# Real Estate Sales Agents

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/real-estate-sales-agents
- SOC code: 41-9022.00
- Career family: Sales
- Median annual pay: $52,830 (10th percentile $32,970, 90th percentile $123,590)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.7%
- Openings a year: 32,600
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 19 |
| Investigative (I) | 8 |
| Artistic (A) | 15 |
| Social (S) | 42 |
| Enterprising (E) | 91 |
| Conventional (C) | 66 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 87/100)
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (importance 83/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 82/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 81/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 79/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 77/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 76/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 74/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 74/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 72/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Speaking, Negotiation, Coordination, Persuasion, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Sales and Marketing, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Administration and Management, Administrative, Communications and Media, Mathematics, Law and Government, Public Safety and Security

## Also called

Agricultural Real Estate Agent, Apartment Leasing Agent, Apartment Leasing Consultant, Apartment Rental Agent, Buyers Agent, Closing Agent, Home Sales Consultant, Industrial Real Estate Agent, Land Agent, Land Sales Agent

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Real Estate](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5215) (CIP 5215, 247 colleges)
- Real Estate Development (CIP 0410, 21 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Villanova University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/villanova-university-3127) | Real Estate | $86,945 | $131,911 | $27,000 |
| [New York University NYU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-york-university-nyu-1866) | Real Estate | $88,970 | $130,716 | $13,598 |
| [University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-wisconsin-madison-main-campus-3084) | Real Estate | $75,375 | $120,483 | $15,000 |
| [University of Southern California USC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-southern-california-usc-3050) | Real Estate Development | $80,927 | $107,292 | $12,000 |
| [Texas Christian University TCU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-christian-university-tcu-2701) | Real Estate | $60,524 | $103,547 | $21,225 |
| [Marquette University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/marquette-university-1598) | Real Estate | $73,121 | $99,583 | $23,374 |
| [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university-3134) | Real Estate | $68,467 | $95,576 | $19,573 |
| [Ohio State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ohio-state-university-main-campus-2000) | Real Estate | $67,271 | $91,213 | $19,500 |

## Related careers

- [Real Estate Brokers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/real-estate-brokers): $73,220 median pay
- [Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/property-real-estate-and-community-association-managers): $69,990 median pay
- [Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/appraisers-and-assessors-of-real-estate): $67,960 median pay
- [Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/securities-commodities-and-financial-services-sales-agents): $78,660 median pay
- [Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-representatives-of-services-except-advertising-insurance-financial-services-and): $69,990 median pay
- [Appraisers of Personal and Business Property](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/appraisers-of-personal-and-business-property): $67,960 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.