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.
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers is $69,990 a year ($33.65/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.6% through 2034, with about 39,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 11-9141ManagementLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $69,990
- Projected growth
- +3.6%
- Openings a year
- 39,000
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Apartment Manager, Community Association Manager, Community Manager, Lease Administration Supervisor, Leasing Manager, Occupancy Director.
How much do Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers make?
10th percentile$41,010
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$50,720
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$69,990
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$97,910
Upper quartile
90th percentile$139,680
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $69,990 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $33.65/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $83,710 |
| People employed | 311,180 |
Versus all US occupations
At $69,990, Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers earn 37% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $19,010 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 44% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $139,680 or more while the bottom 10% earn $41,010, a gap of 3.4×. 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 56% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $119,320, and still leads at $111,500 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $119,320 | $111,500 | 2,950 |
| Massachusetts | $103,410 | $97,781 | 7,320 |
| Colorado | $100,080 | $97,116 | 2,230 |
| New York | $99,390 | $92,095 | 11,390 |
| District of Columbia | $94,080 | $85,604 | 2,040 |
| New Jersey | $82,850 | $76,145 | 7,110 |
| Maryland | $81,900 | $78,030 | 6,060 |
| Rhode Island | $80,260 | $78,471 | 730 |
| Virginia | $79,810 | $78,939 | 5,570 |
| Oregon | $78,060 | $75,522 | 3,190 |
Is Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager a growing career?
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers3.6%
All US occupations3.1%
+3.6% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers to change 3.6% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 17,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 39,000 openings are projected each year, 8.4% of the 466,100 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment demand will be driven by the number of people living in buildings that property management companies operate, such as apartment buildings, condominiums, cooperatives, planned communities, and senior housing.
Growth in the single-family housing market may have a positive influence on demand, as some new housing developments will require property managers to oversee jointly owned common areas, such as pools, gyms, and business centers, and to enforce homeowner association laws. However, the automation of some property management tasks, such as posting vacancies and assigning maintenance requests, may slow employment growth.
How to become a Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager
There is no single property manager licence in the United States, and in most states there is no property management licence at all. Managing, leasing or collecting rent on someone else's property for compensation is treated as real estate brokerage, so the credential you need is a real estate salesperson or broker licence from the state real estate commission. Community association management, meaning homeowner associations and condominiums, is licensed separately in a handful of states under its own statute, with its own hours and its own exam. The designations the industry advertises, CMCA, CPM, AMS and PCAM, are voluntary credentials from private bodies and none of them is a licence.
The credential path, step by step
- Work out which of three regimes covers the work you want
Managing rental property for owners usually falls under the state real estate licensing law. Managing homeowner and condominium associations may fall under a separate community association manager statute. Working on site for the owner itself is often exempt from both. BLS puts it plainly: some property, real estate and community association managers must have a state-issued licence, and in most states property managers must have a property management licence or a real estate broker's licence.
- Check the exemption before you pay for a course
The exemptions are narrow and specific. Texas exempts an on-site manager of an apartment complex and an owner or an owner's employee leasing the owner's own real estate, but managers of condominiums or townhomes are not exempt, and an apartment locator who expects compensation for finding a prospective tenant a unit does need a licence. California has no property management licence whatsoever: leasing, renting, soliciting listings or prospective tenants, or collecting rent from real property for another for compensation requires a real estate broker licence, or a salesperson licence held under a supervising broker of record.
- Get the state credential the work actually requires
Where the work is community association management, the requirements are set by that statute rather than the real estate law. Florida requires 16 hours of pre-licensure education from an approved provider completed within the 12 months before the examination, then the Pearson VUE computer-based exam, and the licence is triggered when you are compensated for managing associations with more than 10 units or budgets over $100,000. Illinois requires a high school diploma, at least 20 classroom hours of Board-approved community association management courses, and a department examination. Nevada requires at least 60 hours of Commission-approved instruction, evidence of managing a common-interest community or holding a management position in a related area for the 12 months immediately preceding the application or for at least 2 of the previous 4 years, and fingerprints.
- Build the related experience employers expect
BLS records a high school diploma combined with several years of related work experience as typical for entry-level positions, with commercial roles overseeing a property's finances or contracts more likely to want a degree. Employers typically require managers to attend formal training programmes run by professional and trade real estate associations, and completing one with a satisfactory written exam score may lead to a designation from the sponsoring association.
- Add a designation only once you know it is not a substitute for the licence
The CMCA from CAMICB requires one approved prerequisite course in community association management, waived once for two years of community association management experience or for holding an Arizona CAAM, California CCAM, Florida CAM, Illinois CAM or Nevada CAM credential, followed by a 120-question, 2.5-hour Pearson VUE examination. CAMICB holds accreditation from both the National Commission for Certifying Agencies and ANSI under ISO 17024. It does not replace a state licence anywhere.
Exams you have to pass
CMCA Examination (CMCA)
120 multiple-choice questions in 2.5 hours, taken after completing an approved prerequisite course on community association management or qualifying for the one-time waiver. The credential is accredited by the NCCA and by ANSI under ISO 17024, which is unusual for this field, but it is a certification rather than a licence.
Administered by Community Association Managers International Certification Board (CAMICB), delivered by Pearson VUE.
Florida Community Association Manager Examination
The state licensing examination for community association managers, taken after 16 hours of pre-licensure education from an approved provider completed within the previous 12 months. Delivered by computer-based testing at sites worldwide.
Administered by Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, delivered by Pearson VUE.
- How long the training takes
Weeks rather than years: 16 hours of pre-licence education in Florida, 20 classroom hours in Illinois, 60 hours in Nevada
The real estate licence route adds that state's own pre-licence course hours instead. BLS records a high school diploma combined with several years of related work experience as the typical entry requirement, so the experience, not the coursework, is the long part.
- Continuing education
Set by each state
Set locally rather than nationally. BLS records that most states require recertification, and each licensing state sets its own continuing education rules for the licence it issues. The voluntary designations carry their own separate renewal requirements.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
This is one of the most state-dependent occupations in the office and business group, and the differences are structural rather than cosmetic. What varies: whether a real estate licence is required at all for managing property for others; whether it must be a broker licence or whether a salesperson licence under a supervising broker suffices (California allows the latter); whether on-site apartment managers are exempt but condominium and townhome managers are not (Texas); whether community association management is licensed under a separate statute (Florida, Illinois and Nevada all do, each with different requirements); the number of education hours (16 in Florida, 20 classroom hours in Illinois, 60 in Nevada); whether prior experience is required (Nevada requires it, Florida does not); and the size threshold that triggers the licence at all (Florida's test is associations with more than 10 units or budgets over $100,000). Illinois may license without examination an applicant licensed in another state whose requirements are substantially equal. BLS adds two points worth checking locally: managers of federally subsidised public housing must hold certifications, and most states require recertification.
Who governs the credential
- California Department of Real Estate (DRE) — Issues the real estate broker and salesperson licences that California requires for property management. There is no separate property manager or property management licence in California; the activity is defined into the broker licence law.
- Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) — Decides which property management activities require a Texas real estate licence and which fall inside the statutory exemptions for on-site apartment managers and owners' own employees.
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) — Licenses community association managers and community association management firms under Chapter 468, Part VIII, Florida Statutes, setting the pre-licensure education and the state examination.
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Licenses community association managers and management firms under the Community Association Manager Licensing and Disciplinary Act, requiring approved coursework and a department examination.
- Nevada Real Estate Division — Issues the community manager certificate for common-interest communities under NRS and NAC chapter 116A, requiring Commission-approved instruction, qualifying management experience and fingerprints.
- Community Association Managers International Certification Board (CAMICB) — Awards the CMCA, a voluntary certification for managers of homeowner associations, condominiums and cooperatives, accredited by the NCCA and by ANSI under ISO 17024.
Credential detail for property, real estate, and community association managers is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers · checked August 23, 2026
- California Department of Real Estate, Reference Book chapter 22: Property Management · checked August 23, 2026
- Texas Real Estate Commission: Does a property manager have to be licensed? · checked August 23, 2026
- Florida DBPR: Community Association Managers and Firms, FAQs · checked August 23, 2026
- Illinois IDFPR: Community Association Management · checked August 23, 2026
- Nevada Real Estate Division: Community Manager Certification Requirements · checked August 23, 2026
- CAMICB: CMCA Program Overview · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Property, real estate, and community association managers typically need a high school diploma combined with several years of related work experience for entry-level positions. Some managers also must have a state-issued license.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | Less than 5 years |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as property, real estate, and community association managers.
- Bachelor's Degree55.0%
- High School Diploma15.0%
- Post-Secondary Certificate10.0%
- First Professional Degree10.0%
- Some College Courses5.0%
What does a Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate the selling, buying, leasing, or governance activities of commercial, industrial, or residential real estate properties. Includes managers of homeowner and condominium associations, rented or leased housing units, buildings, or land (including rights-of-way).
Property, real estate, and community association managers oversee many aspects of residential, commercial, or industrial properties. They ensure that the property is well maintained, has a nice appearance, operates smoothly, and preserves its resale value.
Day-to-day tasks
- Manage and oversee operations, maintenance, administration, and improvement of commercial, industrial, or residential properties.
- Meet with clients to negotiate management and service contracts, determine priorities, and discuss the financial and operational status of properties.
- Direct and coordinate the activities of staff and contract personnel and evaluate their performance.
- Inspect grounds, facilities, and equipment routinely to determine necessity of repairs or maintenance.
- Solicit and analyze bids from contractors for repairs, renovations, and maintenance.
- Prepare detailed budgets and financial reports for properties.
- Plan, schedule, and coordinate general maintenance, major repairs, and remodeling or construction projects for commercial or residential properties.
- Direct collection of monthly assessments, rental fees, and deposits and payment of insurance premiums, mortgage, taxes, and incurred operating expenses.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most property, real estate, and community association managers work full time. Work schedules may vary; for example, they may need to respond to emergencies during off-duty hours or attend evening meetings with residents, property owners, or community association board members. Some managers are required to live onsite at the properties they manage.
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
- Dealing with customers or the public is very important
Pressure and stakes
- Handling conflict situations at least monthly
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where property, real estate, and community association managers work
| Real estate | 52% |
|---|---|
| Self-employed workers | 34% |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 2% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Speaking4.0/5
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Active Listening3.8/5
- Writing3.6/5
- Critical Thinking3.5/5
- Monitoring3.1/5
- Mathematics3.0/5
- Active Learning3.0/5
Transferable skills
- Coordination3.6/5
- Negotiation3.5/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.3/5
- Persuasion3.3/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Management of Personnel Resources3.1/5
- Service Orientation3.0/5
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Web platform development 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.
What personality type suits a Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic3.3
Investigative2.1
Artistic1.7
Socialprimary3.5
Enterprisingprimary6.7
Conventionalprimary5.3
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
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.
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers make?
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers earn a median of $69,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 37% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $33.65/hr. The middle half earn between $50,720 and $97,910. The top 10% earn $139,680 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 55.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.6% over 2024–2034, about the same as the 3.1% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 39,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager do?
Property, real estate, and community association managers oversee many aspects of residential, commercial, or industrial properties. A core O*NET task: manage and oversee operations, maintenance, administration, and improvement of commercial, industrial, or residential properties. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Data base user interface and query software, Data mining software.
Which states pay Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers are Washington ($119,320), Massachusetts ($103,410), Colorado ($100,080) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager?
O*NET scores Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers 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 the closest types are ESTJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager?
Weeks rather than years: 16 hours of pre-licence education in Florida, 20 classroom hours in Illinois, 60 hours in Nevada. The real estate licence route adds that state's own pre-licence course hours instead. BLS records a high school diploma combined with several years of related work experience as the typical entry requirement, so the experience, not the coursework, is the long part.
Do you need a license to work as a Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. This is one of the most state-dependent occupations in the office and business group, and the differences are structural rather than cosmetic. What varies: whether a real estate licence is required at all for managing property for others; whether it must be a broker licence or whether a salesperson licence under a supervising broker suffices (California allows the latter); whether on-site apartment managers are exempt but condominium and townhome managers are not (Texas); whether community association management is licensed under a separate statute (Florida, Illinois and Nevada all do, each with different requirements); the number of education hours (16 in Florida, 20 classroom hours in Illinois, 60 in Nevada); whether prior experience is required (Nevada requires it, Florida does not); and the size threshold that triggers the licence at all (Florida's test is associations with more than 10 units or budgets over $100,000). Illinois may license without examination an applicant licensed in another state whose requirements are substantially equal. BLS adds two points worth checking locally: managers of federally subsidised public housing must hold certifications, and most states require recertification.
What exams do you have to pass to become a Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager?
The CMCA (CMCA Examination) and the Florida Community Association Manager Examination. 120 multiple-choice questions in 2.5 hours, taken after completing an approved prerequisite course on community association management or qualifying for the one-time waiver. The credential is accredited by the NCCA and by ANSI under ISO 17024, which is unusual for this field, but it is a certification rather than a licence.