How much does a licensed residential appraiser make?
No government wage series breaks out pay by appraiser credential level. The median annual wage for property appraisers and assessors overall was $67,960 in May 2025, and surveys of licensed appraisers place Licensed Residential appraisers' average income near that occupation-wide figure. Pay rises with the credential: the same surveys show Certified Residential and Certified General appraisers earning substantially more.
Florida does not issue a Licensed Residential appraiser credential, so no wage exists for that title. The state issues three appraiser credentials: Registered Trainee, Certified Residential, and Certified General. Earnings vary with credential level, property type, and assignment volume, and Certified General appraisers generally earn the most.
Sources: Fla. Stat. 475.615: Qualifications for registration or certification; Florida DBPR checklist: Registered Trainee Appraiser (FREAB 11).
Licensed residential appraisers generally earn less than certified appraisers. The National Association of Realtors reported a median annual income of $102,200 for all real estate appraisers in 2022, and average income rises with each credential level, from licensed up to certified residential and certified general. At the entry level, trainees typically earn $1,000 to $3,000 monthly during the supervised experience period.
Sources: NAR - Appraiser Salary Guide.
Property appraisers and assessors earned a median annual wage of $67,960 nationally in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the lowest 10% earning under $40,030 and the highest 10% above $122,660. Pay varies by industry: finance and insurance paid a median of $83,630, local government $64,370, and real estate $62,420. Earnings generally rise with credential level, from Licensed up through Certified General.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Property Appraisers and Assessors (May 2025 data; page last modified August 27, 2026).
Nationally, the median annual wage for property appraisers and assessors was $67,960 in May 2025, with the lowest 10 percent earning under $40,030 and the highest 10 percent over $122,660, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Vermont no longer issues the Licensed Residential credential to new applicants, so new appraisers there pursue the Certified Residential or Certified General license instead.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Property Appraisers and Assessors; 26 V.S.A. § 3319a: appraiser trainee registration.