In New York state, real estate sales agents earn over $100,000 a year on average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.Getty
Despite overall economic prosperity in recent years, one area that has remained sluggish is homebuying. According to the National Association of Realtors, December existing home sales declined 6.4% from November — the weakest month for existing home sales in at least three years. With fewer homes being sold, the people most directly affected tend to be real estate sales agents, whose incomes are tied to home sales.
As of January 2019, the average annual earnings for real estate sales agents was $41,289, according to salary.com. How much money real estate agents make per year, however, depends on several of factors, such as number of real estate transactions, and commission fees.
Using occupational data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ve analyzed and compiled a round-up of the average salary of a real estate sales agent in each U.S. state for 2019. Read on for a full breakdown of where real estate agents make the most money, and where they’re making the least.
10 States Where Real Estate Agents Earn The Most Money
The national average annual wage of a debt collector is $59,630, according to the BLS. Here’s a breakdown of the top-10 states in which real estate agents earn the most:
| Rank | State | 2017 Mean Annual Wage |
| 1 | New York | $102,310 |
| 2 | Texas | $72,480 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $72,470 |
| 4 | Alaska | $71,030 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $70,450 |
| 6 | California | $68,860 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $66,550 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $64,500 |
| 9 | Virginia | $64,290 |
| 10 | Colorado | $63,320 |
The states that pay real estate agents the most on average are geographically located in the Northeast, West and South, with three states, five states and two states in each Census-designated region respectively.
10 States Where Real Estate Agents Earn The Least Money
Here’s a breakdown of the top-10 states in which real estate agents earn the least:
| Rank | State | 2017 Mean Annual Wage |
| 1 | Ohio | $41,650 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $41,660 |
| 3 | Montana | $42,010 |
| 4 | Indiana | $43,230 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $45,220 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $45,230 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $45,960 |
| 8 | Georgia | $46,220 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $46,340 |
| 10 | Kansas | $46,640 |
This list is dominated by states of the South and Midwest, with one state representing the Northeast.
How Much Real Estate Agents Make In Each State
In just one year, seven states experienced income increases that were greater than 10% for real estate sales agents:
- Arkansas average annual income for real estate agent: 21.8% increase
- Utah average annual income for real estate agent: 17.5% increase
- Pennsylvania average annual income for real estate agent: 14.5% increase
- Kentucky average annual income for real estate agent: 14% increase
- Mississippi average annual income for real estate agent: 13.8% increase
- Texas average annual income for real estate agent: 13.1% increase
- Oregon average annual income for real estate agent: 10.9% increase
Below are all 50 states and how much real estate sales agents earn a year on average.
| State | 2017 Mean Annual Wage | 2016 Mean Annual Wage | 2015 Mean Annual Wage | 1-Year Change | 2-Year Change |
| Alabama | $55,960 | $58,700 | $61,130 | -4.70% | -8.50% |
| Alaska | $71,030 | $68,040 | $64,060 | 4.40% | 10.90% |
| Arizona | $62,690 | $70,050 | $54,900 | -10.50% | 14.20% |
| Arkansas | $41,660 | $34,190 | $35,270 | 21.80% | 18.10% |
| California | $68,860 | $65,790 | $62,330 | 4.70% | 10.50% |
| Colorado | $63,320 | $72,480 | $76,590 | -12.60% | -17.30% |
| Connecticut | $45,230 | $46,120 | $50,070 | -1.90% | -9.70% |
| Delaware | $46,670 | $47,660 | $52,460 | -2.10% | -11.00% |
| Florida | $57,520 | $58,980 | $54,090 | -2.50% | 6.30% |
| Georgia | $46,220 | $44,780 | $45,620 | 3.20% | 1.30% |
| Hawaii | $72,470 | $85,110 | $83,620 | -14.90% | -13.30% |
| Idaho | $55,790 | $57,800 | $47,160 | -3.50% | 18.30% |
| Illinois | $59,010 | $59,150 | $76,800 | -0.20% | -23.20% |
| Indiana | $43,230 | $61,880 | $65,350 | -30.10% | -33.80% |
| Iowa | $49,900 | $46,520 | $42,810 | 7.30% | 16.60% |
| Kansas | $46,640 | $63,640 | $64,850 | -26.70% | -28.10% |
| Kentucky | $47,220 | $41,410 | $39,100 | 14.00% | 20.80% |
| Louisiana | $54,100 | $51,410 | $41,660 | 5.20% | 29.90% |
| Maine | $60,220 | $69,210 | $43,850 | -13.00% | 37.30% |
| Maryland | $57,470 | $59,980 | $51,110 | -4.20% | 12.40% |
| Massachusetts | $61,670 | $66,430 | $78,760 | -7.20% | -21.70% |
| Michigan | $46,880 | $43,620 | $42,760 | 7.50% | 9.60% |
| Minnesota | $48,250 | $49,460 | $51,300 | -2.40% | -5.90% |
| Mississippi | $50,110 | $44,020 | $38,140 | 13.80% | 31.40% |
| Missouri | $50,400 | $54,060 | $53,360 | -6.80% | -5.50% |
| Montana | $42,010 | $45,560 | $52,850 | -7.80% | -20.50% |
| Nebraska | $46,340 | $48,110 | $42,060 | -3.70% | 10.20% |
| Nevada | $59,240 | $61,570 | $61,850 | -3.80% | -4.20% |
| New Hampshire | $48,530 | $49,670 | $43,150 | -2.30% | 12.50% |
| New Jersey | $58,690 | $61,860 | $59,610 | -5.10% | -1.50% |
| New Mexico | $53,240 | $60,440 | $58,170 | -11.90% | -8.50% |
| New York | $102,310 | $103,490 | $100,090 | -1.10% | 2.20% |
| North Carolina | $61,580 | $62,070 | $59,860 | -0.80% | 2.90% |
| North Dakota | $57,060 | $53,200 | $51,140 | 7.30% | 11.60% |
| Ohio | $41,650 | $39,900 | $38,700 | 4.40% | 7.60% |
| Oklahoma | $49,380 | $55,150 | $56,370 | -10.50% | -12.40% |
| Oregon | $55,500 | $50,040 | $42,050 | 10.90% | 32.00% |
| Pennsylvania | $66,550 | $58,130 | $57,970 | 14.50% | 14.80% |
| Rhode Island | $70,450 | n/a | $46,310 | n/a | 52.1% |
| South Carolina | $52,070 | $50,700 | $43,410 | 2.70% | 19.90% |
| South Dakota | $57,110 | $57,150 | $55,810 | -0.10% | 2.30% |
| Tennessee | $45,960 | $46,370 | $43,080 | -0.90% | 6.70% |
| Texas | $72,480 | $64,070 | $68,410 | 13.10% | 5.90% |
| Utah | $62,050 | $52,830 | $50,050 | 17.50% | 24.00% |
| Vermont | $47,990 | $56,770 | n/a | -15.5% | n/a |
| Virginia | $64,290 | $62,910 | $62,240 | 2.20% | 3.30% |
| Washington | $59,590 | $58,100 | $53,640 | 2.60% | 11.10% |
| West Virginia | $45,220 | $53,860 | $44,920 | -16.00% | 0.70% |
| Wisconsin | $54,820 | $53,640 | $54,440 | 2.20% | 0.70% |
| Wyoming | $64,500 | $81,920 | $72,660 | -21.30% | -11.20% |
Over the course of two years, seven states saw real estate agent incomes rise by more than 20%. These states were:
- Rhode Island average annual income for real estate agent: 52.1% increase
- Maine average annual income for real estate agent: 37.3% increase
- Oregon average annual income for real estate agent: 32% increase
- Mississippi average annual income for real estate agent: 31.4% increase
- Louisiana average annual income for real estate agent: 29.9% increase
- Utah average annual income for real estate agent: 24% increase
- Kentucky average annual income for real estate agent: 20.8% increase
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