How much do real estate agents make in California?
Agents and brokers in California
| Occupation | Employed | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate sales agents (41-9022) | 17,500 | $45,520 | $57,560 | $78,250 | $27.67 |
| Real estate brokers (41-9021) | 8,430 | $41,600 | $80,450 | $108,690 | $38.68 |
California against the states around it
| # | State | Agent median | Broker median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Michigan | $82,510 | |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $51,490 | |
| 23 | California | $80,450 | |
| 24 | Maine | $55,280 | |
| 25 | South Carolina | — |
The full ranking of all 48 states is on the home page. Highest agent median: District of Columbia at $123,770; lowest: Arkansas at $38,180.
How many agents work in California
The BLS counts 17,500 employed sales agents in California, which understates the licensed population because most agents are independent contractors. US Realtor List's California realtor list counts the agents with a published, current business email on brokerage rosters and licence registers, and prints that figure on its state page; the two numbers measure different things and the second is usually larger.
Questions
How much do real estate agents make in California?
The median real estate sales agent in California earned $57,560 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 25th percentile earned $45,520 and the 75th percentile $78,250. That median ranks California 23 of 48 states.
How much do real estate brokers make in California?
Brokers in California had a median wage of $80,450 (25th percentile $41,600, 75th percentile $108,690) in the same survey.
Is that a salary or commission?
Most agents are paid by commission, and the BLS figure is annual wage income reported by employers for people working as sales agents. It includes commission-based pay reported through payroll but not every independent contractor, so a busy agent at a large brokerage can earn well above the 75th percentile figure.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 state file state_M2025_dl.xlsx (oesm25st.zip), occupations 41-9022 (Real Estate Sales Agents) and 41-9021 (Real Estate Brokers), California, read September 8, 2026. Hourly figures divide the annual wage by 2,080 hours. Rank computed from the 48 published state medians.