2019 -2020

Real Estate
Agent
Income
Guide

What’s inside?
We surveyed nearly 2,000 real estate professionals to better understand the strategies and tactics
they use to succeed. Find out what top real estate producers do to increase earning potential.
Real Estate Profile

Real Estate Agent Snapshot

Full-time agent average gross income: $78,052

(work 20+ hours/week)

Part-time agent average gross income: $24,556

(work <20 hours/week)

Average hours worked per week: 21-40

Career satisfaction: 3.75/5 The averages come from 1,915 real estate
professionals who have taken a course
with Real Estate Express’ sister company,
McKissock Learning, the leading provider
Real Estate Broker Snapshot of continuing education and professional
development and/or licensed real estate
professionals who are subscribers to
Average gross income: $149,349 RISMedia, the residential real estate industry’s
Hours worked per week: 40-50 definitive source for news and information.

Career satisfaction: 4.45/5

Real estate earnings are up

The majority of both real estate agents and brokers indicate they earned
more from their real estate business in 2018 than they did in 2017.

57% 65%
of real estate agents of real estate brokers
earned more in 2018 earned more in 2018
than in 2017 than in 2017
70 %

60 %

50 %

40 %

30 %

20 %

10 %

0%

Agents Brokers

2 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

Real estate agents are satisfied and optimistic
Overall, real estate agents are happy in their markets and inability to find qualified leads,
careers. In fact, when compared to all American according to this year’s survey responses.
workers across all professions, real estate
Real estate professionals continue to be optimistic
professionals are 17 percentage points more
about the future of their real estate career, with
satisfied. Last year’s survey respondents had a
73 percent of respondents indicating their future
higher satisfaction (79 percent were satisfied
looks bright. This optimism is fueled by the
or very satisfied with their career). The decline
strength of the real estate market over the past
in satisfaction is due to lack of inventory in key
several years.

Career satisfaction rating Real estate professionals are

optimistic about the future

68% 51% NO 5.2%

MAYBE
21.2%

YES
73.6%
Real Estate Agents All U.S. professions*

*SOURCE: The Conference Board, 2018

What makes a real % of respondents

estate career rewarding? Attribute claiming it is very
important to their career
A career in real estate has many Ability to help people 91%
benefits. Here are the top attributes Flexible schedule 84%
real estate professionals said are very
Income potential 77%
important to them.
Being my own boss 74%
Work with homes,
62%
land, buildings, etc.
On-the-go work
55%
environment

“After 25 years, the best part of my real estate business is still the personal connections.”
- Laura, real estate agent, Oregon

3 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

It pays to be happy
Seven out of 10 real estate agents are satisfied with their career choice. A healthy work-
life balance, the ability to help people and respectable income are reasons they cite for
their happiness.

Agents who are very satisfied with their career

earn an average of $71,000 more per year than
agents who are not satisfied.

Income by Career Satisfaction

(Full-time agents)

$120,000
$108,939
$100,000

$80,000 $75,486

$60,000
$46,622
$40,000 $37,992

$20,000

Not satisfied Neither satisfied Somewhat Very satisfied

nor dissatisfied satisfied

4 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

 Common factors that influence income
Real estate agent income increases sharply with experience and hours
worked per week, as is the case with many careers. For those just getting
started in real estate, it’s important to find a supportive brokerage and
helpful resources to keep you engaged and growing in your career.

When it comes to your weekly schedule, real estate agents need to weigh
their work-life balance with income desires. Fortunately, in a real estate career,
you get to make that decision for yourself.

Agent income rises with experience Surround yourself with support

The first year in real estate is the hardest, but

Years of experience in real estate

Under a
year agents who stick with it will see the payoff
1-3 years $38,141 in just a few years. A supportive brokerage,
a knowledgeable mentor and a supportive
4-10 years $63,595
at-home network will all pay off in spades in
11-25 years $101,633 future years as you establish your business.

26+ years $108,849

$0 $25K $50K $75K $100K $125K

Annual income

Longer hours pay off Find the right work-life balance

Avg. hours worked per week

21-39 hrs $46,458

Eighty-four percent of real estate agents say
a flexible schedule is very important in their
40-50 hrs $81,378
career. While real estate gives you the option
51-59 hrs $99,401 to decide when you’ll work, those who reach
60 hrs their full earning potential put in more hours.
or more $145,347
It’s up to agents to find the work-life balance
$0 $50K $100K $150K that is best for their situation.
Annual income

5 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

 Average income by brokerage type Find a brokerage that’s a
cultural and earnings fit
Hybrid
brokerage
$46,250 Eighty-four percent of agents say a fair
Independently commission split with their brokerage is
owned brokerage $69,933
very important to them, but commission
National
franchise $82,535
split is not the only factor that matters
Other $91,442 when selecting a brokerage. As with most
Self- professionals, company culture is also
employed $106,280
important. Brokerages vary based on their
$0 $25K $50K $75K $100K $125K structure, philosophy and agent earnings. If
Avg. income
you’re just kicking off a real estate career or
considering switching brokerages, look for
one that is both a cultural and earnings fit.

It pays to specialize
$125,000

$111,293
$100,000

$106,736
$102,134
$96,406
$88,801

$89,020
$88,125
$87,003

$75,000
$83,841

$84,653

$84,375
$83,535
$79,588
$77,008
$71,648

$50,000

$25,000
$30,192

$0
N/A - Affordable Residential Short sales / Commercial Property Military Condos Multi-family Investment Second Relocation Luxury Green or Foreign Other
I don’t have housing properties foreclosures properties management properties properties homes real estate eco-friendly investment
a specialty and/or rentals properties

Real estate agents who focus on one or more specializations or designations earn more than agents
who don’t associate themselves with a particular specialization. The specializations that are the most
profitable are luxury real estate, green or eco-friendly properties and foreign investments.

The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing is the premier independent authority in training
and designation for real estate agents working in the luxury residential market. Real estate
professionals who earn The Institutes’s Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS)
designation for luxury home marketing earn an average of $291,000 per year.

Learn more at LuxuryHomeMarketing.com

6 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

 Key areas where experts excel
The survey identified four key areas where the experts excel. Similar to the 2018
survey, top earners are those who consistently find high-quality leads, invest in
their professional development, utilize past clients to generate referrals, and set
goals for themselves.

1 Top earners consistently

find quality leads
Network, network, network

Agents who consistently find quality leads

earn $100,000 more than the agents who are
Expert $137,879 failing at identifying top-notch leads. This is
not surprising when you consider real estate
Growing $87,741 is a business built on lead generation. Word
of mouth and networking are the strongest
Novice $55,986 influencers in generating good leads.

Failing $36,821
Network with other agents,
network with neighbors, network with
$0 $50K $100K $150K
Avg. Income acquaintances. Networking is the best way
to see your real estate business thrive.
- Bridget, real estate agent, California

2 Top earners invest in

professional development
Invest in yourself

Agents who invest in professional development

opportunities earn nearly $50,000 more than
Expert $105,959
agents who are failing in this area. There’s
no shortage of ways to increase your real
Growing $76,280 estate expertise. From online professional
development courses to in-person conferences,
Novice $58,433 there’s always something new to learn.

Staying informed on market trends and

Failing $56,111
taking professional development courses
$0 $25K $50K $75K $100K $125K helps me provide the best possible service
Avg. Income
to my clients.
- Javier, real estate agent, Texas

7 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

 3 Top earners generate referrals
from past clients
Ask for the referral

Real estate agents who are experts in

generating business from referrals earn an
Expert $115,557 average of $76,000 more per year than agents
who are failing in this area. The most important
Growing $78,040 step in generating referrals from past clients is
simply to ask for a referral. It’s also a good idea
Novice $52,083 to stay in touch with past clients over the years.
Send out a monthly email newsletter, follow
Failing $38,854 them on social media, host a client appreciation
$0 $40K $60K $80K $100K $120K happy hour. There is no shortage of ways to
Avg. Income create a lasting impression on your clients.

Most of my business is referral-based

from past clients. These referrals are
important because they come with faith
from the person who referred them, so the
relationship is easier from the start.
- Karen, real estate agent, Ohio

4 Top earners are expert

goal-setters
Set Goals

Agents who consider themselves very

successful at setting goals earn an average
Expert $110,084
of $51,675 more than agents who are failing
at goal-setting. Whether it’s determining
Growing $78,983 how many sales you want to close in a year
or how many leads you want to acquire
Novice $55,505 each week, giving yourself an ambitious yet
attainable goal can help keep you motivated
Failing $58,409 and productive. Make sure your goals are
S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measureable, Attainable,
$0 $20K $40K $60K $80K $100K $120K
Avg. Income
Relevant and Timely).

Each year I set goals for myself. There

hasn’t been a year that’s passed where I
haven’t reached it. It keeps me focused and
honest with my priorities.
- Jeffrey, real estate agent, Alabama

8 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

Spotlight on Success: The
Power of Investing in Yourself
A key area where successful real estate agents you have hit a plateau, the
excel is investing in themselves—and you’d be right coach or program can be
hard-pressed to find someone who understands a game-changer. It’s for this reason that Sherri
this more than top real estate started her coaching business
“Investing in coaching
coach for over 20 years, Sherri in 2017. While Sherri still has an
is going to help achieve
Johnson. active license and continues to
your goals a lot quicker sell houses regularly, seeing the
Sherri attributes her success
with less headache, positive impact that her coaching
as a real estate agent and
less expense, and has had on thousands of lives
coach to her constant thirst for
a more streamlined is what motivates her to get up
knowledge, recommending both
roadmap to success.” every morning.
new real estate agents and those
who have been in the business for years to do the 90-Day Bootcamp With Sherri Johnson
same. Here, Sherri shares
Sherri explains that most real estate agents know
some top ways to invest in yourself.
what they need to do to achieve results, they
1. Keep up with the latest news and trends just don’t know how to go about doing it. That’s
One of the simplest ways to invest in your where Sherri’s coaching comes in. “Our goal is to
education and professional development is take motivated agents and bring out the best in
keeping up with the latest industry news and them and help get them accelerated results using
trends. “Increase your knowledge by reading and our strategies,” says Johnson. These strategies
being informed,” says Johnson. For Sherri, this are outlined in her 90-Day Bootcamp with Real
is the key to staying relevant and on top of the Estate Express. “Most agents are only speaking
competition. to the four to six people who want to buy or sell a
home in the next 30 days. Our Bootcamp expands
2. Attend conferences and tradeshows
that and builds a pipeline of leads which can help
Not only is this a great way to network with other agents predict how much they want to make in
agents and brokers across the country, but it is a a given year.” Whether you are a newly-licensed
fantastic way to “soak up every single thing I could agent or a seasoned pro, this boot camp has
learn from people who were successful.” something for you. As Sherri explains, “there’s
3. Hire a real estate coach always something new you can learn.”

Sherri explains that the best way to invest in

yourself is to hire a coach. Just like the top
athletes in the world engage coaches to guide
them and provide accountability, real estate
agents of all levels of experience should have
coaches as well. “Investing in coaching is going
to help achieve your goals a lot quicker with less
headache, less expense, and a more streamlined
roadmap to success,” says Johnson. Whether you
want to increase your yearly income or feel like
For more information about
Sherri’s 90-Day Bootcamp, visit
realestateexpress.com/bootcamp
or visit sherrijohnson.com/schedule-your-call-
today to set up a free one-hour
strategy consultation.

9 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

Real estate career insights
Qualities of top real estate agents

Real estate brokerages are continuously looking for new real estate talent to add to their team.
Here are the top three qualities they’re looking for with their agents:

55.9% 41.3% 19.6%

Consistent delivery of a superior People skills A strong social network
customer or client experience and ability to network

72% of brokerages face new agent recruitment challenges.

More than half of agents switch brokerages

60% of real estate agents in the survey have switched brokerages at some point in
their real estate career. Agents cite commission split, training, mentoring, culture
and leadership as their key reason for the switch.

“I am fortunate to have a broker who is constantly wanting us to improve and be the

best we can be for our clients. We have a great support system to be successful agents.”
- Nicole, real estate agent, Ohio

63% of brokerage firms require salespersons to pay a brokerage fee.

3 most important factors

when selecting a brokerage
#1 Commission #2 Brokerage #3 Brokerage
split reputation culture

10 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

Gender pay gap
The gender pay gap in real estate is similar to the national
average. Across national statistics for all occupations, women
are paid 80 percent of what their male counterparts are paid.
According to this survey, female real estate professionals earn Female Male
81 percent of what males are paid. $72,334 $89,256

Want more tips and tricks?

Visit our blog at RealEstateExpress.
com/blog to access hundreds of
articles and resources to help you
grow your career!

Methodology
Data in this report is from a survey conducted
in June and July 2019 that generated 1,915
responses from licensed real estate professionals
in the United States who are students of Real
Estate Express’ sister company, McKissock
Learning, or are licensed real estate professionals
who subscribe to RISMedia. The study has a 3
percent margin of error at a 99 percent confidence level.

Learn more about the study at RealEstateExpress.com/Income

11 RealEstateExpress.com 2019-2020 Real Estate Agent Income Guide

 It’s Time. Here’s how to start investing in yourself:

Invest in Your • Set aside money for training and give yourself
Own Success. permission to use it

Real estate is a career
where you get out of it
what you’re willing to put
in, which is why many of us
chose this profession. We are hard-working, customer-
centric salespeople who want to build wealth. And, as
anyone in the industry will tell you, there isn’t only one
path to success.
The key is to never stop learning. It’s that simple. Luckily,
we live in a day and age where information is at our
fingertips. The challenge is sorting through the clutter to
find the strategies and tactics that actually work.
• Build learning goals into your business plan
• Carve out time to read, listen, watch and learn
• Mix up learning formats with podcasts, videos
and in-person conferences
• Look for accreditations and state approvals when
signing up for training
So, are you ready to invest in yourself and your future?
I personally invite you to take advantage of our
industry-leading real estate education solutions created
specifically with real estate professionals like you in
mind.

This report shows that real estate professionals who

invest in their education earn $50,000 more per year Yazir Phelps, Chief Marketing Officer,
Colibri Group
than those who don’t.

A full spectrum of industry-leading

real estate education solutions
Get your Go ahead. Give yourself permission to invest in yourself.
Brokers
License

Pre-licensing Designation and

Skill development
and exam prep professional
and CE compliance
development

RealEstateExpress.com McKissock.com LuxuryHomeMarketing.com

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