Construction & Real Estate · New York City
New York real estate agents earn a $103,550 median, nearly double the U.S. figure, and construction managers here are the thinnest pool of any role on this page. Careerscape is a national agency that recruits for New York brokerages, owners and builders remotely, with recruiters who stay in construction and real estate.
Brokerage economics
Since June 11, 2025, New York City's Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses (FARE) Act has barred landlords from passing broker fees on to tenants. A broker who lists an apartment for the landlord cannot collect a fee from the renter. That fee has typically run 10% to 15% of a year's rent. Landlord groups sued, and in July 2026 a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the lower court's ruling against them.
If your firm is weighing in-house leasing against outside brokers, the pay data below shows what you are bidding against. The metro's 14,250 property, real estate and community association managers earn a median of $96,950, 39% above the U.S. median. Its real estate sales agents earn a median of $103,550, nearly double the U.S. figure of $52,830.
Every agent you hire needs a New York real estate salesperson license from the Department of State's Division of Licensing Services: 77 hours of pre-licensing education, a state exam and sponsorship by a licensed broker. Confirm the license is active and that the candidate can move their sponsorship to your brokerage before the offer goes out. Our real estate recruiters check both as part of the screen.
BLS May 2025
Nine of these ten occupations have a location quotient below 1.0 in the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro, so they make up a smaller share of local jobs than they do nationally. The metro is big enough that the counts are still large: 36,550 electricians and 50,870 construction laborers.
| Occupation | Jobs in metro | Median pay · vs. U.S. | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Managers | 12,120 | $158,000+37% | 0.52 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 28,220 | $103,990+30% | 0.57 |
| Cost Estimators | 11,610 | $82,380+5% | 0.85 |
| Civil Engineers | 15,590 | $107,330+6% | 0.69 |
| Electricians | 36,550 | $79,020+25% | 0.79 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 21,040 | $78,610+23% | 0.74 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | 10,340 | $90,800+22% | 1.15 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | 14,250 | $96,950+39% | 0.75 |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | 8,320 | $103,550+96% | 0.70 |
| Construction Laborers | 50,870 | $61,270+30% | 0.76 |
Construction and building inspectors are the one deep pool (LQ 1.15). Construction managers are the thinnest (LQ 0.52) and the best paid, at a $158,000 median, 37% above the U.S. First-line supervisors earn $103,990, 30% above. For national pay by role, see the construction manager and real estate agent salary pages. Jobs and median annual pay for the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, all employers, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025). “Vs. U.S.” compares with the national median. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: above 1.0 means the job makes up a bigger share of local employment than it does nationally.
Cards and licenses
The city and state set these gates, not the employer. Check them at the first screen, not after the offer.
| Credential | Issued by | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| SST card (worker) | NYC Department of Buildings, through registered course providers | At least 40 hours of DOB-defined safety training; valid five years, renewed with refresher training |
| Supervisor SST card | NYC DOB; cards issued only by DOB-registered providers | At least 62 hours; required for site safety managers and coordinators, construction superintendents and competent persons |
| Master electrician license | NYC Department of Buildings | Standard route: 7 years of supervised experience in the last 10, at least 2 in NYC, then written and practical exams |
| Master plumber license | NYC Department of Buildings | Standard route: 7 years in the last 10, including 2 as a registered journeyman plumber, then written and practical exams |
| Real estate salesperson license | NYS Department of State, Division of Licensing Services | 77 hours of pre-licensing education, a state exam and a sponsoring broker |
SST cards are required on sites that need a site safety plan and a designated superintendent, site safety coordinator or site safety manager. Shorter experience routes for the master licenses exist for engineering graduates and registered apprentices. Source: NYC Department of Buildings.
Sector check
City and metro figures for the whole construction sector, from the New York State Comptroller and BLS. They are broader than the ten occupations above.
Where the work is
Market context only. These are places where large owners and builders are active, not a list of companies we recruit for.
Related Companies, the developer behind Hudson Yards, is headquartered at 30 Hudson Yards. The neighborhood's mix of offices, residences and 14 acres of public space keeps building engineers, property managers and leasing teams busy.
Governor Hochul marked the start of tunnel boring on the $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project on September 28, 2026; the first machines bore from New Jersey under the Palisades toward Weehawken on the way to Penn Station. Federal reimbursements were suspended from September 30, 2025, until a February 2026 court order released overdue payments.
The New Terminal One is still under construction. In September 2026 its operator said it now expects to open in the first quarter of 2027.
Manhattan's share of Department of Buildings permits fell from 43.6% in 2019 to 35.3% in 2024, and it was the only borough still below its 2019 permit count, according to the State Comptroller.
Local Law 97 sets emissions limits for most buildings over 25,000 square feet, starting in 2024 with stricter limits from 2030. Owners need chief engineers, energy managers and project managers who can plan retrofits.
What we recruit
Careerscape recruits for these roles remotely, through direct hire, contract and contract-to-hire. Field pipelines start early in New York: the Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills, founded in 2000 by the Building and Construction Trades Council and the Building Trades Employers' Association, prepares graduating seniors from city public high schools for union apprenticeships. For the city's general hiring laws, see our NYC staffing agency guide.
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Tell us the role, the license or card it needs and the borough or site, and a recruiter will follow up.
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FAQ
Under the FARE Act, in effect since June 11, 2025, the party that hires the broker pays. In practice that is usually the landlord, because a broker listing an apartment for the landlord cannot charge the tenant. The Second Circuit upheld the law in July 2026. For employers, it puts leasing costs on the ownership side, which changes the math when comparing in-house leasing agents and property managers with outside brokerage.
A salesperson license from the New York Department of State's Division of Licensing Services. That means completing 77 hours of pre-licensing education, passing the state exam and being sponsored by a licensed New York broker. If you are hiring a licensed agent from another brokerage, confirm the license is active and plan for the sponsorship change before the start date.
Yes, on sites that require a site safety plan and a designated superintendent, site safety coordinator or site safety manager. Workers need at least 40 hours of DOB-defined training and supervisors at least 62. Cards come only from DOB-registered course providers, are valid for five years and are renewed with refresher training. An expired card cannot be used on a job site.
In the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro, the BLS May 2025 median for construction managers is $158,000, against $114,990 for the U.S. The middle of the range is wide: the 10th percentile is $91,740 and the 90th is $250,520. The local pool is thin, with a location quotient of 0.52. See our construction manager salary guide for national figures.
It can. Careerscape has no New York office. Our recruiters specialize in construction and real estate and recruit for New York employers by phone and video. We screen for the cards and licenses the job needs, then share a short list of candidates in a private Employer Portal, where you request interviews and leave feedback. You can compare other markets on our construction and real estate overview.
Send us the role and the credentials it requires. You get a pre-screened shortlist, not a stack of resumes.
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