Quick answer: California employs about 17,500 real estate sales agents (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through your state real estate commission for current licensing requirements. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare real estate programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in California
Selling real estate requires a state license in every state, and the license - not the degree - is the legal credential. Licensing requirements, prelicensing coursework and exams are set state by state and change, and a degree does not replace them. The degree adds finance, appraisal and property management coursework the license does not cover.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state real estate commission for current licensing requirements that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 108 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
College of the Canyons
📍
Santa Clarita, CA
•72.3 miles away•BOC Score
60.9
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
26455 Rockwell Canyon Rd Santa Clarita, CA 91355-1899
Real Estate Sales Agents in California earn a median $57,560 per year, above the national median of $52,830 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Real Estate Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$57,560
$52,830
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$40,150
$32,970
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$45,520
$40,040
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$78,250
$82,020
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$111,320
$123,590
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
17,500
193,370
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.77
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
3.1%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $57,560 sits above the national median of $52,830 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.77 puts California below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Transaction volume drives this market, so growing metros with active construction and high housing turnover carry the most work.
Real Estate Sales Agents Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), real estate sales agents wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
7,340
$47,020
$57,740
$38,760
$102,170
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
2,100
$70,990
$78,700
$47,270
$125,610
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
2,080
$63,790
$57,570
$35,570
$64,210
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
1,350
$62,680
$70,040
$40,060
$106,130
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
900
$59,520
$72,190
$42,940
$112,250
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
530
$91,690
$116,500
$42,240
$206,160
Fresno
440
$58,270
$72,420
$40,480
$130,240
Bakersfield-Delano
240
$56,960
$64,400
$36,880
$99,560
Stockton-Lodi
210
$59,970
$74,620
$46,930
$120,140
Salinas
150
$61,900
$77,560
$47,910
$128,610
Modesto
140
$60,620
$66,700
$43,420
$103,280
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
140
$58,000
$62,170
$42,770
$98,310
Visalia
100
$47,110
$52,560
$36,350
$73,460
Yuba City
90
$77,440
$79,060
$48,210
$106,920
Redding
70
$83,260
$85,920
$47,270
$128,930
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
70
$51,530
$60,350
$43,410
$78,560
Vallejo
70
$63,670
$74,550
$48,950
$129,230
Chico
50
$56,710
$62,410
$40,680
$94,290
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
N/A
$96,170
$102,470
$46,160
$171,220
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
N/A
$88,370
$81,230
$45,770
$109,920
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
N/A
$115,820
$100,760
$52,520
$164,040
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do real estate sales agents make in California?
The median annual wage for real estate sales agents in California is $57,560, above the national median of $52,830 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $45,520 at the 25th percentile to $78,250 at the 75th.
How many real estate sales agents work in California?
California holds about 17,500 real estate professional jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 193,370, and BLS projects about 36,600 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a real estate professional in California?
Selling real estate requires a state license in every state, and the license - not the degree - is the legal credential. Licensing requirements, prelicensing coursework and exams are set state by state and change, and a degree does not replace them. The degree adds finance, appraisal and property management coursework the license does not cover. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state real estate commission for current licensing requirements before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a real estate associate or bachelor's online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state real estate commission for current licensing requirements.
What is the highest-paying area of California for real estate sales agents?
Among California metro areas with published data, Oxnard reports the highest median at $91,690 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for real estate sales agents?
On pay, the state median of $57,560 sits above the national $52,830 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.77 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Real Estate Sales Agents (SOC 41-9022), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
