Real Estate Sales Agent Salary in California
Statewide median pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and what it costs to get into the trade here.
Median annual
$72,870
statewide
Median hourly
$35.03
per hour
Jobs in state
20,400
people employed
Cost to enter
$499
licence + training
What the licence costs against the pay
At the state median, the licence and training pay for themselves in roughly 0.1 months of work. That is the number to compare when you are choosing between states — a cheaper licence in a lower-paying state can still be the slower route to break even.
Pay in other states
| State | Median annual | Licence cost | Break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $72,870 | $499 | 0 mo |
| Florida | $68,100 | $63 | 0 mo |
| Texas | $78,390 | $208 | 0 mo |
How to read these numbers
- Median, not average. A handful of very high earners drag the average up; the median is the middle person.
- Statewide. Metro pay in this trade often runs 10–25% above the state figure, and rural areas below it.
- Before overtime. BLS base pay excludes overtime and shift differentials, which matter a lot in this trade.
Sources
- BLS OEWS state table (archive snapshot)Median annual wage for Real Estate Sales Agent in California, May 2024
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Examinees/RequirementsSales.html“Successful completion of three college-level courses is required to qualify for a real estate salesperson examination”
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Examinees/RequirementsSales.html“Each course approved by the Department of Real Estate is a minimum of 45 hours in length.”
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Licensees/Fees.html“Salesperson Examination Fee $100 License Fee $350 ... On Time Renewal $350 $450”
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/licensees/renewlicense.html“Licenses are issued for a four-year period and should be renewed prior to the expiration date listed on the license.”
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Examinees/OutOfState.html“California has no reciprocity with any other state”
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Licensees/Fees.html“Original license or examination applicants who reside in California will pay a $49 fingerprint processing fee directly to the live scan fingerprint service provider.”