Average commission by state / California
Average Real Estate Commission in California
California's average real estate commission rate is 5.47% of the sale price, below the 5.70% national average rate.
How California compares to the rest of the country
At 5.47%, California has the 48th highest average commission rate of the 51 states and DC. That is 0.23% below the 5.70% national average, a difference of about $920 on a $400,000 sale.
The two sides are split almost evenly here, 2.73% to the listing agent and 2.74% to the buyer's agent. In states where the split runs even like this, a seller trying to negotiate has no obvious side to push on first.
States that price closest to California: Indiana (5.50%), Virginia (5.50%), Maryland (5.41%), Illinois (5.53%).
Worked example
On a $400,000 home sold at California's average rate:
| Sale price | $400,000 |
| Listing agent (2.73%) | $10,920 |
| Buyer's agent (2.74%) | $10,960 |
| Total commission | $21,880 |
Commission by sale price in California
What the California average of 5.47% works out to across common sale prices.
| Sale price | Listing side | Buyer side | Total commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $5,460 | $5,480 | $10,940 |
| $300,000 | $8,190 | $8,220 | $16,410 |
| $400,000 | $10,920 | $10,960 | $21,880 |
| $500,000 | $13,650 | $13,700 | $27,350 |
| $750,000 | $20,475 | $20,550 | $41,025 |
| $1,000,000 | $27,300 | $27,400 | $54,700 |
How California compares to the national average
The national average total commission is 5.70%, so California runs 0.23% below it. On a $400,000 sale that is about $920 less than a seller at the national average would pay.
Treat the state figure as a starting point rather than a going rate. Commission is negotiated deal by deal, and the spread between what two sellers in the same California zip code pay is usually wider than the spread between California and the national average. Learn what actually moves the number in the guide on negotiating real estate commission.
Commission is the largest fee in a California sale but not the only one. What else comes out at closing, what the percentage actually buys, and how much of it the agent keeps rather than the brokerage are covered on real estate agent fees. For whether the seller or the buyer covers each side after the 2024 rule change, see who pays realtor fees.
For your own price and rate, or to see your full net proceeds after closing costs and mortgage payoff, use the real estate commission calculator or the net proceeds calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average real estate commission in California?
- The average total commission in California is 5.47% of the sale price: about 2.73% to the listing agent and 2.74% to the buyer's agent. That is below the 5.70% national average by 0.23%. These are averages for planning, not a fixed or legal rate -- commission is always negotiable.
- How much commission on a $400,000 home in California?
- At the California average of 5.47%, total commission on a $400,000 sale works out to about $21,880: roughly $10,920 to the listing agent and $10,960 to the buyer's agent.
- What is the average realtor commission rate in California?
- About 5.47% of the sale price in total. Sellers usually see that quoted as a single listing-agreement number, which the listing broker then splits with the buyer's broker: roughly 2.73% and 2.74%. "Realtor" is a trademark for members of the National Association of Realtors, so a Realtor's rate in California and a non-member agent's rate come from the same negotiated range.
- Who pays the real estate commission in California?
- The seller pays out of sale proceeds at closing in the large majority of California transactions. Since the August 2024 NAR settlement, the buyer's agent fee is negotiated separately, so a buyer may agree to cover some or all of their own agent's fee rather than having it come out of the seller's side.
- Is real estate commission negotiable in California?
- Yes. Commission rates are set by agreement between you and your agent, not by law or by any MLS, in California or anywhere else in the US. Since the August 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation in particular is negotiated separately rather than automatically bundled into one listing-side rate.