A residential agent who represents buyers and sellers of high-value homes, often for wealthy, celebrity or international clients. BLS does not publish separate figures for real estate sales agents; it counts them within real estate agent (SOC 41-9022), whose median pay is $52,830 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 41-9022
- Sales and Related
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Luxury Real Estate Agent in four numbers
- Median pay
- $52,830a year, or $25.40/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $33KTop 10% $124K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +1.7%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+1.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +1.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 32,600427,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025427K
- Projected 2035434.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 427K Projected 2035 434.5K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Luxury Home Specialist, Luxury Realtor, High-End Residential Agent, Estate Agent (Luxury).
Pay
How much do Real Estate Sales Agents make?
Every luxury real estate agent in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$52,830
Middle half earn $40,040 to $82,020
- 10th
- $32,970
- 25th
- $40,040
- 75th
- $82,020
- 90th
- $123,590
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $32,970 |
| 25th | $40,040 |
| Median | $52,830 |
| 75th | $82,020 |
| 90th | $123,590 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $52,830
- Median hourly wage
- $25.40/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $69,510
- People employed
- 193,370
Versus all US occupations
At $52,830, Real Estate Sales Agents earn 4% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $1,850 a year.
Versus sales and related occupations
Inside the Sales and Related group, where the middle occupation pays $73,220, this is 28% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $123,590 or more while the bottom 10% earn $32,970, a gap of 3.7×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 26% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $123,770, and still leads at $112,620 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Real Estate Sales Agents the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $123,770 | $112,620 | 590 |
| 2New York | $102,990 | $95,431 | 8,660 |
| 3New Jersey | $99,990 | $91,898 | N/A |
| 4Alaska | $89,170 | $87,115 | 170 |
| 5Nevada | $79,990 | $80,007 | 1,490 |
| 6Washington | $79,130 | $73,944 | 5,150 |
| 7Montana | $79,100 | $83,575 | 370 |
| 8New Mexico | $76,170 | $82,603 | 550 |
| 9North Dakota | $73,920 | $83,094 | N/A |
| 10South Dakota | $65,170 | $73,567 | 640 |
Job outlook
Is Luxury Real Estate Agent a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +1.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Real Estate Sales Agents | +1.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Real Estate Sales Agents to change 1.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 7,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 32,600 openings are projected each year, 7.6% of the 427,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Luxury Real Estate Agent
Agents need a state real estate license, which requires prelicensing coursework and a state exam, and they must work under a licensed broker. Most luxury agents first build a track record in the general residential market before moving into higher price points, often by joining a top team.
The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing offers the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation, and many agents are members of the National Association of Realtors.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Luxury Real Estate Agent do?
Luxury real estate agents work at the top of the residential market, listing and selling high-value homes, estates, penthouses and vacation properties. For sellers they price unusual properties with few comparable sales, stage and photograph them, market them privately and to other top agents, and screen buyers for financial qualification and discretion.
For buyers they search on and off the market, arrange private showings, and negotiate terms that may include complex financing, trusts or international buyers. The business runs on referrals and reputation, so top agents invest heavily in their personal brand, networks and relationships with wealth managers, attorneys and builders.
Day-to-day tasks
- Price high-value homes using limited comparable sales
- Plan staging, photography and private marketing campaigns
- Screen and qualify prospective buyers
- Arrange private showings and broker previews
- Negotiate complex purchase terms and contingencies
- Coordinate with attorneys, wealth managers and inspectors
- Build a referral network and personal brand
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Luxury agents split time between offices, client homes, showings and networking events, often on evenings and weekends to fit clients' schedules. Income is commission based and uneven, with a small share of agents closing most high-end sales. Travel to second-home markets is common.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Reading Comprehension3.4
- Writing3.3
- Active Learning3.3
- Mathematics3.0
- Monitoring3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.4 |
| Writing | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Negotiation3.9
- Social Perceptiveness3.8
- Coordination3.8
- Persuasion3.8
- Service Orientation3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Time Management3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Negotiation | 3.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Persuasion | 3.8 |
| Service Orientation | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Time Management | 3.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video conferencing software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Luxury Real Estate Agent?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ESA) built on O*NET's Real Estate Agent profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Luxury Real Estate Agent |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising6.5
- Conventional4.9
- Social4.2
- Artistic2.9
- Realistic2.1
- Investigative1.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Luxury Real Estate Agent
O*NET related occupations
- Sales and Related
- Sales and Related
- Management
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager
$69,990median a year
Most earn $41K to $140K
+3.7%High school - Business and Financial Operations
- Sales and Related
Security, Commodity, and Financial Services Sales Agent
$78,660median a year
Most earn $48K to $213K
+1.4%Bachelor's - Sales and Related
Sales Representative of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
$69,990median a year
Most earn $38K to $149K
+2.7%High school
More sales and related careers
Median annual pay, with real estate sales agents highlighted
- Sales Engineer$124,900
- Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Product$104,920
- Real Estate Broker$73,220
- Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$72,080
- Insurance Sales Agent$62,280
- Real Estate Agent$52,830
- Luxury Real Estate Agent$52,830
- Travel Agent$50,160
- Cashier$32,880
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Sales Engineer | $124,900 |
| Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Product | $104,920 |
| Real Estate Broker | $73,220 |
| Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 |
| Insurance Sales Agent | $62,280 |
| Real Estate Agent | $52,830 |
| Luxury Real Estate Agent | $52,830 |
| Travel Agent | $50,160 |
| Cashier | $32,880 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Luxury Real Estate Agent appears on
Questions
Luxury Real Estate Agent: frequently asked questions
How much do Real Estate Sales Agents make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for real estate sales agents. It counts them within real estate agent, whose median pay is $52,830 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $40,040 and $82,020, and the top 10% earn $123,590 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Luxury Real Estate Agent?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Real Estate Sales Agents. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Luxury Real Estate Agent a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 1.7% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 32,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Luxury Real Estate Agent do?
Luxury real estate agents work at the top of the residential market, listing and selling high-value homes, estates, penthouses and vacation properties. A typical task: price high-value homes using limited comparable sales. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Data base user interface and query software, Document management software.
Which states pay Real Estate Sales Agents the most?
The highest state medians for Real Estate Sales Agents are District of Columbia ($123,770), New York ($102,990), New Jersey ($99,990) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Luxury Real Estate Agent?
O*NET scores Real Estate Sales Agents highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.