Highest Paying Real Estate Jobs in the U.S.

If you’re studying for the real estate exam, you’re already thinking like a pro: Which path pays the most once I’m licensed? Smart move—because “real estate” isn’t one job. It’s a full set of careers with different pay models, timelines, and skill requirements.

In this guide, you’ll learn what drives the highest paying real estate jobs, which roles offer the highest earning potential, and what’s realistic for beginners. You’ll also see the top paying real estate careers that can reach six figures—and the fastest way for students to position themselves before they even get licensed.

How Payment Works in the Highest Paying Real Estate Jobs

This is the open secret that makes “real estate salaries” so confusing online: In this field, your income isn’t just a predictable number on a paycheck. It’s built on commissions, bonuses, and performance-based incentives. That means the earning potential can be sky-high — but it’s tied directly to your skills, your market, and your consistency.

Commission vs. Salary + Bonus

• Commission-heavy roles (many agent and broker paths) can become real estate careers that make six figures, but they often start slower because you must build a pipeline first.
• Salary + bonus roles (common in development, investment, and asset management) tend to pay more predictably and can scale through promotions and performance incentives.

Data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows wide ranges even within the same role. For example, real estate sales agents had a median wage of $56,320 in May 2024, and the highest earners can make substantially more.

A Practical Expectation for Students

NAR reports the median gross income for realtors was $58,100 in 2024, but new members can earn far less early on (their Member Profile data highlights very low income for many in their first two years). So the “highest paying” jobs usually require one of two things:

1. Higher deal size (commercial, investment, development), or
   
2. Higher deal volume + strong conversion (top-producing agents/brokers).

Top Paying Real Estate Jobs You Can Pursue with a License

This section focuses on highest paying jobs with a real estate license—paths many students can realistically pursue right after passing the exam.

1) Real Estate Broker (Long-Term Upside)

BLS lists the median annual wage for real estate brokers at $72,280.

Brokers often earn more over time because they can:

• build teams, systems, and referral networks
  
• manage more transactions (directly or indirectly)
  
• create stronger business leverage

Student move: plan your first 12–24 months to learn contracts, negotiation, and lead conversion—those skills later support a broker path.

2) Residential Sales Agent (High Ceiling, Performance-Based)

BLS lists the median for real estate sales agents at $56,320.

Residential income grows when you:

• win listings (more control, more repeatability)
  
• build repeat/referral business
  
• master follow-up and conversion

Best fit for: students who want a clear, license-first path and don’t mind commission variability.

3) New Construction Sales (Often Beginner-Friendly)

This can be one of the highest paying real estate jobs for beginners because builders often provide:

• steady lead flow (model home traffic)
  
• a simpler product line compared to resale
  
• a structured sales process
  

Student move: ask brokerages and builders what training looks like and how leads get assigned.

If you want a broader view of career options you can explore with a license (including paths beyond traditional agent work), check out our related guide about 10 jobs that require a real estate license.

Highest Paying Real Estate Careers in the US: Commercial Paths

If you want deal sizes that can raise your ceiling, commercial real estate belongs in your plan. Many people search this section as “real estate jobs that pay the most” because one deal can create a large commission.

Commercial Brokerage and Leasing

Commercial roles often include:

• leasing (tenant rep or landlord rep)
• investment sales
• industrial / multifamily / retail / office specialties

What Makes Commercial Pay Different

• Longer sales cycles → fewer deals, bigger deals
• Relationship-driven pipeline → networking matters more
• Higher technical skill → underwriting basics, leases, NOI thinking

Beginner entry option: look for “junior broker,” “analyst-to-broker,” or team roles where you learn prospecting and deal execution with support.

Highest Paying Real Estate Careers Beyond Sales: Salary + Bonus Roles

Not every high-income path requires you to work purely on commission. Many jobs in the real estate industry pay a base salary plus bonus—and can still reach six figures.

Here are roles that often sit inside developers, REITs, and investment firms:

• Construction / development management (project execution and budgets)
  BLS lists construction managers at a median of $106,980.
• Financial & investment analyst roles (underwriting, acquisitions support)
  BLS lists financial and investment analysts at a median of $101,350.
• Property management leadership (commercial or large multifamily portfolios)
  BLS lists property, real estate, and community association managers at a median of $66,700.

Student takeaway: if you want stability plus upside, salary+bonus roles can be a great target while you still earn a license for flexibility.

Salary + bonus roles can give you a steadier income baseline, but location still plays a major role in how fast you can grow your earnings—especially once you add commissions, bonuses, or promotion tracks. If you want to see which markets tend to offer the strongest earning potential for agents and how geography can shape income, read our blog on the subject: Where do real estate agents earn the most.

Best Paying Jobs in Real Estate that Require Specific Skills

Titles don’t create income. Skills do. If you want real estate jobs with highest earning potential, focus on what top performers actually execute.

Skills that Raise Income

• Lead conversion: follow-up discipline, appointment setting, confidence on calls
• Negotiation + contracts: fewer mistakes, stronger outcomes, smoother closings
• Pricing and strategy: knowing how to position a property or a deal
• Relationship building: the long game that produces repeat clients and referrals

High-Upside Niches to Consider

• Listings (seller representation)
• Commercial leasing or investment sales
• Multifamily and land specialties
• Investor-focused residential (volume + systems)

To succeed in real estate and unlock high earnings, focus on mastering the skills that top performers rely on every day. By honing your abilities in lead conversion, negotiation, pricing, and relationship building, you’ll position yourself to thrive in high-upside niches and maximize your income potential.

Your Exam-to-Income Roadmap — Students Start Here

If you’re aiming for the highest paying real estate jobs, you’ll win by stacking skills early. The sooner you pass, the sooner you can test a path in the real world, get reps, and refine your abilities. Here’s the simplest path from “exam student” to “higher-paying career”:

Pass the Exam (Fast and Confidently)

The first step is to pass your real estate exam efficiently. Focus on exam prep that covers both the fundamentals and the tricky questions, so you can approach the test with confidence and clarity. Lexawise real estate exam prep gives you the fast exam success you need to dive into the real world of real estate, where practical skills will solidify your knowledge.

Choose Training + Mentorship Over a “High Split”

Many new agents are tempted by a high commission split, but the real value lies in training and mentorship. Working with experienced professionals early in your career will accelerate your learning and provide you with valuable insights. Investing in mentorship helps you avoid costly mistakes and gives you a roadmap to long-term success.

Pick a Niche You Can Learn Deeply

Focusing on a specific niche, such as luxury homes or investment properties, allows you to become an expert in that area. Deep knowledge of a niche will make you more attractive to clients and give you a competitive edge. By narrowing your focus, you can offer specialized services that command higher fees, leading to a more rewarding career.

Conclusion

The highest paying real estate jobs aren’t “secret jobs.” They’re the result of higher deal size, higher deal volume, or higher skill leverage. 

Your first step is concrete: passing the exam, and for that, Lexawise is your safest bet. We offer the most comprehensive study tools, with thousands of practice questions and interactive flashcards tailored to your state’s exam. Plus, our real-time progress tracker keeps you on the right track to succeed!

Once you’ve aced the exam, then you must choose a role with real training and daily reps so you can build momentum. From there, specialize into a niche that raises your ceiling—commercial, listings, development, or investment-focused work.