Real Estate Agent · Indiana · SOC 41-9022
Real Estate Agents in Indiana: 2026 Salary, Real Wage, and Cost-Adjusted Pay
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-08.
TL;DR
- Median Real Estate Agent salary in Indiana: $50,990 nominal, $55,366 real (BEA RPP basis).
- Real Estate Agent ranking: #24 on the BLS table, #20 once cost of living is in.
- Low BEA RPP (92.1) means the paycheck stretches further than the BLS number suggests; net lift roughly $4,376.
- P25-P75 spread runs $36,680 to $82,270; P10 floor $29,210, P90 ceiling $128,590.
Wage breakdown — Indiana
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $29,210 | $31,717 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $36,680 | $39,828 |
| P50 (median) | $50,990 | $55,366 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $82,270 | $89,330 |
| P90 (top tier) | $128,590 | $139,625 |
| Mean | $70,900 | $76,984 |
| Employment | 2,860 Real Estate Agents in Indiana | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | Indiana index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 92.1 |
| Goods | 95.6 |
| Services | 84.7 |
| Rents | 71.3 |
Indiana sits below the national baseline (RPP 92.1), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 71.3.
After-tax take-home — Indiana (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (Real Estate Agent) | $50,990 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$3,981 | 7.8% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$1,479 | 2.9% flat 2026 (+ ~1% county avg) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$3,901 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $41,630 | 81.6% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $45,202 | ÷ (92.1 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the Indiana state-tax burden means for Real Estate Agent take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 2.9% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $41,630 (81.6% of gross). After the 92.1 RPP, real take-home is $45,202. Local-tax overlay: Every Indiana county levies a local income tax averaging 1–3% — Marion (Indianapolis) 2.02%, Lake 1.5%, Allen 1.59%.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $56,320 for Real Estate Agents with mean pay of $70,970 and total employment of 190,600. Indiana sits at #24 on nominal pay and #20 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Indiana climbs 4 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Real Estate Agent make in Indiana?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $50,990 for Real Estate Agents in Indiana as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $36,680 and the 75th-percentile is $82,270.
- What is the real (cost-adjusted) Real Estate Agent salary in Indiana?
- After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 92.1 for Indiana), the real-wage equivalent is $55,366 — what the $50,990 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $39,828 to $89,330.
- How are Indiana Real Estate Agent salaries calculated on this page?
- Nominal wages come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) — annual employer surveys, May 2026 reference period. Real-wage figures use BEA Regional Price Parities (2023 vintage) to adjust for state-level cost of living. No self-report or jobs-board data is mixed in.
- What does the top of the Real Estate Agent pay scale look like in Indiana?
- The 90th percentile lands at $128,590. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $82,270.
- How many Real Estate Agents does Indiana employ?
- BLS OES counts 2,860 Real Estate Agents employed in Indiana in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- Is Indiana a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for Real Estate Agents?
- Yes — the BEA RPP of 92.1 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $50,990 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $55,366. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for Real Estate Agents comparing offers across regions.
- What are the limits of these Real Estate Agent salary numbers?
- BLS OES is an employer survey of W-2 wages — it excludes contractor pay, bonuses outside the base wage definition, equity compensation, and tip income. Self-employed practitioners and gig workers are not represented. For occupations with significant non-W-2 income, the BLS figure is a floor, not a complete picture.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 41-9022, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how Indiana Real Estate Agent pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.