Career comparison
Real Estate Agent vs. Real Estate Broker
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Real estate brokers earn more at the median ($73,220 vs. $52,830), while real estate agents usually get to work faster (1–6 months (licensing) of training). Real estate agents help people buy, sell and rent homes and property: licensed by your state. Real estate brokers lead real estate deals and agents, and run your own brokerage.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Real Estate Agent | Real Estate Broker | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $52,830 ($25.40/hr) | $73,220 ($35.20/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $32,970 – $123,590 | $37,110 – $143,300 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +1.7% (slower than average) | +0.8% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 32,600 | 7,800 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 1–6 months (licensing) | 2–3 years as an agent plus broker courses |
| Key credential | State real estate salesperson license | State real estate broker license |
| Work setting | Agents work from brokerage offices, home offices, cars and clients’ properties. | Brokers work in offices, homes for sale and the field, driving to showings and meetings.. |
What each job does
Real Estate Agent
- Prospect for buyers and sellers and build a referral network
- Prepare comparative market analyses to price homes
- List and market properties online and in person
- Show homes and hold open houses
- Write, present and negotiate offers
Real Estate Broker
- Represent buyers and sellers
- List and market properties
- Negotiate offers and contracts
- Supervise and train agents
- Review transaction documents
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, working independently, travel, and problem-solving. They sit in different fields, business & office and sales & retail, but share transferable skills such as relationship building and leadership.
Which should you choose?
Choose real estate agent if…
- I love meeting and talking with people
- I’m self-motivated without a boss watching
- I can handle variable income
Choose real estate broker if…
- I’ve worked as a real estate agent
- I want to lead agents
- I enjoy negotiating
Still torn? Take the Real Estate Agent fit quiz and the Real Estate Broker fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, real estate agent or real estate broker?
Real Estate Brokers earn more at the median: $73,220 versus $52,830 for real estate agents, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Real Estate Agents typically train faster (1–6 months (licensing)) than real estate brokers (2–3 years as an agent plus broker courses).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects real estate agents to grow +1.7% from 2025–35, compared with +0.8% for real estate brokers.