Are insurance or real estate sales jobs the best?
On One Hand: Wage and Employment OutlookBoth real estate and insurance sales jobs pay wages well above the national average. The U.S. Department of Labor’s 2008 annual wage estimate for insurance sales was $60,440. Its estimate for real estate sales was $54,410. However, licensed real estate brokers who oversee agents can make significantly more than sales agents. Additionally, the Department of Labor expects real estate agent employment to grow faster than insurance sales, though it cautions that beginning real estate agents “face competition from their well-established, more experienced counterparts.”On the Other: Lifestyle FactorsInsurance sales agents tend to have a more traditional 9-to-5 work environment, usually working a 40-hour week. In contrast, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook describes real estate agents as frequently working “more than a standard 40-hour week, often working evenings and weekends for the convenience of clients.”Bottom LineWhether
