National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Software Engineers earn a national median of $132,270/year vs Real Estate Agents at $61,480/year. Software Engineers earn 54% more nationally. The gap is $70,790 per year — or $5,899 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Software Engineer
$132,270
national median/year
$11,023/mo • $64/hr
VS
Real Estate Agent
$61,480
national median/year
$5,123/mo • $30/hr
Annual salary gap
$70,790
Software Engineers earn 54% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $802,425.
Best states for Real Estate Agents
vs Software Engineers
Hawaii+$-35,840
North Dakota+$-37,840
Nebraska+$-39,840
South Dakota+$-39,840
West Virginia+$-39,840
Best states for Software Engineers
vs Real Estate Agents
California+$85,840
Washington+$81,840
Massachusetts+$73,840
Colorado+$69,840
Oregon+$67,840
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Software Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Software Engineers is $132,270 versus $61,480 for Real Estate Agents — a difference of $70,790 per year or $5,899 per month.
The national median salary gap between Software Engineers and Real Estate Agents is $70,790 per year. Software Engineers earn 54% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $802,425.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Software Engineers the highest median salary at $168,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Real Estate Agents the highest median salary at $82,480 per year.
Salary is one factor — Software Engineers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Real Estate Sales Agents both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Software Engineers earn approximately $64 per hour nationally and Real Estate Agents earn approximately $30 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
