Enter the sale price, commission rate, and your broker split. The calculator does the rest, including transaction fees and your effective rate on the deal.
Your take-home commission
$8,261
On a $450,000 sale at 5.5% total commission with a 50/50 side split, 70% broker split, and $395 transaction fee.
Total commission
$24,750
Your side
$12,375
Brokerage share
$3,713
Effective rate on price
1.84%
Take-home commission by sale price (5.5% total, 70/30 split, $395 fee)
Quick reference. Your numbers will differ - the calculator above handles your exact splits.
Sale price
Total commission
Your side (50/50)
Take-home (70% split, -$395)
$250,000
$13,750
$6,875
$4,418
$350,000
$19,250
$9,625
$6,343
$450,000
$24,750
$12,375
$8,268
$550,000
$30,250
$15,125
$10,193
$650,000
$35,750
$17,875
$12,118
$750,000
$41,250
$20,625
$14,043
$1,000,000
$55,000
$27,500
$18,855
$1,500,000
$82,500
$41,250
$28,480
Why agents underestimate the gap
Agents quote their gross commission to friends. They live on the take-home. The gap is the most surprising line on every deal:
50/50 side split. Half the headline number disappears before you see anything. Already.
Broker split. 30% of what's left goes to the brokerage in exchange for desk, marketing, MLS access, and E&O insurance. New agents are usually on 50/50 here.
Transaction fees. $395-$500 per deal, before you see a cent.
Self-employment tax. Not in the calculator above. Plan for 15.3% on top of income tax. Roughly 25-30% of take-home goes to taxes.
What started as a "$24,750 commission" becomes about $5,800 after broker split, fees, and tax on a typical 70/30 contract. That's why volume - and not letting buyer leads go cold - matters more than headline rate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the typical real estate commission rate in 2026?
5-6% total commission is still typical in the US, though rates have been under pressure since the 2024 NAR settlement. The total is split between listing and buyer agents, then split again with each agent's brokerage. International rates vary widely - 1.5-3% in much of Europe.
How is real estate commission calculated?
Sale price × commission rate = gross commission. That gets split between listing-side and buyer-side, typically 50/50. Then each side's commission gets split with the agent's brokerage based on the agent's contract. Subtract any per-transaction fee. The remainder is the agent's take-home before tax.
What is a typical broker split?
New agents: 50/50 or 60/40 (agent gets 50-60%). Mid-career: 70/30 to 80/20. Top producers or capped plans: 90/10 or flat per-transaction fees once they hit a yearly cap. Some keller-Williams style models cap at $X/year then go to 100/0.
How much does a real estate agent make per sale?
On a $400,000 home with 5% total commission, 50/50 side split, and 70/30 broker split: $400,000 × 5% × 50% × 70% = $7,000 take-home before tax and self-employment tax. The calculator above runs this math for any inputs.
Do I have to pay tax on the full commission?
Yes, US real estate agents are typically 1099 contractors and pay income tax plus self-employment tax (15.3%) on the take-home commission. Set aside roughly 25-30% for federal/state income tax + SE tax. The calculator shows pre-tax take-home.
What is the buyer's agent commission after the NAR settlement?
Since August 2024, buyer's agent commissions are no longer required to be advertised on the MLS, and buyers may need to negotiate compensation directly with their agent. In practice, sellers still often offer a buyer-side commission to remain competitive. The calculator lets you set any split, including 0% to your side.