Statistically Speaking: Licensee Facts and Figures

Here are a few licensing facts and figures that should be of interest to you as a real estate licensee.

During the 1987-97 decade, the net total increase in the number of individual licensees was only 4,605 (a 6.4% increase). However, the ratio of licensed salesmen to brokers changed significantly. The number of salesmen increased by 9,431 (a 36% increase), while the number of brokers decreased by 4,826 (an 11% decrease).

These changes almost certainly are due to the increases in the broker education requirement in 1981 and 1984. In the near future, there probably will be as many salesmen as brokers - unlike the pre-1979 days, when the ratio was 90% brokers and 10% salesmen.

The total number of licensees peaked at 82,414 in June 1995, just before continuing education was required. Continuing education probably also led to the decrease of 5,659 (7%) in the number of licensees between 1995 and 1997. However, this is considerably smaller than was anticipated during the CE program's planning phase. Based on the current number of licensees (see below), it appears that there will be little or no decrease in licensees this year.

As of March 1998, the number of individual real estate licensees is as follows:

Since 1985, applicants for salesman licenses by examination have outnumbered broker applicants by a ratio of approximately four to one (4:1). The highest number of applicants in one year occurred in 1986-87, when the Commission tested 15,880 candidates.

For the past four years, the total number of applicants taking license examinations each year has been quite consistent, ranging between 8,956 and 9,552. The total in 1996-97 was 9,228.

North Carolina licensees and license applicants enjoy some of the lowest fees in the country. Only two states (Michigan and Kentucky) have license renewal fees lower than North Carolina's $30 renewal fee, and our $30 license application fee is the lowest in the country!