Do Real Estate Agents Make Good Money?
If you're considering a job as a real estate agent, you may want to know whether you can make a good living at it. Like many other salespeople, real estate agents make a percentage of the commission on each sale. When you're ready to become a real estate agent, you can earn your real estate license by taking courses at Kentuckiana Real Estate Academy. Let's take a closer look to find out if real estate agents make good money.
How Much Do Real Estate Agents Make?
Typically, a real estate agent lists a property, and the seller pays a commission that covers both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. This total commission is usually around six percent, though it’s always negotiable. When the sale closes, the listing agent and buying agent typically split that amount – each receiving about three percent. The more homes an agent sells, the more money they earn. There is no cap on their potential income.
This breaks down like this:
- For a house that sells for $140,000, roughly $4,200 in commission goes to the listing agent.
- For a house that sells for $200,000, approximately $6,000 in commission goes to the listing agent.
- For a house that sells for $260,000, roughly $7,800 in commission goes to the listing agent.
According to job search and recruiting platforms, the average real estate agent in Kentucky earns $74,000 per year as of September 2025. Near Louisville, Kentucky, that amount increases to $81,282. In Lexington, Kentucky, it’s roughly $60K-70K.
How Much Do Realtors® Make?
A Realtor® is a real estate agent who has gone to the trouble of joining the National Association of Realtors (NAR). As such, they are real estate agents, so if you do think real estate agents make good money, Realtors, on average, make the same. However, some people are more likely to choose a Realtor® because of the code of ethics they embrace and the backing of the organization.
Getting Started in Real Estate
To become a Realtor® or a real estate agent, the process begins by taking classes to pass the real estate license examination. At Kentuckiana Real Estate Academy, we offer online and in-person courses that allow you to complete this first step in as little as two weeks or as much as 12 weeks.
After becoming a real estate agent, if you choose to continue your education to become a broker, you will take additional courses, be an actively licensed Realtor for at least two years, working under a licensed broker, and complete an average of 20 hours of continuing education per week. There is also a background check and a real estate broker exam.
Contact Us for Real Estate Agent Classes
Kentuckiana Real Estate Academy helps you build a rewarding real estate career—one that offers flexibility, fulfillment, and strong earning potential.
Request a consultation by calling (859) 317-4846 or sending us a message with your questions. We proudly serve the areas surrounding Louisville and Lexington, KY.
