Labor Day is an annual tribute to the achievements and contributions of American workers. Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894 and was first celebrated in 1882 by the Central Labor Union. REALTORS® are hardworking individuals with diverse backgrounds, and Labor Day is a time to recognize their successes.

  • Fifty-eight percent of REALTORS® are licensed as sales agents, 26 percent as brokers, and 18 percent as broker associates.
  • The majority of REALTORS® specialize in residential brokerage at 80 percent, followed by commercial brokerage at four percent.
  • The typical member has been in the real estate industry for a median of 12 years, and has been at their present firm for 5 years.
  • Ninety-eight percent of REALTORS® are certain that they will remain active as a real estate professional during the next two years.
  • In 2014 the typical member had an average of 11 transactions, and a median sales volume of $1.7 million.
  • REALTORS® worked a median of 40 hours per week in 2014, with 59 percent working 40 or more hours per week.
  • Only five percent of members cite real estate as their first career, prior full-time careers include:
    • Management/Business/Financial: 19 percent
    • Sales/Retail: 16 percent
    • Office/Admin support: 9 percent
    • Education: Six percent
    • Healthcare: Five percent
    • Homemaker: Five percent
  • For 77 percent of REALTORS® real estate is their only occupation. This percentage increases with experience. Eighty-five percent of members with 16 years or more of experience cited real estate as their only occupation.

View the Labor Day infographic. For more information on the history of Labor Day visit the U.S. Department of Labor. Find out more about REALTORS® in the 2015 Member Profile.

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