From January 2022 through April 2026, our research team aggregated transaction data from over 4,900 NAR member survey responses, regional MLS records, and seller outcome studies conducted across the United States. The dataset draws on published benchmarks from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and multiple state-level housing databases to analyze agent productivity, income distribution, and seller outcome metrics. A "transaction side" refers to one agent's representation of either a buyer or a seller in a single closing event, meaning every sale generates two transaction sides. Where income ranges are presented, figures reflect midpoints derived from NAR-reported income distribution tables rather than exact medians. Sellers – particularly those with homes valued at $500,000 or above – will find the most relevant data in the FSBO and agent performance sections below. The first table addresses the central question this report was built to answer.
Average Realtor Sales Per Year by Experience Level
The national median for annual realtor transaction sides was 10 in 2024 (unchanged from 2023) per NAR's 2025 Member Profile. That single figure, however, spans a wide range of experience levels. The table below provides a full breakdown of average realtor sales per year by years in the field, along with the corresponding sales volume and income benchmarks.
| The Average Realtor Sales Per Year, by Experience Level (2026) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experience Level | % of All REALTORs® | Median Annual Transaction Sides | Median Annual Sales Volume | Median Gross Income |
| 2 Years or Less | 16% | 3 | $500,000 | $8,100 |
| 3–5 Years | 13% | 8 | $1,600,000 | ~$42,000 |
| 6–15 Years | 26% | 11 | $3,200,000 | ~$72,000 |
| 16 or More Years | 45% | 10 | $2,600,000 | $78,900 |
| All REALTORs® (Median) | 100% | 10 | $2,500,000 | $58,100 |
Income figures for the 3–5 year and 6–15 year cohorts are estimated from NAR 2025 Member Profile income distribution tables. All other figures are reported NAR medians based on 2024 transaction data.
The 6–15 year cohort posts the highest transaction count (11 sides) and the highest sales volume ($3.2M) of any experience tier, representing peak raw output before agents shift focus toward higher-priced listings.
Agents with 16 or more years of experience earn the highest median gross income ($78,900) despite completing slightly fewer transactions than the 6–15 year bracket. This reflects a shift toward premium listings and a more referral-driven, seller-focused business model.
New agents (2 years or less) close only 3 transaction sides per year on average and earn a median of $8,100. Sixty-two percent of this cohort earned less than $10,000 in 2024, underscoring the wide gap between the average agent and the experienced specialist.
How Realtor Productivity Is Actually Distributed
The 10-side median applies specifically to agents who closed transactions. When all 1.49 million NAR members are counted, including inactive, part-time, and non-transacting licensees, the distribution of productivity is far more concentrated at the low end than the median suggests.
| The Distribution of Annual Transaction Volume Among U.S. REALTORs® — 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Transactions Closed | Est. % of All REALTORs® | Median Income Range | Agent Classification |
| 0 (no closed transactions) | ~60% | Less than $10,000 | Inactive / Non-Producing |
| 1–3 | ~10% | $8,000–$18,000 | Part-Time / Early Stage |
| 4–9 | ~9% | $18,000–$45,000 | Below-Median Active |
| 10–15 | ~8% | $45,000–$75,000 | Median-Range Performer |
| 16–30 | ~7% | $75,000–$130,000 | High Producer |
| 31 or More | ~4% | $130,000–$200,000+ | Top Producer |
Estimates based on NAR 2024–2025 national membership data and 2025 regional MLS production statistics. Income ranges are derived from NAR 2025 Member Profile income distribution tables.
According to NAR data, a large percentage of NAR members closed zero transactions in 2024–2025. The frequently cited 10-side median reflects only the active brokerage specialist subset, not the full membership population.
An estimated 15–19% of all NAR members closed 10 or more transaction sides annually, which is the threshold that defines the national median among active agents.
The top 10% of producing agents account for approximately 60% of total market transaction volume, per 2025 regional MLS production data, which is a concentration consistent with commission-based sales industries nationwide.
FSBO vs. Agent-Assisted Home Sales: The Financial Impact on Sellers
For homeowners evaluating whether and who to hire, the most important metric is not how many homes an agent sells, but what sellers actually net in proceeds. The comparison between For Sale By Owner (FSBO) transactions and professionally represented sales provides the clearest available benchmark on that outcome.
| FSBO vs. Agent-Assisted Home Sales: Key Outcome Metrics — 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Metric | FSBO Sale | Agent-Assisted Sale |
| Median Sale Price (2024) | $360,000 | $425,000 |
| Price Difference vs. FSBO | — | +$65,000 (+18%) |
| Share of All U.S. Home Sales (2024) | 5% (all-time low) | 91% (all-time high) |
| % Who Did Not Actively Market Their Home | 40% | Less than 1% |
| % Who Made Legal Errors During the Sale | 43% | Rare |
| % Who Failed to Hit Target Sale Price | 64% | N/A |
| % Who Would Recommend Their Agent | N/A | 87% |
Sources: NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (November 2025); Clever Real Estate FSBO Consumer Survey.
The median FSBO sale price in 2024 was $360,000 - $65,000 (18%) less than the $425,000 median for agent-assisted sales. For homes priced at $500,000 or above, the proportional gap in proceeds is even more consequential in raw dollar terms.
FSBO transactions hit an all-time low of 5% of all U.S. home sales in 2024, while agent-assisted transactions reached a record 91%, which is the widest gap in NAR's recorded history of tracking this metric, dating back to 1985.
Among homeowners who attempted to sell without an agent, 43% reported making legal mistakes, 64% failed to reach their target sale price, and 40% did not actively market their homes. Of those who attempted FSBO, more than half described the experience as stressful.
Median Realtor Transaction Sides Per Year: 2015–2024 Trend
The current 10-side national median must be read against a decade of market cycles. The table below tracks median transaction volume, annual sales volume, and agent income from 2015 through 2024, capturing the pre-pandemic years, the boom cycle, and the current rate-constrained environment.
| Median Realtor Transaction Sides and Sales Volume Per Year (2015–2024) — 2026 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Median Transaction Sides | Median Annual Sales Volume | Median Gross Income | Market Condition |
| 2015 | 11 | ~$1.7M | ~$36,700 | Post-recession recovery |
| 2016 | 12 | $1.9M | $42,500 | Seller's market peak |
| 2017 | 11 | $1.8M | $39,800 | Inventory tightens sharply |
| 2018 | 11 | $1.9M | $41,800 | Sustained low inventory |
| 2019 | 11 | ~$2.0M | ~$43,000 | Pre-pandemic stability |
| 2020 | 10 | ~$2.1M | ~$43,000 | COVID-19 disruption |
| 2021 | 12 | ~$2.6M | ~$54,000 | Pandemic demand surge |
| 2022 | 12 | ~$3.0M | ~$56,000 | Rate hikes begin; volume peak |
| 2023 | 10 | $2.5M | $55,800 | Rate shock; market pullback |
| 2024 | 10 | $2.5M | $58,100 | Stable prices, constrained volume |
2016, 2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024 figures confirmed by NAR annual Member Profile reports. Income and volume figures for 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 are estimated based on NAR Member Profile trend data and FHFA home price indices.
Median transaction volume reached its highest sustained level at 12 sides in 2016, 2021, and 2022, which are periods driven by record-low mortgage rates and compressed housing inventory. The current 10-side median reflects a post-rate-hike plateau, not a structural change in agent performance patterns.
Despite the drop from 12 transaction sides in 2022 to 10 in 2023, median agent income fell by only an estimated $200–$600, and has since climbed to $58,100 in 2024. The resilience in income reflects durable home price levels in the $400,000–$500,000 range.
Median sales volume has held steady at $2.5 million since 2023, reinforcing the value of listing with a proven specialist who can command premium pricing in a constrained market, not just a high-volume one.
Number of U.S. REALTORs® by State: Agent Count and Market Saturation
The concentration of licensed agents relative to total home sales varies dramatically by state. In high-saturation markets, total membership far exceeds transaction volume – meaning most licensed agents compete for a limited supply of listings, and not all sellers receive equal attention. For luxury homeowners, this saturation dynamic makes agent selection a high-stakes financial decision.
| U.S. REALTORs® by State: Agent Count and Market Saturation Index — 2026 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Total REALTORs® | Est. Annual Home Sales | Est. Transactions Per Agent | Saturation Level |
| Florida | 216,180 | ~270,000 | ~1.2 | Very High |
| California | 196,172 | ~250,000 | ~1.3 | Very High |
| Texas | 143,895 | ~320,000 | ~2.2 | High |
| New York | 59,228 | ~110,000 | ~1.9 | High |
| New Jersey | 57,114 | ~100,000 | ~1.8 | High |
| North Carolina | 52,381 | ~140,000 | ~2.7 | Moderate |
| Arizona | 51,200 | ~100,000 | ~2.0 | High |
| Georgia | 45,127 | ~120,000 | ~2.7 | Moderate |
| Illinois | 47,093 | ~135,000 | ~2.9 | Moderate |
| Vermont | 1,713 | ~8,000 | ~4.7 | Low |
REALTOR® counts sourced from NAR via RubyHome (2025–2026). Estimated annual home sales based on NAR state-level housing statistics. The transactions-per-agent ratio divides total market volume by total membership; actual ratios among active-only agents are higher.
Florida and California each post estimated transactions-per-agent ratios below 1.5 when total membership is divided against annual sales volume, meaning most licensed agents in those states close no meaningful volume in a given year.
Texas, with approximately 320,000 annual home sales and 143,895 total REALTORs®, shows one of the higher agent efficiency ratios among large states (~2.2), suggesting a comparatively more active agent population relative to its market size.
In high-saturation states, the gap between top-producing listing agents and the median widens significantly. For sellers in the luxury and affluent segment, this data reinforces the importance of selecting an agent with a documented track record in high-value transactions, not simply one who holds an active license.
Requesting a Copy of This Report
If you'd like to request a PDF copy of this report or learn more about how Oliver Realty helps luxury homeowners sell for more, reach out to our team directly at oliverrealty.net.
Sources
NAR 2025 Member Profile. Lawrence Yun, Ph.D. and Jessica Lautz, DrRealEst. National Association of REALTORS®. Washington, DC. August 2025. nar.realtor — Highlights from the NAR Member Profile (Full PDF: prc-pa.net)
NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. NAR Research Group. National Association of REALTORS®. Washington, DC. November 2025. nar.realtor — Highlights from the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (FSBO data article: FSBOs Reach All-Time Low, More Sellers Rely on Agents)
"Number of Realtors in the United States (2026)." Tony Mariotti. RubyHome. November 24, 2025. rubyhome.com/blog/number-of-realtors
"How Do You Rank? 2025 realMLS Agent Statistics." Jon Brooks. Substack. 2025. jonbrooks.substack.com
"FSBO vs. Realtor: 24 Key Statistics to Know." Clever Real Estate. 2025. listwithclever.com/real-estate-blog/fsbo-statistics
