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How Much Do Brokers Make? U.S. Pay by Type of Broker

“Broker” covers several occupations and pay systems. See May 2025 U.S. BLS medians by role, what commissions and bonuses mean, and why the figures are not guaranteed salaries.
From TheFinanceBase Team4 min to read
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There is no single salary for a “broker”: the title covers several occupations with different pay systems. In the United States, the latest figures here are May 2025 medians from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They range from $61,550 for insurance sales agents working in insurance agencies and brokerages to $78,660 for the broader securities, commodities, and financial services sales-agent category, which includes brokers. These are occupational benchmarks—not promises of what an individual will earn.

How much do brokers make in the United States?

BLS medians are the midpoint of wages for workers in a defined occupation: half earned more and half earned less. They are not starting salaries, guaranteed compensation, or a forecast of personal take-home pay. The figures below refer to U.S. workers in May 2025 and use the occupation categories BLS publishes.

Role or published category May 2025 U.S. median annual wage What the figure represents
Real estate brokers $73,220 Brokers specifically; not the combined broker-and-agent median. BLS
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents $78,660 A broader category that includes brokers who execute client orders. BLS
Insurance sales agents $62,280 All insurance sales agents; not a broker-only statistic. BLS
Insurance sales agents in insurance agencies and brokerages $61,550 Industry-specific median within the broader insurance-agent occupation. BLS
Cargo and freight agents $52,260 A separate occupation; this is not a freight-broker-specific wage. BLS

There is no single cross-industry BLS median for “all brokers” in these occupational categories. The figures should not be averaged into a universal broker salary.

How compensation differs by type of broker

Real estate brokers

Real estate brokers and agents commonly earn much of their income from commissions on completed sales. Commission amounts vary with property type and value, and a commission may be divided among the buyer’s agent, seller’s agent, their brokers, and firms. As a result, earnings can be uneven; a new entrant may go weeks or months without a sale. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $73,220 for brokers specifically. Its combined median for brokers and sales agents is $57,400, a different measure that should not be substituted for the broker figure. BLS occupational outlook

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The May 2025 10th-to-90th percentile span for real estate brokers was below $37,110 to above $143,300. This describes the spread in reported wages; it is not a guaranteed starting-to-top salary range.

Securities and financial-services brokers

The relevant BLS category is “securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents,” which includes brokers who execute client buy and sell orders. BLS says wages include sales commissions and bonuses for meeting production targets. Some workers receive a base salary plus sales- or performance-based variable pay.

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Within this occupation, May 2025 median wages varied by industry: $61,720 in credit intermediation and related activities, compared with $103,030 in securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities. These are industry medians for the same broad occupation, not interchangeable estimates for every broker. The occupation-wide median was $78,660. Its May 2025 10th-to-90th percentile span was below $48,040 to above $212,880; that spread is not a promise of minimum or maximum pay. BLS occupational outlook

Insurance brokers and agents

BLS does not provide a broker-only figure in this source set. Its closest published measure is for insurance sales agents: $62,280 overall and $61,550 for those working in insurance agencies and brokerages in May 2025. Treat these as insurance-agent benchmarks, not as a definitive wage for every insurance broker.

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Compensation arrangements differ. Independent agents may be paid only by commission, while employees of agencies or carriers may receive a salary, salary plus commission, or salary plus bonus. Commissions are common, particularly for experienced agents, and may depend on policy type and amount and whether the sale is a new policy or renewal. BLS wage data exclude self-employed workers and owners or partners in unincorporated businesses, so the published medians do not capture every independent business owner’s earnings. BLS occupational outlook

Freight brokers

The May 2025 BLS figure of $52,260 is for cargo and freight agents, an occupation that includes arranging shipment pickup and preparing or examining bills of lading. It is not a freight-broker-specific benchmark. Do not use it to claim that freight brokers typically earn $52,260; the cited BLS source does not establish that figure for freight brokers. BLS occupational data

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Why an individual broker’s earnings can differ from the median

A median helps compare defined groups, but an offer or a year’s actual income depends on the role, pay structure, location, and the period being measured. Before comparing two jobs or estimating earnings, check:

  • Occupation and duties: Confirm whether the figure is for brokers specifically, a broader sales-agent category, or a related occupation.
  • Location and date: Compare the same country, state or metro area, and reference year. The benchmarks above are U.S. May 2025 figures.
  • Pay measure: Distinguish a median from a range, starting pay, an individual’s annual income, or take-home pay.
  • Employment status: Determine whether the worker is an employee, independent contractor, or self-employed owner. Published wage statistics may not represent all of these groups.
  • Guaranteed and variable pay: Identify base salary or draw, commission basis and split, bonuses, and any production thresholds.
  • Commission timing: For real estate, ask how transaction volume and splits affect the broker’s share. For insurance, distinguish new-policy and renewal commissions.
  • Benefits and expenses: Compare what the employer provides and what the worker pays, as well as the time period used to calculate variable earnings.

What it takes to become a real estate broker

For readers considering this occupation, BLS says real estate brokers and sales agents typically complete real estate courses and pass a licensing exam. States generally require agents to gain experience before becoming eligible for broker licensure, and requirements vary by state. Check the licensing authority in the state where you intend to work for the applicable rules. BLS occupational outlook

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