Average Real Estate Agent Salary: What the Data Shows
If you are searching for the average real estate agent salary in Australia, the first thing to know is that the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a single average figure for this occupation. Instead, the most reliable source is the median weekly earnings for real estate sales agents, which the ABS reports in its Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours. According to the May 2025 survey, the median full-time weekly earnings for real estate sales agents is $1,504. That works out to roughly $78,208 a year if you multiply by 52 weeks. But remember: this is a median, not an average. Half of full-time agents earn less than this amount, and half earn more.
How the Median Compares to the National Full-Time Average
On this site, the line is set at the national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings: $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). The median real estate agent weekly earnings of $1,504 are about 28% below that line. That gap is significant, but it does not tell the whole story. Many real estate agents earn commission or bonuses on top of a base salary, which can push total pay well above the median. The median figure here is for employees only – it does not include self-employed agents or business owners, who often earn more.
Award Minimums: The Legal Floor
For real estate employees covered by the Real Estate Industry Award, Fair Work sets minimum rates that apply from 1 July 2026. These are the legal minimums, not typical earnings. The award has four classification levels:
- Level 1 (associate) – first 12 months: $1,010.60 per week ($26.59 per hour)
- Level 1 – after 12 months: $1,063.90 per week ($28.00 per hour)
- Level 2 (representative): $1,119.10 per week ($29.45 per hour)
- Level 3 (supervisory): $1,231.00 per week ($32.39 per hour)
- Level 4 (in-charge): $1,287.30 per week ($33.88 per hour)
Casual employees get a 25% loading, so the hourly rates range from $33.24 to $42.35. These award rates are well below both the national full-time average and the median for the occupation. Most experienced agents earn above the award, but the award is the baseline for anyone employed in the industry.
Reading the Same Pay as a Year, a Week, and an Hour
One of the goals of this site is to help you see any salary in three ways: yearly, weekly, and hourly. For a real estate agent earning the median weekly amount of $1,504, that translates to:
- Yearly: $78,208 (assuming 52 weeks)
- Weekly: $1,504
- Hourly: about $39.58 (based on a 38-hour week, which is the standard used on this site)
If you place a salary on the line, you can see how it compares to the national full-time average, the full-time median ($90,532 a year), and the all-employees median ($74,100 a year). The median real estate agent salary sits between those two medians – above the all-employees median but below the full-time median.
State and Territory Differences
The national full-time average varies by state and territory. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings data for May 2026 gives these annualised figures (×52):
- New South Wales: $109,658
- Victoria: $106,137
- Queensland: $106,064
- South Australia: $102,450
- Western Australia: $115,825
- Tasmania: $96,008
- Northern Territory: $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090
Real estate agent pay also varies by location, but the ABS does not publish state-level medians for this occupation. Agents in high-value markets like Sydney and Melbourne may earn more in commissions, but the base salary component can be similar across states.
Gender and Age Profile
According to Jobs and Skills Australia, real estate sales agents have a median age of 43 years, and 52% of the workforce is female. That is a higher female share than the all-occupations average of 48%. The ABS does not publish gender-specific earnings for real estate agents, but nationally, men’s full-time average weekly ordinary time earnings are $2,181.50 ($113,412 a year) and women’s are $1,934.50 ($100,594 a year). The gender pay gap in real estate may be narrower or wider – without occupation-specific data, it is hard to say.
How the Figures Are Set
The national full-time average comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, which is published twice a year (May and November). The median earnings for occupations come from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, which is conducted every two years (most recently August 2025). Award minimums are set by Fair Work and updated each July. You can read more about how the figures are set on this site.
What About Commission?
Real estate agents often earn a significant portion of their income from commissions on sales. The median figure of $1,504 per week includes commissions for employees, but it does not capture the full variability. Top-performing agents can earn many times the median, while new agents may earn only the award minimum. If you are considering a career in real estate, remember that the median is a midpoint – your actual earnings will depend on your market, your employer, and your sales results.
Using This Site to Compare
You can use the job medians page to see how real estate agent pay compares to other occupations. The median for all occupations is $1,852 per week ($96,304 a year) for full-time employees. Real estate agents sit below that, but above many service and retail roles. The industry median for real estate services (which includes agents) is not separately published, but the ABS does provide industry averages: for example, rental, hiring and real estate services has a full-time average of $1,979.60 per week ($102,939 a year). That industry average is higher than the agent median, likely because it includes property managers and other higher-paid roles.
Summary
- The average real estate agent salary is not a published figure. The best available measure is the median full-time weekly earnings of $1,504 ($78,208 a year).
- The national full-time average is $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 a year).
- Award minimums range from $1,010.60 to $1,287.30 per week.
- Commission can significantly boost earnings, but the median already includes commissions for employees.
- Use the Place a salary on the line tool to see how any real estate salary compares to the national average.
If you are an employer or employee in real estate, understanding these benchmarks can help with negotiations and career planning. The figures here are from the ABS, Fair Work, and Jobs and Skills Australia – the most authoritative sources for Australian pay data.