Real Estate Sales Agent salary in California
Real Estate Sales Agents in California earn a median of $57,560 a year ($27.68 an hour), based on BLS data for 17,500 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,150 for the lowest-paid 10% to $111,320 for the top 10%. That is 9% higher than the national median of $52,830. California ranks 23rd of 48 states for real estate sales agents pay. There are 0.96 real estate sales agents per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.77). The average (mean) salary is $67,570, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for real estate sales agents in California
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,150 | $19.30 |
| 25th percentile | $45,520 | $21.88 |
| Median | $57,560 | $27.68 |
| 75th percentile | $78,250 | $37.62 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $111,320 | $53.52 |
| Average (mean) | $67,570 | $32.49 |
Half of real estate sales agents earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,796.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,398.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,213.85 |
| Weekly | $1,106.92 |
| Hourly | $27.68 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $57,560 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Real Estate Sales Agent salary in cities in California
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $115,820 | n/a |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $96,170 | n/a |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $91,690 | 530 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $88,370 | n/a |
| Redding, CA | $83,260 | 70 |
| Yuba City, CA | $77,440 | 90 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $70,990 | 2,100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $63,790 | 2,080 |
| Vallejo, CA | $63,670 | 70 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $62,680 | 1,350 |
| Salinas, CA | $61,900 | 150 |
| Modesto, CA | $60,620 | 140 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $59,970 | 210 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $59,520 | 900 |
| Fresno, CA | $58,270 | 440 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $58,000 | 140 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $56,960 | 240 |
| Chico, CA | $56,710 | 50 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $51,530 | 70 |
| Visalia, CA | $47,110 | 100 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,020 | 7,340 |
Highest-paying states for real estate sales agents
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $123,770 |
| New York | $102,990 |
| New Jersey | $99,990 |
| Alaska | $89,170 |
| Nevada | $79,990 |
| Washington | $79,130 |
| Montana | $79,100 |
| New Mexico | $76,170 |
| North Dakota | $73,920 |
| South Dakota | $65,170 |
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $52,810 | $25.39 |
| Demonstrators and Product Promoters | $46,220 | $22.22 |
| Real Estate Broker | $80,450 | $38.68 |
| Sales Engineer | $139,160 | $66.90 |
| Telemarketer | $46,000 | $22.12 |
| Model | $57,400 | $27.60 |
| Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers | $39,520 | $19.00 |
| Retail Salesperson | $38,440 | $18.48 |
| Cashier | $37,100 | $17.84 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $80,850 | $38.87 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $76,490 | $36.78 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $54,870 | $26.38 |
| Counter and Rental Clerks | $45,010 | $21.64 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $79,730 | $38.33 |
More: Sales and Related Occupations · all salaries in California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 41-9022. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a real estate sales agent make in California?
The median salary for real estate sales agents in California is $57,560 a year, or $27.68 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,150 for the lowest-paid 10% to $111,320 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid real estate sales agents make in California?
The top 10% of real estate sales agents in California earn at least $111,320 a year. The top 25% earn $78,250 or more.
What is the starting pay for real estate sales agents in California?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,150 a year, and a quarter of real estate sales agents earn $45,520 or less.
How many real estate sales agents work in California?
About 17,500 real estate sales agents are employed in California, not counting the self-employed.