# Real Estate Sales Agents

US SOC code 41-9022. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/41-9022

Also called: Real estate agent, Realtor, Buyer agent, Buyer's agent, Listing agent.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **193,370** US real estate sales agents, with median pay of **$52,830** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **197,720**, in May 2023, close to the May 2025 count. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/history) of **75,000** from 1920, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for real estate sales agents: iBuyer platforms, 2012 to 2022.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.7% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=41-9022&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **41.1%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)
- **0.86** estimated probability that the whole occupation could be computerised, over an unspecified number of years. Not a forecast of job losses. [Frey and Osborne, 2013](https://oms-www.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf)

### Since the 2013 prediction

In 2013, Frey and Osborne put this job's probability of computerisation at 0.86. BLS counted **158,850** of these jobs in May 2013 and **193,370** in May 2025 (+22%, a change derived by Future History).

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Real Estate Sales Agents employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1908
- Latest US employment: 193,370 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $52,830 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [9]
- Outlook: +1.7% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [22]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 63101)
  - Employment, 2020: 97,705. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [7]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 63101 Real estate agents and salespersons, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$54,800. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [12]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 63101 Real estate agents and salespersons, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1920 | 75,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., NAR [1] |
| 1950 | 140,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., US Department of Housing and Urban… [2] |
| 1975 | 290,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Consumer Financial Protection Bureau [3] |
| 2000 | 408,000 (estimate) | $30,000 (estimate) | Est., BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook [4] |
| 2003 | 123,490 | $32,610 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 126,470 | $35,670 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 150,200 | $39,240 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 168,400 | $39,760 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 172,030 | $40,600 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 164,080 | $40,150 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 151,550 | $40,100 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 153,740 | $40,030 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 158,340 | $39,070 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 162,560 | $39,140 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 158,850 | $39,800 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 157,660 | $40,990 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 151,700 | $43,370 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 151,840 | $44,090 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 147,960 | $45,990 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 156,760 | $48,690 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 162,330 | $48,930 | BLS OEWS May 2019 (employment) [5]; BLS OEWS May 2019 (pay) [8] |
| 2020 | 168,740 | $49,040 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 175,920 | $48,340 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 193,010 | $49,980 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 197,720 | $54,300 | BLS OEWS May 2023 (employment) [5]; BLS OEWS May 2023 (pay) [8] |
| 2024 | 190,600 | $56,320 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 193,370 | $52,830 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (83)

### Employment series

1. [NAR — "History" (founding 1908, 120 founding members, 19 boards; state licensing wave 1917+)](https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/history), National Association of REALTORS®
2. [US Department of Housing and Urban Development — "FHA History" (FHA 1934, GI Bill 1944, post-WWII housing boom)](https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/fhahistory), US Department of Housing and Urban Development
3. [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — "Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act" (RESPA enacted December 1974)](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/mortgage-resources/real-estate-settlement-procedures-act/), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
4. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents (historical employment baseline circa 2000)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/real-estate-brokers-and-sales-agents.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

8. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents (wage context circa 2000)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/real-estate-brokers-and-sales-agents.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
9. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
10. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
11. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
12. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

13. [NAR — "History" (founding context: pre-1908 real estate practice, informal brokers, no standard contracts)](https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/history), National Association of REALTORS®
14. [Wikipedia — Multiple listing service (MLS origins in late 1800s broker cooperation; formalization into structured systems)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_listing_service), Wikipedia
15. [US Department of Housing and Urban Development — "FHA History" (FHA created 1934, standardizing mortgage lending)](https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/fhahistory), US Department of Housing and Urban Development
16. [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — RESPA overview (enacted December 22, 1974; kickback prohibition; settlement disclosure)](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/mortgage-resources/real-estate-settlement-procedures-act/), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
17. [Wikipedia — Zillow (incorporated December 2004, launched February 8, 2006; Zestimate tool; 70% of online real estate searches with Trulia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zillow), Wikipedia
18. [Wikipedia — National Association of Realtors (NAR membership peaked at ~1.37M in 2006)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Association_of_Realtors), Wikipedia
19. [Wikipedia — Opendoor (founded March 2014; bought 37,000 homes in 2021; $662M loss 2021, $1.4B loss 2022)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opendoor), Wikipedia
20. [Wikipedia — Redfin (founded 2004; flat-fee model; IPO July 28, 2017; acquired by Rocket Companies July 2025)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redfin), Wikipedia
21. [BLS National Employment Matrix — 41-9022 Real Estate Sales Agents (2024-34: +3.1% growth, baseline 420,900)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=41-9022&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Forecasts and exposure studies

22. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 41-9022 Real estate sales agents (2025: 427.0 thousand; 2035: 434.5 thousand; +1.7%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=41-9022&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
23. [Frey & Osborne (2013), "The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?", Appendix (SOC 41-9022 Real Estate Sales Agents: probability 0.86, rank 497 of 702)](https://oms-www.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf), Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford
24. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 41-9022.00, human-rated β 0.411)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

25. [NAR — "History" (founded May 12, 1908 in Chicago; 120 founding members, 19 boards)](https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/history), National Association of REALTORS®
26. [HUD — "FHA History" (National Housing Act 1934; FHA established; standardization of 30-year mortgages)](https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/fhahistory), US Department of Housing and Urban Development
27. [CFPB — RESPA overview (enacted December 22, 1974; kickback prohibition; required cost disclosures)](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/mortgage-resources/real-estate-settlement-procedures-act/), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
28. [Wikipedia — National Association of Realtors (NAR membership peaked at ~1.37 million in 2006)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Association_of_Realtors), Wikipedia
29. [Wikipedia — Zillow (incorporated December 2004; launched February 8, 2006; site crashed on launch day; Zestimate covers 160M homes)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zillow), Wikipedia

### Predecessors & successors

30. [NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers — agent recruitment patterns (most common entry point is personal transaction experience)](https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/highlights-from-the-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers), National Association of REALTORS®

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-23
- [O\*NET 30.3 — Real Estate Sales Agents (41-9022.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/41-9022.00), accessed 2026-05-23
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents (2024–2034)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/real-estate-brokers-and-sales-agents.htm), accessed 2026-05-23
- [NAR — 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (Nov 2025)](https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/highlights-from-the-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers), accessed 2026-05-23
- [HousingWire — Feeling the squeeze: NAR settlement terms trigger commission compression (2024)](https://www.housingwire.com/articles/feeling-the-squeeze-nar-settlement-terms-trigger-commission-compression/), accessed 2026-06-22
- [RISMedia — How AI CRM is changing real estate prospecting (Jan 2026)](https://rismedia.com/2026/01/ai-crm-real-estate-prospecting/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Inman News — AI is rewriting the listing agent playbook (Mar 2025)](https://www.inman.com/2025/03/ai-rewrites-listing-agent-playbook/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Zillow Group — ShowingTime+ AI: Automated Showing Scheduling and Feedback (2025)](https://showingtime.com/showingtime-plus/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [ListingAI — AI Listing Description Generator for Real Estate Agents (2025)](https://www.listingai.co/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Restb.ai — AI Room Recognition and Property Tagging for MLS (2025)](https://restb.ai/solutions/real-estate-image-tagging/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [BoldTrail (kvCORE) — AI Lead Routing and Smart CRM for Real Estate Teams (2025)](https://boldtrail.com/ai-advantage/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Follow Up Boss — AI-Powered Real Estate CRM: Automated Lead Follow-Up (2025)](https://www.followupboss.com/), accessed 2026-05-23

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.