Real Estate FAQs

Real estate offers a career with a median annual wage of $58,960 for brokers and sales agents combined as of May 2024, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 3% employment growth from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 54% of brokers and sales agents are self-employed, and O*NET reports that 77% of brokers describe the level of competition as "extremely competitive." Earnings may be irregular, especially for beginners, and agents sometimes go weeks or months without a sale.

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A REALTOR® is a real estate agent or broker who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), while "real estate agent" is a generic term for anyone licensed to help clients buy and sell property. NAR's membership stands at 1,438,569 as of the 2026 Member Profile. The distinction is membership in the trade association, not a separate license or credential.

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A real estate sales agent is licensed to help clients buy and sell property but must work under a broker, while a broker has additional licensing that allows independent work, hiring of agents, and collection of commissions from agents' sales. Most states require broker candidates to have at least 2 years of experience as a licensed sales agent. In May 2024, brokers earned a median annual wage of $72,280, compared with $56,320 for sales agents.

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