Real estate appraisers assess the value of real estate property for both the residential and business markets. Learn how much a real estate appraiser's salary can be, based on factors such as education, experience, location, certification, and industry.
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Real estate appraisers review properties to estimate their value based on various factors critical to the final price. In turn, they can be well-compensated for their own efforts. At a glance, here's what you need to know about real estate appraiser salaries:
Real estate appraisers earn between $54,616 and $119,000 as of October 2025.
Your salary as a real estate appraiser can be impacted by your prior work experience, location, and industry.
The highest-paying locations for real estate appraisers in the United States are the District of Columbia, Iowa, New Jersey, California, and Connecticut.
Below, we'll dive deeper into what you can expect to earn as a real estate appraiser and how various factors will impact what you can expect to earn. Afterward, if you want to deepen your knowledge of real estate, consider enrolling in the Keller Williams Real Estate Agent Professional Certificate.
Various job listing sites show the average annual pay for real estate appraisers ranges from $54,616 to $119,000 as of October 2025. Here are the salary ranges given by five different organizations that track real estate appraiser salaries [, , , ]:
| US BLS | Zippia | Glassdoor | Indeed |
|---|---|---|---|
| $65,420 | $54,616 | $119,00 | $66,619 |
Factors such as your education level, experience in the field, and certification status can boost your potential earnings as a real estate appraiser. Where you live can also impact your salary, including the demand for real estate appraisers or the cost of living in a particular area. In some industry sectors, you can earn more than others depending on your specific interests or specialties.
Real estate appraisers usually need a bachelor鈥檚 degree, but it isn鈥檛 always necessary to work in the field. Most states set specific education requirements for appraisers, but others have none. It鈥檚 important to check your particular state鈥檚 regulations regarding education, experience, and other factors required to be an appraiser.
Here are the average salaries for real estate appraisers based on education level, according to Zippia []:
High school diploma or less: $51,076
Associate degree: $59,158
Bachelor's degree: $57,419
Read more: What Is an Undergraduate Degree? Requirements, Costs, and More
The federal government does not require certification for real estate appraisers who want to work with personal and business property. Still, you will need a state license or certification to work with federal government-related transactions. It鈥檚 also important to find out if you must get a license or certification in the state you work in to be a real estate appraiser, as most states require these credentials.
Certified real estate appraisers tend to earn more than those who are not certified, as they are typically able to charge more for their services. Glassdoor reports the median total pay for certified residential appraisers at $99,000 a year, including benefits such as commissions [].
Your experience as a real estate appraiser can boost your salary, as more experience typically leads to a higher annual income. Here are the estimated median total wages, including base pay and additional compensation, you can expect based on your years of experience, according to Glassdoor []:
0鈥1 year: $77,000
1鈥3 years: $85,000
4鈥6 years: $102,000
7鈥9 years: $104,000
10鈥14 years: $106,000
15+ years: $117,000
The area you work in can affect how much you can make as a real estate appraiser due to the cost of living, the area鈥檚 demand for work, and other regional factors.
Here are the five top-paying states for real estate appraisers, based on data collected by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) []:
District of Columbia: $109,670
Iowa: $96,620
New Jersey: $90,940
California: $90,310
Connecticut: $89,980
Some cities may have higher earnings than others based on the cost of living or the number of real estate appraiser positions. You can earn more if you live in these areas or are willing to relocate.
The top three metropolitan areas for real estate appraisers are in Iowa, California, and Texas, while other top-paying areas are spread throughout other regions of the country, according to the BLS []:
Des Moines/West Des Moines, IA: $105,790
San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara, CA: $105,450
Abilene, TX: $103,250
San Diego/Carlsbad, CA: $103,200
Bridgeport/Stamford/Norwalk, CT: $102,630
Waterloo/Cedar Falls, IA: $101,950
San Francisco/Oakland/Hayward, CA: $100,920
Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue, WA: $96,920
Manchester, NH: $96,100
Barnstable Town, MA: $95,750
Certain industries provide more pay for real estate appraisers than others. Working in finance or insurance can earn you a median annual income of $80,340, while appraisers in the real estate market can earn $60,670 in median annual income, according to the BLS [].
Glassdoor lists the following five industries as the highest-paying for real estate appraisers. Note that Glassdoor includes additional compensation in its figures, such as stocks, cash, bonuses, and other benefits, along with base pay, while BLS, for example, only includes base pay []:
Real estate: $101,265
Financial services: $99,013
Government and public administration: $95,649
Information technology: $94,908
Management and consulting: $82,966
The US BLS expects real estate appraiser positions to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, as fast as the national average for all occupations. Expect about 6,300 positions to be added to the field each year during that time [].
Positions for real estate appraisers will continue to grow as the demand for properties increases and real estate is bought, rented, or sold.
Read more: Starting a New Job: 18 Tips for Early and Ongoing Success
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US BLS. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/appraisers-and-assessors-of-real-estate.htm#tab-1.鈥 Accessed October 29, 2025.
Zippia. 鈥, https://www.zippia.com/real-estate-appraiser-jobs/salary/.鈥 Accessed October 29, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/real-estate-appraiser-salary-SRCH_KO0,21.htm.鈥 Accessed October 29, 2025.
Indeed. 鈥, https://www.indeed.com/career/real-estate-appraiser/salaries.鈥 Accessed October 29, 2025.
Zippia. 鈥, https://www.zippia.com/real-estate-appraiser-jobs/education/.鈥 Accessed October 29, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/certified-residential-appraiser-salary-SRCH_KO0,31.htm.鈥 Accessed October 29, 2025.
US BLS. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132020.htm#st.鈥 Accessed October 29, 2025.
US BLS. ", https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/appraisers-and-assessors-of-real-estate.htm#tab-5.鈥 Accessed October 29, 2025.
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