Real Estate Sales Agent Salary in New York, NY
Real Estate Sales Agents in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $103,550 a year — 96% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $76,608 take-home, or $6,384 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median real estate sales agent salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$13,951
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,420
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,501
- New York income tax$5,069
- Take-home pay$76,608
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.90% state
Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $3,579 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $73,030 ($6,086 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Real Estate Sales Agent pay by experience in New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,350 | $23.25 | $39,015 | $3,251 |
| 25th percentile | $63,000 | $30.29 | $49,996 | $4,166 |
| Median (50th) | $103,550 | $49.78 | $76,608 | $6,384 |
| 75th percentile | $156,810 | $75.39 | $110,234 | $9,186 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $179,500 | $86.30 | $124,404 | $10,367 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $103,550 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median real estate sales agent's $76,608 take-home pay has the buying power of $68,058 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Real Estate Sales Agent jobs are less concentrated in New York, NY than nationally (location quotient 0.70), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for real estate sales agents, adjusted for cost of living
New York, NY ranks #1 of 15 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $103,550 | $76,608 | $68,058 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $79,990 | $65,103 | $58,581 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $78,160 | $60,140 | $55,234 |
| 4 | Charlotte, NC | $63,930 | $51,506 | $52,909 |
| 5 | Orlando, FL | $62,630 | $52,503 | $51,769 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $60,890 | $49,792 | $48,194 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $61,790 | $48,914 | $47,217 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $54,710 | $44,460 | $43,353 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 15 metros →
About the job: real estate sales agents
Rent, buy, or sell property for clients. Perform duties such as study property listings, interview prospective clients, accompany clients to property site, discuss conditions of sale, and draw up real estate contracts.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.7% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a real estate sales agent make in New York, NY?
The median real estate sales agent salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $103,550 a year, or about $49.78 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $63,000 and $156,810.
What is a real estate sales agent’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $103,550 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $76,608 a year ($6,384 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,069 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a real estate sales agent?
Pay here is 96% above the national median of $52,830. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $68,058 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #1 of 15 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a real estate sales agent afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 37% of a median real estate sales agent’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in New York, NY
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents — $167,890
- Sales Engineer — $147,570
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products — $133,690
- First-Line Supervisor of Non-Retail Sales Workers — $116,980
- Advertising Sales Agent — $99,010
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $93,750
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $81,140
- Insurance Sales Agent — $80,620
- Sales and Related Workers, All Other — $74,530
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $58,930
- Travel Agent — $58,430
- Counter and Rental Clerk — $48,040