Updated October 2026. For people weighing a first job in real estate, architecture or construction. Pay and job data are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; license rules are from state commissions and NCARB.
To start a career in real estate, you take a state pre-license course, pass the state exam and join a licensed brokerage. As of October 2026, Florida’s course is up to 63 classroom hours and Texas requires 180. The BLS puts the median pay for real estate agents and brokers at $57,400 a year (2025).
Jump to: 🪜 Real estate agent · 🏠 Architect · 🏢 Construction · 💲 Pay compared · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Real estate agents and brokers: median pay $57,400 in 2025, a high school diploma to start, and a state license in every state (BLS).
- Architects: median pay $99,280, a bachelor’s degree, a paid internship and all six divisions of the ARE 5.0 exam.
- Construction managers: median pay $114,990, with jobs projected to grow 9% from 2025 to 2035.
- Florida’s sales associate course is capped at 63 classroom hours; Texas asks for 180 hours of qualifying courses.
Real estate and construction are linked jobs. Agents sell what builders make, architects design what both need, and everyone works around the same permits, codes and closing dates. Here’s how each path starts, what it pays and how long it takes.
How do you start a career in real estate?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says every state requires real estate brokers and sales agents to be licensed. The entry-level education is a high school diploma or the same. The steps are close to the same in most states:
- Take the state’s pre-license course from an approved school.
- Pass the state exam and a background check.
- Join a licensed brokerage, which holds your license and supervises your work.
- Finish any post-license courses before your first renewal.
Hours vary a lot. Florida law caps the first course for a sales associate at 63 classroom hours of 50 minutes, under section 475.17. Texas asks sales agent applicants for 180 classroom hours of qualifying courses, per the Texas Real Estate Commission. Check your own state’s commission before you sign up for a class.
What the first year looks like
New agents earn by closing deals, so the first months can be slow. Most of the work is finding clients, pricing homes, setting up showings and keeping deals on track through inspection and closing. Our guides to listing agreements and what a transaction coordinator does show two parts of the job new agents learn fast.
Plan your money before you start. Course fees, exam fees, MLS dues and marketing come out of your pocket, and your first check may be months away. Many new agents keep a part-time job for the first year. Ask any brokerage you talk to what it charges you and what it gives you.
There are other ways in, too. Title and closing offices hire processors and closers, and that work teaches you how a deal really closes. Our guide to what a title company does explains those roles.
What is a brokerage like Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC?
A brokerage is the licensed firm that agents work under. It’s the name on the MLS listing and on the contract. Beycome’s licensing page lists Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, Beycome Brokerage Realty Inc. (California) and Beycome of Florida LLC as the companies that provide its brokerage services, with license numbers by state.
Beycome is licensed in 18 states and DC and lists homes on MLSs in 17 states and DC. Sellers use it to put a home on the MLS for a flat fee: $99 for Basic, with $0 due at closing. You can read the full list of licenses on the Beycome licensed broker page and the plans on the flat fee MLS page.
How do you become an architect?
Architects design buildings that are safe, useful and good to look at. They study the site, the budget and the local zoning and building codes, then draw the plans. Most also work with builders during construction to make sure the plans are followed.
The BLS says all states and DC require architects to be licensed. The usual path has three parts:
- A degree in architecture, most often a bachelor’s or master’s from an accredited program.
- A paid internship, logged through NCARB’s Architectural Experience Program.
- The Architect Registration Examination. NCARB says ARE 5.0 has six divisions, and every U.S. jurisdiction requires you to pass all six.
The work is long but it can pay off, with a good salary once you’re licensed. Once you pass, you can sign drawings as a licensed architect. For a plain-English walk-through of the path, you can learn more here about how long each step takes.
Some architects specialize. Residential architects design homes. Others focus on commercial buildings, interiors or landscapes. Our guide to choosing an architect for your project shows what clients look for.
Sell smarter
List your home on the MLS from $99
A flat fee instead of a percentage, and $0 to Beycome at closing. You stay in control of your sale.
Sell your home →Buy smarter
Get up to 2% back at closing
On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →How do you start a construction business?
Many builders start on job sites as laborers or in a trade, such as electrical or plumbing, and move up to running crews. Construction managers plan budgets, hire subcontractors and keep jobs on schedule. The BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as the usual entry point for construction managers, though many come up through the trades.
To run your own company, check three things in your state before you take a job:
- Whether you need a contractor license, and for which kinds of work.
- What insurance and bonding your clients and the state require.
- How permits and inspections work in the cities where you’ll build.
Land matters too. Soil, slope and drainage can change a budget fast; see building on unstable terrain. For the homeowner side of a build, read tips for a successful construction project.
What do real estate, architecture and construction jobs pay?
Here’s the BLS data side by side, read October 23, 2026. Pay is the national median for 2025; your city and your deal count will change it.
| Job | Median pay, 2025 | Jobs, 2025 | Growth, 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate brokers and sales agents | $57,400 | 530,600 | 2% | High school diploma |
| Architects | $99,280 | 124,600 | 4% | Bachelor’s degree |
| Construction managers | $114,990 | 609,100 | 9% | Bachelor’s degree |
Real estate is the fastest to enter: a few months of classes against years of school for the other two. It’s also the least steady pay at first, since most agents earn per deal. Architecture takes the longest. Construction management sits in between and is the one the BLS expects to grow fastest.
Which path fits you?
Pick real estate if you like people, talking about money and working odd hours. Pick architecture if you like design, math and long projects. Pick construction if you like being on site and solving problems with crews and budgets.
You don’t have to choose forever. Agents who learn construction price homes better. Builders who know how homes are listed and sold plan better projects. And if you ever sell a home you built, a flat fee MLS listing lets you reach buyers’ agents for a set price. Our guide on how to list on the MLS without a realtor shows the steps.
Real estate and construction career questions
How do I start a career in real estate?
Take your state’s pre-license course, pass the state exam and background check, and join a licensed brokerage.
How long does it take to get a real estate license?
It depends on the state’s course hours. Florida’s first course is capped at 63 classroom hours; Texas requires 180 hours.
How much do real estate agents make?
The BLS median for real estate brokers and sales agents was $57,400 a year in 2025. Pay depends on how many deals you close.
What is Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC?
One of the licensed companies that provide Beycome’s brokerage services, along with Beycome Brokerage Realty Inc. and Beycome of Florida LLC.
How many parts does the architect exam have?
ARE 5.0 has six divisions, and every U.S. jurisdiction requires all six for a license, per NCARB.
Do I need a degree to start a construction business?
Not always. The BLS lists a bachelor’s degree for construction managers, but many builders come up through the trades. Check your state’s contractor license rules.
Pay, job counts and growth are BLS national figures for 2025 and 2025 to 2035, read October 23, 2026; local pay varies. License hours and steps change, so check your state commission and NCARB before you enroll.
Beycome prices as of October 2026; “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing, while other closing costs still apply. Beycome is licensed in 18 states and DC and lists in 17 states and DC. General information, not legal or career advice.
Sources
- BLS, real estate brokers and sales agents, read Oct 23, 2026.
- BLS, architects, read Oct 23, 2026.
- BLS, construction managers, read Oct 23, 2026.
- Fla. Stat. 475.17, read Oct 23, 2026.
- Texas Real Estate Commission, sales agent license, read Oct 23, 2026.
- NCARB, Pass the ARE, read Oct 23, 2026.
- Beycome, licensed broker page, read Oct 23, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
Beycome provides real estate services through affiliated licensed brokerages and has a commercial interest in the services and business models discussed on this blog. Content reflects Beycome’s perspective and may promote our services; it should not be treated as independent or neutral reporting.
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