Editor's note, September 25, 2026: an earlier version of this article, published June 1, 2026, contained figures and programme details that we could not trace to a published source. It has been rewritten using only the sources listed with the article. We regret the error.
Thinking about a career in real estate? Start at real estate careers with Summitly, compare real estate agent salaries across Canada, and read how to become a real estate agent in Ontario.
Ontario real estate agents reported median annual earnings of $62,400 in Statistics Canada's 2021 Census, according to Government of Canada Job Bank data for NOC 63101, with Job Bank's range running from $37,561 to $206,000. Earnings are largely commission-based and vary widely by region and by agent.
What Ontario real estate agents actually earn
Job Bank publishes wages for NOC 63101, "Real estate agents and salespersons", under the example title Real Estate Sales Representative. For Ontario it lists:
- Low: $37,561 a year
- Median: $62,400 a year
- High: $206,000 a year
The source is the 2021 Census (Statistics Canada). Job Bank explains that "in this occupation, a large number of people are self-employed. For this reason, wages for this occupation are presented at an annual rate to better represent earnings for this occupation." Two cautions: the figures are several years old, and they describe everyone reporting the occupation — they are not a forecast of what a new agent will earn.
Earnings by Ontario region (median, per year)
- Toronto: $57,600 (high $192,000)
- Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula: $65,000 (high $220,000)
- Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie: $61,200 (high $220,000)
- Ottawa: $79,000 (high $212,000)
- London: $70,000 (high $204,000)
- Kingston–Pembroke: $71,500 (high $196,000)
- Muskoka–Kawarthas: $94,000 (high $258,000)
- Stratford–Bruce Peninsula: $88,000 (high $294,000)
- Windsor-Sarnia: $63,200 (high $180,000)
- Northeast: $76,500 (high $218,000)
Job Bank lists the same low figure, $37,561, for each region shown. The spread between median and high in every region is the point: income in this job is uneven.
Where the money actually goes (the cost stack)
Gross commission is not take-home pay. Five layers of cost sit between the two.
Layer 1: Brokerage split and fees
Your brokerage keeps a share of each commission and/or charges fixed fees. Commissions in Ontario are negotiable, so work per point: on a $1,000,000 sale, every 1% of commission on your side is $10,000 before HST, and each point of split on it is $100 per 1% of commission. Summitly (Coldwell Banker Summit Realty) has two packages for your own business. Package A is a 95/5 split with a $200 + HST monthly fee and $799 + HST on each of your first 4 completed transactions in a calendar year. Package B is 90/10 with $125 + HST a month and $499 + HST on the first 4, moving to 95/5 for the rest of the year after $100,000 GCI. A $500 minimum brokerage share applies per completed transaction, starting with transaction 5 in each calendar year; see your agreement for tax treatment and details. To receive brokerage leads, agents join the Leads Plan: $299 + HST a month, no transaction fees, 90/10 on their own deals, and 50/50 on deals from leads the brokerage provides.
Layer 2: Mandatory regulatory costs
- RECO registration: $356 ($306 plus a $50 application review fee) for a new salesperson; $350 ($306 plus $44 for continuing education) to renew, for a two-year term.
- RECO insurance: mandatory for registration; RECO lists $500 plus applicable taxes for the September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027 term.
- Board and association dues: check your local board's current fee schedule.
Layer 3: Technology
CRM, e-signature, transaction management and marketing tools — some provided by the brokerage, some not. See our guide to the real estate agent tech stack.
Layer 4: Business marketing
Signs, photography, advertising and printed material, which vary with how many listings you carry.
Layer 5: Vehicle, phone, professional development, taxes
Most agents are self-employed and pay their own vehicle, phone and training costs, plus income tax and self-employed CPP contributions. If you are registered for HST, the HST you collect on commissions is remitted, not income. Speak to an accountant before you budget.
What drives income above the median
- Repeat and referral business. Past clients and your wider circle are the most dependable source of deals.
- Neighbourhood focus. Knowing one or two areas deeply makes you the obvious call there.
- Listings. Listings create more enquiries and visibility than buyer work alone.
- Your market's price level. Commission scales with price, which is one reason regional medians differ.
- Brokerage economics. Split, fees and cap together decide how much of each commission you keep.
- Systems. A CRM you actually use turns contacts into repeat business.
Why new agents struggle to break the median
Early on, your network hasn't produced referrals yet, you are learning the paperwork, and fixed costs arrive before commissions do. Plan for a lean start.
The market conditions affecting agent income
Agent income follows transaction volume and prices in your area. Sales counts, new listings and average prices change month to month; follow them in our monthly market updates, which cite each board's own release.
How to project your real income before joining the industry
Build the projection from your own assumptions rather than someone else's averages:
- Estimate the number of sides you can realistically close in year one — be conservative.
- Multiply by a typical price in your area (see our market updates) to get sales volume.
- Apply the commission rate you expect to negotiate, then your brokerage's split.
- Subtract fixed brokerage fees, RECO registration and insurance, board dues, technology, marketing and vehicle costs.
- Hold 12 months of personal expenses in reserve before going full time.
Frequently asked questions
Which part of Ontario has the highest agent earnings?
In Job Bank's 2021 Census figures, the highest regional median shown is Muskoka–Kawarthas at $94,000 a year, and the highest "high" figure is Stratford–Bruce Peninsula at $294,000. Toronto's median was $57,600.
Can I work as a real estate agent part-time and still make money?
You can be registered while working part time, but fixed costs — RECO registration, mandatory insurance, board dues and tools — are due whatever your production. Ask any brokerage you're considering how its fees work if you close only a few deals a year.
How much does it cost to become licensed in Ontario?
RECO charges $356 ($306 plus a $50 application review fee) to register a new salesperson, and insurance is mandatory ($500 plus applicable taxes for the September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027 term). The Real Estate Salesperson Program has its own course and exam fees — see our guide to getting a real estate licence in Ontario.
Do agents in Toronto earn more than agents in Ottawa or Hamilton?
Not by median in Job Bank's 2021 Census data: Toronto $57,600, Ottawa $79,000, Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula $65,000. Higher prices don't guarantee higher earnings when competition among agents is also higher.
How does HST affect agent take-home pay?
If you are registered for HST, you charge it on your commission and remit it; it is not part of your income. Ask an accountant how it applies to you.
Key takeaways
- Median $62,400 a year in Ontario (Job Bank, 2021 Census), with a range of $37,561 to $206,000.
- Region matters. Medians run from $57,600 in Toronto to $94,000 in Muskoka–Kawarthas.
- Costs come off the top. Brokerage split and fees, RECO registration and insurance, dues, tools and marketing.
- Project from your own numbers, not someone else's best year.
Recruitment questions? Book a confidential conversation with Summitly (Coldwell Banker Summit Realty, Brokerage) and we will answer them in writing.
