Management · Career brief

Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$69,990

Above the middle on pay

2025 national median. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

3.7%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

36,900

Lots of annual openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

High school

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent + related experience. Related work experience is typically required.

5The work

Persuasive / leading

Influence, decisions, and results matter

Prepare detailed budgets and financial reports for properties.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is opening volume; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if persuasive or leadership-oriented work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a high-school entry path. Main tradeoff: BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

Before choosing, compare:Lodging Managers Food Service Managers Postmasters and Mail Superintendents

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers with another field Explore rankings in Management Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$69,990

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

3.7%employment growth36,900openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

460,400

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Property, real estate, and community association managers (11-9141).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Prepare detailed budgets and financial reports for properties.
Manage and oversee operations, maintenance, administration, and improvement of commercial, industrial, or residential properties.
Plan, schedule, and coordinate general maintenance, major repairs, and remodeling or construction projects for commercial or residential properties.
Direct collection of monthly assessments, rental fees, and deposits and payment of insurance premiums, mortgage, taxes, and incurred operating expenses.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.5
Getting Information4.4
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.4
Working with Computers4.2
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others4.2

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Enterprising6.7
Conventional5.3
Social3.5
Realistic3.3
Investigative2.1
Artistic1.7

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Economics and Accounting Law and Government Public Safety and Security Mathematics

Software and tools named in job postings

Yardi software

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Work through a realistic case with incomplete information: make a recommendation, show the numbers behind it, and defend the tradeoffs.
Ask someone doing this job which feeder role built the required experience, what that earlier job paid, and how long the transition actually took.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Property, real estate, and community association managers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Yardi software; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

Prior related experience: less than 5 years. Look for the preceding roles and promotion route before treating this as a first job.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Lodging Managers, Food Service Managers, Postmasters and Mail Superintendents, Gambling Managers.