A real estate broker buys, sells, and rents properties on behalf of clients. You'll manage transactions, build client relationships, and stay current with market trends. Most brokers hold a bachelor's degree and complete considerable preparation before entering the field.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
Real estate brokers guide clients through buying, selling, and renting properties. You research market conditions, price properties competitively, and negotiate deals. The work involves gathering information about properties and neighborhoods, maintaining strong relationships with clients and other agents, and staying up to date on real estate law and market trends. You'll spend time on computers managing listings and paperwork, organizing your schedule, and handling administrative tasks. Success depends on your ability to communicate clearly, listen actively, and think critically about each transaction.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Real Estate Brokers earn a median of $73,220 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is steady. Employment is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as average for all occupations, with about 9,700 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
Most real estate brokers earn a bachelor's degree before entering the field. Your coursework will cover sales and marketing, customer service, law, and business management. Beyond your degree, you'll need considerable preparation that includes studying real estate law, practice exams, and hands-on experience. Many brokers start as agents first to build experience and understand the market. Work with a counselor to map out your education path and identify the specific licensing and certification steps required in your state.
Paths to becoming a broker typically start with a bachelor's degree followed by licensing and experience as an agent. The timeline and specific requirements vary by state, so Pathly can map the real estate broker path that fits you with your counselor to build a plan that fits your situation.
Many real estate brokers must be licensed, and professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
Licensing is handled at the state level and the requirements vary, so check the licensing board in your state. Pathly shows your state's specific steps inside your roadmap.
You're drawn to business, persuasion, and leadership. You enjoy building relationships, solving problems, and working toward measurable goals. You thrive when you can take charge and see direct results from your efforts.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
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Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).