Income estimator

What your first year can look like

Tell us what you can build — real estate agents, people you know, leads from the company — and how you’ll be paid. We fill in typical numbers for everything else, then show a likely range, because nobody can predict a beginner’s first year exactly.

Where will your loans come from?

Each sends about 3.5 buyers a year once you work together — about 1.4 closed loans.

Friends, family, coworkers — and people they refer. About 30% of them end up closing with you.

Ask the company; enter 0 if it doesn’t give leads. About 3.5% of them close.

Your pipeline, once it’s built
23 closed loans a year
About 1.9 a month, from about 23 new leads a month.
Agents 11People you know 3.6Company leads 8.4

Your own estimates for a full-time first year. Working part time? Use about half.

How will you be paid?

Not sure? Leave commission only — it’s how most loan officers are paid.

Typical home price where you’ll work

Search your city’s median sale price on Zillow or Redfin. Not sure? Use the U.S. typical price.

When will you start taking clients?
▼

Your first month licensed and working — after the course and the exam.

Year 1 pay, before taxes
$29,000
Likely between $14,000 and $48,000. After $400 a month in work costs: $24,000.
Year 2
$63,000
Likely $31,000–$106,000
First loan closes
Month 5
Nov · could be month 4–6
Loans in year 1
12
23 a year once your pipeline is built
Each loan pays you
$3,500
on a $350k loan you bring in · $1,800 on a company lead
In plain words

Once your pipeline is built, about 23 new leads a month reach you — 2.3 from your 8 agents, 1 from people you know and 20 from the company. About 1.9 of them close each month. A loan you bring in pays you about $3,500; a company lead about $1,800. Agent referrals take about 6 months to build up. Each check arrives about 4 months after a buyer’s first conversation with you.

Pay by month

Start: Jul · flat rates · tap a month for details

$1k$8k$3k$15k$4k$23k$5k$30kMonthlyRunning totalJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
Commission paid that monthRunning total
Selected
Month 1 · Jul
Closings
0.0
0.0 buy · 0.0 refi
Paid
$0
−$400 after $400 costs
Running total
$0
0.0 loans so far

How this compares

  • Volume

    About 1.9 loans a month once your pipeline is built — below the 2–4 an average loan officer closes. Normal for year one.

  • Pay

    Year 2 at about $63,000. The median for all loan officers, including veterans, is $76,690 a year (BLS, May 2025).

  • The first six months

    About $5,500 in your first six months. Have savings, a second income or a draw lined up for that stretch.

  • How to raise it

    Each agent partner you add brings about 1.4 loans and $4,800 a year. Every 3 people you know who may buy add about one more loan.

Before you accept a job, ask

The answers are your real numbers. Put them into “Fine-tune the assumptions” to replace our typical ones.

  1. 1How many basis points do I keep per loan — and is it less on company leads?
  2. 2Is there a base salary or a draw? If it’s a draw, do I have to pay it back?
  3. 3How many leads a month does the company give a new loan officer?
  4. 4Who pays for leads, licensing and software? Are there desk or tech fees?
  5. 5Will a processor handle the paperwork, or will I?

Planning estimate only — not a pay promise, income guarantee or offer of employment. Pay is shown before taxes; your own pay plan, fees and chargebacks will differ. The counts you enter are your own estimates; “Likely” varies how many leads your sources really send and how many close, a third lower and higher. Typical numbers come from published industry data: agent transactions (NAR, 2024) and agents’ influence on lender choice (Campbell Surveys); loan officer pay structures and lead-source pay tiers (OnCourse Learning, BalancedComp, HousingWire); down payments and home prices (NAR, 2025); originator production (STRATMOR / MMI, latest published); closing times (ICE Mortgage Monitor, 2025–Mar 2026); and median pay (BLS, May 2025). Referral and lead close rates are lead-vendor estimates.

Next

One more tool before you decide

See the 8-month program
Wonder RatesCareer self-check

Should you become a loan officer?

Twelve quick questions about your background, sales comfort, network and savings. Get a fit score, your most likely way in, and what to do next.

  • 12 questions
  • Fit score
  • Entry path
  • English & Tiếng Việt
Equal Housing Opportunity. Equal Housing Lender. DRE#02047445. DFPI#60DBO-59134. NMLS#1518655