Real Estate Brokers Salary
Real Estate Brokers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $87,670 a year, or about $42.15 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $175K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $80,520 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 40.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $88K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About real estate brokers
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for real estate brokers, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $73K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 41.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for real estate brokers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg | $85K | $89K |
| Richmond | $75K | $77K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $71K | $72K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $82K | $78K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level real estate brokers (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $175K or more, a $118K spread from bottom to top.
Real Estate Brokers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Real Estate Brokers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $111K | +52% | 1,290 |
| Connecticut | $106K | +44% | N/A |
| Utah | $93K | +27% | N/A |
| Washington | $83K | +13% | N/A |
| Alabama | $83K | +13% | 460 |
| Michigan | $83K | +13% | 1,150 |
| Maryland | $82K | +11% | 430 |
| California | $80K | +10% | 8,430 |
| New Mexico | $80K | +10% | N/A |
| Colorado | $80K | +9% | 3,280 |
| Virginia | $77K | +6% | 1,500 |
| Vermont | $77K | +5% | 80 |
| Indiana | $75K | +2% | 740 |
| Hawaii | $74K | +1% | 160 |
| Arizona | $74K | +1% | 3,790 |
| Arkansas | $74K | +1% | 120 |
| North Dakota | $73K | +0% | 80 |
| Kansas | $70K | -4% | 290 |
| Delaware | $69K | -6% | 100 |
| Florida | $66K | -10% | 3,640 |
| Alaska | $66K | -10% | 100 |
| Ohio | $65K | -12% | N/A |
| Texas | $63K | -13% | 2,040 |
| Montana | $63K | -14% | 400 |
| Oregon | $63K | -14% | 1,670 |
| Illinois | $63K | -15% | 990 |
| Missouri | $62K | -15% | 1,980 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -18% | 540 |
| West Virginia | $59K | -19% | 140 |
| Idaho | $58K | -21% | 380 |
| Maine | $55K | -25% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $53K | -28% | 1,560 |
| New Hampshire | $51K | -30% | 120 |
| Iowa | $50K | -32% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $42K | -43% | 60 |
| Minnesota | $40K | -46% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track real estate brokers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a real estate broker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 41.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for real estate brokers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new real estate brokers typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,379/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is real estate broker a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $88K here vs. $73K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for real estate brokers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do real estate brokers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $87,670 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,320, and experienced real estate brokers can clear $174,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,454/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 41.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a real estate brokers salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median real estate brokers salary is worth about $80,520 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do real estate brokers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.