💡 Why it matters: Everyone needs somewhere to live or work, and buying or renting is a big decision. Good agents earn trust, though income often depends on commission and can vary a lot.
🌍 Around the world
- United States: Jobs are projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, slower than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦500k – ₦2M
- Mid-career
- ₦2M – ₦8M
- Senior
- ₦8M – ₦30M
≈ ₦167k – ₦667k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Often includes commission on top. Typical starter to experienced salary. National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
US category: Real estate brokers and sales agents (combined). Median annual wage only. Earnings can be irregular.. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Job Bank occupation: Residential Real Estate Agent. Annual earnings as published (many agents are self-employed); 2021 Census data.. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2021
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Show homes and shops to buyers and renters
- Find new properties and list them with photos and descriptions
- Negotiate prices and terms between buyers and sellers
- Explain paperwork, fees and legal steps
- Keep in touch with clients and build a good name
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Honesty
- Organisation
- Local knowledge
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Agency training and work under an experienced agent
- Start with a business or estate management course
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Start as a trainee negotiator or lettings assistant
- Agents must belong to a redress scheme
🇺🇸 United States
- Take a licensing course, pass the state exam, then work under a licensed broker
- Broker licence later
🇨🇦 Canada
- Take a licensing course, pass the provincial exam, then work under a registered brokerage
- Registration is run by provincial regulators
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Learn money maths and practise talking with people
- 2Take a business, real estate or estate management course
- 3Get any licence your country requires and join an agency
- 4Work under an experienced agent to learn the local market
- 5Build your client list and grow into a senior agent or broker
⏰ A day in the life
You meet a young family at a flat you are renting out and show them around, answering questions about the neighbourhood. Back at the office you take photos for a new listing and call a seller to pass on an offer. Some days end with a signed agreement, and others with no sale.