Occupations · 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.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 41-9022.00

$56,320median annual wage, May 2024

190,600people employed, United States

▲ 3.1%projected change, 2024→2034

36,600openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 73% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$58,310	9,840
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$47,880	9,790
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$100,440	9,110
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$49,050	7,000
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	$53,370	6,440
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	$50,130	5,790
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$51,380	4,080
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	$73,720	4,040
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$78,660	3,850
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$56,190	3,670
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$64,330	3,440
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$54,430	3,230

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

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.
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.
Generate lists of properties that are compatible with buyers' needs and financial resources.
Promote sales of properties through advertisements, open houses, and participation in multiple listing services.
Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price.
Coordinate property closings, overseeing signing of documents and disbursement of funds.
Interview clients to determine what kinds of properties they are seeking.
Contact previous clients for prospecting of referral business.
Review property listings, trade journals, and relevant literature, and attend conventions, seminars, and staff and association meetings, to remain knowledgeable about real estate markets.
Answer clients' questions regarding construction work, financing, maintenance, repairs, and appraisals.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Speaking4.0

Active Listening4.0

Critical Thinking3.6

Reading Comprehension3.4

Writing3.4

Active Learning3.1

Mathematics3.1

Monitoring3.0

Learning Strategies2.5

Science1.1

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Adobe Acrobat●Canva●Facebook●Google Docs●Intuit QuickBooks●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Project●Microsoft Teams●Microsoft Word●Yardi software●Zoom●Agent Business BuilderArgosy Legal Systems Power CloserCMA StuffersCommercial and industrial development project cost analysis softwareCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteDataBasix Technologies Lead CommanderDeLorme Topo USADigital contract softwareDocuSign eSignatureDocument creation softwareEasypano TourweaverEmail softwareFaceTimeFinancial calculators software

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

3 / 5Medium preparation — vocational training or an associate degree, plus 1–2 years of work.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment+2.3 above average

Level of Competition+1.8 above average

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets−1.7 below average

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls−1.4 below average

Written Letters and Memos+1.2 above average

Outdoors, Under Cover+1.1 above average

Health and Safety of Other Workers−1.1 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2019-08

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)43%

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)24%

Less than a High School Diploma10%

Some College Courses10%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2019-08

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Enterprising6.5

Conventional4.9

Social3.5

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

Tasks O*NET flags as emerging

Contact previous clients for prospecting of referral business.

O*NET 23.3 emerging tasks

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Negotiation3.9

Coordination3.8

Social Perceptiveness3.8

Persuasion3.6

Service Orientation3.5

Time Management3.4

Judgment and Decision Making3.2

Complex Problem Solving3.1

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

Customer and Personal ServiceSales and MarketingEnglish LanguageLaw and GovernmentAdministrativeAdministration and Management

Abilities it leans on

Oral ExpressionOral ComprehensionSpeech ClaritySpeech RecognitionWritten ComprehensionWritten Expression

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

RealtorLand AgentSales AgentLeasing AgentClosing AgentBuyers' AgentShowing AgentLand Sales AgentSales SpecialistSales ConsultantRealtor AssociateReal Estate AgentLeasing AssociateReal Estate Closer

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 5 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 29

+Corel WordPerfect Office Suite+FaceTime+Moxi Works MoxiImpress+Microsoft Dynamics+Yardi software+HUD-1 software+Google Drive+Xactware Xactimate+LinkedIn+Adobe Acrobat+Showing Suite real estate software+Microsoft Project+Microsoft Teams+Moxi Works MoxiEngage

No longer listed 15

−Relocate EZE software−Digital Contracts software−Web page creation and editing software−Corel WordPerfect software−Commercial Pro software−ClipEze software−RealFast software−Panoweaver software−Microsoft Word Hard to Find Contracts−HUD1 Forms for Win/Mac software−Internet browser software−Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat software−Showing Suite−Spreadsheet software

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

AgentBrokerRealtorLand AgentSales AgentClosing AgentShowing AgentBuyers' AgentLeasing AgentLand Sales AgentBroker in ChargeSales Specialist

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
real estate agent	3334.3	exact
real estate investor	3334.3.2	close
letting agent	3334.3.1	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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