Every year when the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) releases its Form 990, BAM digs in. These filings go public every year because NAR is a nonprofit, offering one of the clearest windows into how the powerful trade group spends member dollars.
And after a year defined by promises of transparency, lingering lawsuits and public scrutiny over spending habits, this year’s filing carries even more weight.
Last year, The New York Times published an investigation exposing NAR’s culture of excess: six-figure “volunteer” stipends, corporate cards for massages and event tickets, first-class travel perks, and a compensation structure that nonprofit experts called “virtually unheard of.” BAM covered that report, along with our own breakdown of NAR’s 2023 executive salaries and marketing spend.
This year, before the 2024 Form 990 hit ProPublica (where we normally access it), NAR proactively shared the filing with media that requested it, including BAM. It’s a small but perhaps meaningful signal from an association that has repeatedly promised a new era of transparency.
In sharing the document early, a NAR spokesperson added this statement:
“Since the Form 990 only captures 2024 data, it does not reflect the significant progress NAR has made this year enhancing member value, modernizing the association, and strengthening fiscal discipline. In an annual report we are publishing in the first quarter of 2026, we will transparently show the impact of our work to improve the association and its usefulness to members as well preview the steps we will take in 2026 to further improve how NAR operates and delivers for members moving forward.”
That fuller picture from NAR will come next quarter.
But today, the 2024 Form 990 is the document we have.
Below, we break down NAR’s executive compensation, independent contractor spending, and major line items from the 2024 filing.
NAR Executive Salaries in 2024
According to a document from November 19, 2025, NAR’s 2024 Form 990 shows the following compensation for the association’s top executives:
Nykia Wright, CEO
• $2,492,914 in reportable compensation
• $57,343 in other compensation
Mark Birschbach, SVP, Strategic Business Innovation & Tech
• $1,262,067 reportable
• $57,343 other
Shannon McGahn, Chief Advocacy Officer
• $1,164,222 reportable
• $57,343 other
Katie Johnson, General Counsel & Chief Member Experience Officer (through 10/04/24)
• $900,523 reportable
• $57,343 other
Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist
• $845,298 reportable
• $57,343 other
John Pierpoint, Chief Financial Officer
• $815,229 reportable
• $57,343 other
Suzanne Bouhia, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
• $624,119 reportable
• $57,343 other
Marc Gould, SVP, Member Development
• $509,581 reportable
• $57,343 other
Beth Brittingham, SVP, Leadership Resources (began 3/01/24)
• $408,258 reportable
• $57,343 other
Kevin Sears, NAR President (began 1/08/24)
• $357,216 reportable
• No listed additional compensation
Kevin Brown, First Vice President
• $228,810 reportable
Gregory Hrabcak, NAR Treasurer
• $218,628 reportable
Sharon White, Chief Human Resources Officer (began 11/04/24)
• $82,086 reportable
• $31,052 other
Tracy Kasper, NAR President (through 1/08/24)
• $42,580 reportable
NAR’s Highest-Paid Independent Contractors in 2024
According to NAR’s 2024 Form 990, the trade group paid more than $100,000 to at least five independent contractors during the year. Below is the full list of the top vendors and what NAR paid them in 2024:
- Havas Media Group, Marketing & Communications: $42,822,258
- Brunswick Group LLC, Public Relations: $15,451,632
- Uncommon Creative Studio, Global Branding: $7,897,311
- Freeman, Event Management Services: $6,944,969
- Cooley LLP, Legal Counsel: $5,676,438
For the breakdown of NAR spending in previous years:
NAR Revenue & Expenses for 2024
For context, here’s what NAR received in revenue for 2024:
- Member Dues: $303,456,097
- Conventions: $11,182,270
- Advertising & Subscriptions: $5,401,889
- Government Affairs: $4,191,740
- Publications & Service Materials: $295,384
- All other program service revenue: $291,254
- Total Program Services Revenue: $324,818,634
- Total Revenue for 2024 (including sponsorships & other revenue): $360,812,686
Total Functional Expenses for 2024 added up to $350,096,407
The top 12 functional expenses:
- Public Policy Expenses: $48,349,616
- Other Salaries & Wages (Non-Executive): $53,714,668
- Fees for Services—Other (Nonemployees): $52,212,379
- Advertising & Promotion: $37,408,618
- Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations & Domestic Govts: $24,156,605
- Conferences, Conventions, and Meetings: $21,058,205
- Fees for Services—Legal: $17,928,145
- Office Expenses: $14,722,991
- Information Technology: $13,862,265
- Depreciation, Depletion & Amortization: $11,684,014
- Other Employee Benefits: $9,473,653
- Travel: $8,064,041
Down at the bottom of the list, the entry for “all other expenses” adds up to $13,567,686 (more than office expenses but less than information tech).
And “compensation of current officers, directors, trustees, and key employees” (not included in #2) weighs in at a total $6,636,094.
For more details, check out the full filing here.
