Realtor Income Is Up 4% Overall, But 62% of New Agents Made Less Than $10K

According to the newly released 2025 NAR Member Profile, agents are earning more than previous years, even with flat sales and fewer sides. 

The median gross income for Realtors rose to $58,100 in 2024, up 4% from $55,800 the year before. And while the number of transactions held steady and overall sales volume remained flat, agents who stuck with it saw their income go up. 

What’s behind the rise in earnings when the market itself remains slow?

The data points to the three big drivers: experience, referrals, and spending. 

Income Is Up, But Sales Activity Held Steady

While the typical Realtor made more money in 2024, their production numbers stayed flat:

• Median gross income: $58,100 (up from $55,800 in 2023)
• Net income (after taxes and expenses): $36,600 (same as 2023)
• Transaction sides: 10 (unchanged from 2023)
• Sales volume: $2.5 million (also unchanged)

Of course, not all agents saw the same bump. Licensed sales agents saw a median income of $41,7000, while brokers and broker associates earned $87,500. Over 30% of all Realtors earned six figures, with 9% earning $250,000 or more.

Here’s a more detailed look at earnings by role:

The data shows that your title, how long you’ve been in the business, and how well you run your operation all factor into your bottom line. 

More Experience, More Earnings

Years of experience remains a major factor in agent income.

The typical Realtor from the report has 12 years of experience, up from 10 years in 2023. The median income for this group (6 to 15 years of experience) was $70,000. 

It climbs even higher for those with 16+ years of experience: $78,900 in 2024, but this is down from $92,500 in 2023.

And what about agents just starting out? Those with 3 to 5 years of experience made $42,500, while those with two years or less earned just $8,100.

Let that sink in. That’s a 9x difference based on tenure alone. In fact, 62% of new agents earned less than $10,000 last year.

Here’s a complete breakdown:

Repeat Clients and Referrals Drive Revenue

Income growth wasn’t tied to more transactions, but to better sources of business.

• 20% of business came from repeat clients
• 21% came from referrals from past clients or customers

For agents with 16+ years in the business, the majority of their business comes from people who already know and trust them: 

• 40% said repeat clients made up more than half of their business
• Referrals accounted for another 28% of their income on average

The longer agents stay in the business, the more they rely on client relationships instead of chasing cold leads.

Expenses and Efficiency

Even with rising costs in many industries, Realtors reported spending slightly less in 2024.

Median business expenses for all Realtors dropped to $8,010, down from $8,450 in 2023. The biggest expense was vehicle costs, which averaged $1,650, with administrative expenses coming in second at $870. Website maintenance came in at just $60.

This suggests that agents are not only earning more; they’re learning to manage costs more effectively.

Like earnings, expenses vary across the board. Here’s what real estate professionals spent:

• All Realtors: $8,010
• Broker/Broker Associate: $14,000
• Sales Agent: $5,940
• Broker-Owner (Without Selling): $177,420
• Broker-Owner (With Selling): $19,230
• Associate Broker: $10,630
• Manager (Without Selling): $2,280
• Manager (With Selling): $21,920
• Appraiser: $7,060

Takeaways: What Can You Do to Grow Your Income in 2025?

Based on NAR’s 2025 Member Profile, here are three things agents can do now to follow the habits of top earners:

• Invest in relationships: Focus on repeat clients and referrals. Your long-term income grows when your database becomes your pipeline.
• Play the long game: Real estate pros with more experience consistently earn more. Stay the course, continue to level up, and build a reputation that brings clients back.
• Watch your margins: With inflation still high, top agents are budgeting smartly. Lower expenses can make a big difference in your take-home income.

Even in a tight market, income growth is possible, and the agents seeing the biggest gains are often the ones who focus on client service, relationships, and long-term sustainability.