The median annual wage of appraisers and assessors of real estate was $48,500 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,920, and the top 10 percent earned more than $90,650.
In May 2010, median annual wages in industries employing the largest numbers of appraisers and assessors were as follows:
| Nondepository credit intermediation | $62,050 |
| Depository credit iintermediation | 58,350 |
| State government | 52,260 |
| Activities related to real estate | 49,000 |
| Local government | 45,370 |
Appraisers and assessors of real estate typically work full time during regular business hours. However, self-employed appraisers, often called “independent fee appraisers,” usually work more than a standard 40-hour workweek, including spending their evenings and weekends writing reports.
Earnings for independent-fee appraisers can vary significantly because they are paid fees on the basis of each appraisal.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition