Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Real Estate Sales Agent Salary in Los Angeles, CA

Real Estate Sales Agents in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $47,020 a year — 11% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,479 take-home, or $3,207 a month.

Median salary
$47,020
$22.61 per hour
Typical range
$38,760 – $102,170
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
7,340
0.94× national concentration
▼19.4%
Pay trend: The median for real estate sales agents in Los Angeles, CA fell from $58,310 (May 2024) to $47,020 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 21.8%. Large one-year swings in local data can partly reflect BLS survey sampling.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median real estate sales agent salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Real Estate Sales Agent in Los Angeles, CA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$38,479
per year · effective tax rate 18.2%
$3,207Monthly
$1,603Twice a month
$1,480Every 2 weeks
$18.50Hourly
  • Federal income tax$3,462
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,915
  • Medicare (1.45%)$682
  • California income tax$871
  • CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$611
  • Take-home pay$38,479

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Real Estate Sales Agent pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$38,760$18.63$32,280$2,690
25th percentile$42,910$20.63$35,395$2,950
Median (50th)$47,020$22.61$38,479$3,207
75th percentile$57,760$27.77$46,324$3,860
90th percentile (top earners)$102,170$49.12$74,106$6,176

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $47,020 buys in Los Angeles, CA

Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median real estate sales agent's $38,479 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,882 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$2,245
70% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,755
86% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$962
per month for everything else

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 about as common in Los Angeles, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.94).

Best-paying cities for real estate sales agents, adjusted for cost of living

Los Angeles, CA ranks #15 of 15 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1New York, NY $103,550$76,608$68,058
2Seattle, WA $79,990$65,103$58,581
3Washington, DC $78,160$60,140$55,234
4Charlotte, NC $63,930$51,506$52,909
5Orlando, FL $62,630$52,503$51,769
6Phoenix, AZ $60,890$49,792$48,194
7Chicago, IL $61,790$48,914$47,217
8Philadelphia, PA $54,710$44,460$43,353
15Los Angeles, CA$47,020$38,479$33,882

*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 Los Angeles, CA?

The median real estate sales agent salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $47,020 a year, or about $22.61 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $42,910 and $57,760.

What is a real estate sales agent’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?

On the median $47,020 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $38,479 a year ($3,207 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,482 in California taxes in 2026.

Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a real estate sales agent?

Pay here is 11% below the national median of $52,830. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,882 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #15 of 15 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a real estate sales agent afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 70% of a median real estate sales agent’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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