokers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.