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Real Estate Sales Agents

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $52,830 Median per year · $25.40/hr Most earn $32,970–$123,590

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Coordinate property closings, overseeing signing of documents and disbursement of funds.
  • Contact previous clients for prospecting of referral business.
  • Appraise properties to determine loan values.
  • Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price.
  • Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases.
  • Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other.

Job outlook

United States
2% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 32,600 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)54.3%
  • Real estate37.3%
  • Residential building construction2.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Some remote workExperience before this job: None

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

Real estate sales agent is an entry-level job. Most people can start with a high school diploma plus a state license, so you don't need a college degree first. Your first year is mostly learning the local market and building clients.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school with strong math, English, and communication skills, since agents write contracts and talk with many different people every day.

  2. State real estate pre-licensing course and exam

    A few months

    Most states require you to complete approved real estate courses and pass a state licensing exam before you can legally help clients buy or sell property. Requirements vary by state, so check your state's real estate commission.

  3. Real Estate Sales Agent

    Ongoing

    You start working with buyers and sellers under a licensed broker, studying listings, showing properties, and drafting contracts while you build your client base.

Where it can lead

  1. Real Estate Broker

    About 6 months to 1 year of experience as an agent, plus any extra state requirements of experience first

    Brokers usually need more schooling and a broker license, and they can run their own office and supervise other agents.

  2. Property Manager

    2 to 4 years of experience first

    Property managers handle leasing, maintenance, and tenant issues for buildings or communities, which can be a route for agents who enjoy the property side more than sales.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and English classesStrong math helps with budgets and mortgage numbers, and strong writing helps when you explain listings and contracts to clients.
  • Get a customer-service jobA part-time job at a store or restaurant teaches you how to talk with people, handle questions, and stay calm under pressure.
  • Join a debate, speech, or business clubThese groups build public speaking and persuasion skills that help when you present a home or negotiate a price.
  • Learn basic personal financeUnderstanding loans, interest, and budgeting will make it easier to explain costs to first-time buyers.
  • Volunteer with a housing or community groupHelping neighbors find housing or fix up homes shows you what people need from a property professional.

In college

  • Take business, economics, or finance coursesThese classes explain how markets, prices, and loans work, which is useful for advising buyers and sellers.
  • Get a part-time job in sales or leasingWorking in retail, leasing offices, or sales shows you how to close deals and build repeat customers.
  • Join a campus business or marketing clubClubs give you chances to network, pitch ideas, and meet people who may later refer clients to you.
  • Look into a real estate course or license earlyTaking a pre-licensing course while in school lets you start working as soon as you graduate, if your state allows it.
  • Intern at a real estate office, property company, or title companyAn internship lets you see listings, contracts, and closings up close and build contacts in the local market.

Tips for getting started

  • Look up your state's real estate license requirements now so you know the age, course hours, and exam steps. Many states set a minimum age that is close to graduation age.
  • Talk to a local real estate agent or ask to shadow one for a day. Seeing how they work with clients will show you if the daily routine fits you.
  • Practice the skills agents use most: friendly conversations, clear writing, and organizing details, since these matter as much as knowing the housing market.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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