I remember reading a tweet that said, “Raise a toast if you’re a realtor. If not, raise your standards.” At first, I scoffed. What’s so special about real estate?
The rest of us have great jobs, too. A little later, I peaked at Forbes’ list of the 400 wealthiest Americans. To my surprise, it was chock-full of real estate developers, investors, and construction moguls. So, congrats on looking up the best-paying jobs in Real Estate Investment Trusts—you’re obviously smarter than I am. Without further ado—let’s turn your curiosity into serious interest by diving into our curated list of the best-paying jobs in REITs.
Nareit’s research says REITs have directly employed over 307,000 Americans—generating $22.7 billion in labor income. Exciting number, right? We’ll get into the details in a bit, but first—for all you busy bees and laid-back sloths—here’s a quick look at the 15 best real estate careers and their average annual pay:
JOB | AVERAGE ANNUAL PAY |
|---|---|
REIT investor | $1,26,895 |
Head of marketing | $1,20,976 |
Finance manager | $1,05,094 |
Real estate attorney | $1,04,760 |
Asset manager | $94,277 |
Real estate broker | $83,823 |
Investment analyst | $81,186 |
Construction supervisor | $77,452 |
Property developer | $72,846 |
Real estate property appraiser | $71,361 |
Investor relations manager | $61,693 |
Property manager | $58,359 |
Drafter | $49,696 |
Real estate photographer | $46,227 |
Leasing consultant | $36,778 |
Source: glassdoor.com
And now for the deets—
REIT Investor
You’ll be the driving force behind new acquisitions and property sales—buying assets, adding more value, and selling them at a higher price. You’ll also help maintain relationships with investors to ensure new projects keep seeing the light of day. Of course—all this is easier said than done. In reality—you’d need tons of experience to predict what property to buy, when to buy, and when to sell.
To ace this job role, you must have—
A sizeable appetite for risks.
Willingness to dig deep and study the real estate investment industry.
Knowledge of different buying and selling strategies.
Average salary: $1,26,895/year Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in finance or real estate.
2–5 years of experience in the real estate industry.
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Head of Marketing
Marketing roles are key to attracting new businesses and investors for REITs. As the pack leader, you’ll head a team of marketers—and create business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing campaigns. You’ll devise ways to boost leasing revenue and investor capital—a key part of this job is also documenting and presenting your marketing campaigns’ results.
Average salary: $1,20,976/year
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communications, or a related field.
3–5 years of marketing experience.
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Finance Manager
We don’t want to be party poopers, but with this role you’ll spend most of your time behind a desk—frowning (or manically smiling) over numbers. You’ll be responsible for forecasting, budgeting, and reporting on real estate projects—which may involve close work with property developers so they don’t go over their set budgets.
Average salary: $1,05,094/year
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in finance.
3–5 years of experience in a finance job.
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Real Estate Attorney
You’ll navigate legal hoops and paperwork on a company’s behalf to ensure property purchases run smoothly. You’ll also be involved in settling property ownership and transfer disputes. Apart from being a mediator between home buyers and sellers, these lawyers also provide expert legal guidance wherever necessary.
Average salary: $1,04,760/year
Qualifications:
Attorney's license to practice law in the US.
1–3 years of experience in a law firm.
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Asset Manager
A REIT company has multiple asset managers who look after a particular property type or real estate area. In this role, you’ll oversee hundreds of properties at a time—and strategize to achieve better acquisitions, property sales, commercial deals, and more.
Average salary: $94,277/year
Qualifications:
An MBA in management.
5–10 years of real estate management experience.
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Real Estate Broker
If we were to go by Netflix’s Selling Sunset—we’d say this is the world’s most glamorous job. In reality, being a broker is more grueling than glamorous. You’ll be the catalyst between the buyer and seller during a property sale—meaning you’ll have to research properties, book visits, and (most importantly) negotiate property sale prices.
Isn’t that the same as being a rest estate agent? Yes and no. While brokers and agents do the same things, brokers have to take a licensing exam—enabling them to work alone as independent contractors.
Average salary: $83,823/year
Qualifications:
High school diploma or equivalent.
Real estate license.
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Investment Analyst
This role is all about staying on top of economic conditions, real estate trends, and company financials. You’ll closely monitor real estate deals and interact with sellers and buyers in the commercial sector. But why all this due diligence? Investment analysts call the shots on how a REIT company uses its cash. Pursuing this role will mean you—
Analyze demographic trends.
Monitor and assist the acquisition process.
Identify credit issues in the underwriting process.
Create monthly pipeline reports for senior management.
Average salary: $81,186/year
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in finance or business.
1–3 years of experience in a finance job.
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Construction Supervisor
You’re the top boss on the construction site—meaning you’ll monitor the project’s progress and watch for compliance with safety regulations. You’ll be in charge of some onsite human resource activities, including—
Developing contracts with subcontractors.
Creating project budgets and estimations.
Evaluating employee performance.
And submitting periodic progress reports.
You’ll also have to be pally with architects—the final make has to be in line with their project specifications.
Average salary: $77,452/year
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in construction management, construction science, civil engineering, or a related field.
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Property Developer
You’ll buy land, build on it—and sell the property for a higher price. You’ll need to get your hands dirty, and dabble with every step in the process—including developing the land, constructing the property, coordinating with contractors, and dealing with buyers.
Like other real estate careers, this one is also driven by economic factors—like the property market, interest rates, and more. An imbalance in any factor can make your job unstable. Be prepared to work some stressful, long hours—outside a typical 9-to-5 schedule. A deal breaker or a small price to pay for a lovely paycheck? You decide.
Average salary: $72,846/year
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in a related field, such as management, business, or even engineering.
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Real Estate Property Appraiser
Picture this—you’re out shopping in a store. You visit different sections and pick up things. But there’s a catch—you decide the price of the stuff you shopped for.
A property appraiser does this in real life—they inspect properties and decide their value. In this role, you’ll look at the property’s make, current market conditions, and future reselling potential—before pricing it. You’re also in for tons of short-term travel with this job—not the ideal pick if you’re a homebody.
Average salary: $71,361/year
Qualifications:
Property appraiser license.
Bachelor's degree in real estate or a related field.
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Investor Relations Manager
Some of us are social butterflies—others are antisocial moths. Find yourself relating to the former more than the latter? Then this is the perfect REIT job for you. As an investor relations manager, you’ll interact with stockholders (top dogs, big fishes, big guns—you get the picture).
Expect to make investment reports, organize meetings and workshops, train company spokespeople, and more. Your communication skills and confidence must bridge the gap between investors and the management team.
Average salary: $61,693/year
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in communication, finance, accounting, or a similar field.
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Property Manager
All properties under a REIT company have an on-site management staff that looks after them. These staff members report to a property manager. So, in this role—you’ll be in charge of monitoring your team’s efficiency, activities related to the property’s upkeep, and more.
Most of the properties you’ll care for will be apartment complexes or industrial properties. Expect to oversee multiple such properties and tons of staff—so you’ll have to master multitasking.
Average salary: $58,359/year
Qualifications:
High school diploma or equivalent.
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Drafter
Has working on CAD software excited you like a Messi fan when Ronaldo was kicked out of Fifa? Then this might be your dream job. A drafter turns property designs into technical plans. You’ll have help from engineers and architects—but ultimately you’ll have to create plans that get the client’s stamp of approval in one go.
Average salary: $49,696/year
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in engineering or architecture.
Well-versed with computer-aided design (CAD) software.
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Real Estate Photographer
A little-known fact is how critical this job role is to a real estate firm. A well-captured property can sell like hotcakes—so you must consider this job if you have a passion for photography. Here’s what you need to do:
Shoot photos and videos of the property’s exteriors and interiors.
Take care of pre-production activities like lighting.
Work closely with senior team members to conceptualize, storyboard, and capture footage.
Average salary: $46,227/year
Qualifications:
Proficiency with camera equipment and editing software.
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Leasing Consultant
This is a consultancy role. Unlike brokers who help tenants find properties, here you’ll only advise tenants on the rental options available on the market. This may be less legwork―but you’ll still need the same level of industry knowledge to help your clients. Consider this role if you’re just starting off in REITs—you can aim for higher roles once you have the experience.
Average salary: $36,778/year
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in real estate.
Real estate license.
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