Key Takeaways
- Property, real estate, and community association managers earn a median $62,210 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024), but total labor costs run 25 to 40 percent above stated wages once taxes, benefits, and recruiting are added
- Leasing consultants and property coordinators average $35,000 to $50,000 in base pay, making them the highest-turnover and most frequently replaced roles in the staffing mix
- The National Apartment Association estimates annualized turnover in property management at 33 percent or higher for site-level staff, with each departure costing roughly 50 to 75 percent of annual salary to replace
- Maintenance coordination and work-order management can be handled remotely for $9,000 to $18,000 per year per seat versus $45,000 to $58,000 for an equivalent onsite hire
- Mid-sized property management companies managing 300 to 2,000 units typically spend $180,000 to $600,000 per year on administrative and leasing staff alone, excluding property managers and maintenance technicians
Property management industry staffing costs 2026: what operators are spending
Property management runs on staff. A company managing 50 units still needs someone to answer maintenance calls, process applications, and send owner reports. At 500 units, that workload splits across a leasing consultant, a bookkeeper, and a maintenance coordinator, each carrying a wage, a benefits burden, a recruiting cost, and a replacement cost when they leave.
In 2026, those costs are squeezing margins. Median wages for property managers and leasing staff have risen faster than rent growth in many markets, while the National Apartment Association's 2024 benchmarking data shows site-level annual turnover at around 33 percent. A company replacing one-third of its leasing and admin staff every year is effectively running a permanent recruiting operation on top of its normal operations budget.
The data below draws on Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data (May 2024), NAA and NARPM benchmarking surveys, Payscale and Glassdoor compensation data for 2025, Robert Half's 2025 Salary Guide, and SHRM turnover research. For related context, see the real estate industry staffing costs 2026 research.
1. Property manager wages: the national baseline
The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks property, real estate, and community association managers under SOC code 11-9141. The May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey covers approximately 323,820 positions in this category nationally.
Property, real estate, and community association managers, May 2024 (BLS OEWS)
| Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,860 |
| 25th percentile | $43,290 |
| Median (50th) | $62,210 |
| 75th percentile | $89,240 |
| 90th percentile | $130,070 |
| Mean | $76,750 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2024 (SOC 11-9141)
The gap between the median ($62,210) and the mean ($76,750) reflects the wide distribution of the role. A resident manager at a 60-unit apartment complex and a regional property manager overseeing 1,200 units for a multi-family REIT both fall under this SOC code. Residential-only operators typically see their property manager salaries cluster between $50,000 and $75,000 nationally.
Metro-level variation
Geography reshapes these figures substantially. BLS metropolitan-area data for May 2024 shows:
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: mean annual wage $119,890
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: mean annual wage $103,450
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: mean annual wage $96,210
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: mean annual wage $72,380
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: mean annual wage $68,940
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA: mean annual wage $66,150
- Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN: mean annual wage $57,830
Source: BLS OEWS Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Data, May 2024
Operators in high-cost metros can expect property manager base salaries 40 to 90 percent above the national median. Portfolio bonuses and incentive structures often add another 8 to 15 percent on top of base in markets with heavy competition for experienced managers.
2. Leasing consultant and leasing agent compensation
Leasing consultants are typically the highest-turnover and most frequently hired category in the property management staffing mix. They work directly with prospects, conduct tours, process applications, and execute lease agreements. The role is entry-to-mid-level, which keeps base pay relatively low but also means the talent pool is competitive and churn is high.
Leasing consultant wage ranges, 2025
| Data source | Median base (national) | Typical total comp range |
|---|---|---|
| Payscale 2025 | $38,400 | $31,000-$52,000 |
| Glassdoor employer data 2025 | $40,100 | $34,000-$54,000 |
| Robert Half 2025 Salary Guide (property admin) | $42,000-$50,000 | varies by market |
| Indeed employer-reported data (Q1 2025) | $37,200 | $30,000-$48,000 |
Sources: Payscale 2025 Compensation Data; Glassdoor employer reports 2025; Robert Half 2025 Salary Guide
Commission and bonus structures vary widely. Many residential property management firms pay leasing consultants a per-lease bonus of $100 to $350 per executed lease, plus a renewal bonus of $50 to $150 per renewal processed. At a 200-unit property with 50 to 60 new leases and 120 to 140 renewals annually, a leasing consultant might earn $5,000 to $12,000 in bonuses on top of base.
For commercial property management, the leasing function often carries a larger commission component. BOMA International's 2024 salary survey data shows commercial leasing coordinators averaging $55,000 to $72,000 in base pay, with commission potential of an additional $10,000 to $30,000 depending on deal volume.
3. Maintenance coordinator and facilities admin wages
Maintenance coordinators dispatch work orders, communicate with vendors, schedule technicians, and track completion. A slow or disorganized coordinator shows up quickly in resident satisfaction scores, online reviews, and renewal rates.
BLS tracks property maintenance workers under multiple SOC codes. Maintenance and repair workers (SOC 49-9071) showed a median annual wage of $46,900 in May 2024, with maintenance supervisors (SOC 49-1011) at a median of $59,930. Maintenance coordinators who handle scheduling and administrative work rather than hands-on repairs are classified closer to administrative support and typically earn:
| Role | National median (2025 benchmarks) |
|---|---|
| Maintenance coordinator (admin-focused) | $41,000-$52,000 |
| Maintenance supervisor | $56,000-$68,000 |
| Facilities manager | $74,000-$98,000 |
| Vendor relations coordinator | $44,000-$58,000 |
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024; Payscale 2025; Glassdoor employer data 2025
Work-order volume is the primary driver of maintenance staffing ratios. NARPM's 2024 Operations Survey indicates that residential property management companies typically assign one maintenance coordinator per 150 to 300 units, depending on property age, maintenance intensity, and vendor network maturity.
4. Administrative and bookkeeping staff
Back-office administrative roles, including office managers, bookkeepers, accounts payable clerks, and administrative assistants, represent a significant but often under-counted portion of total property management labor spend. These roles process rents, handle vendor invoices, maintain tenant files, prepare owner reports, and support compliance.
BLS wage data for administrative roles in real estate and rental/leasing (NAICS 53), May 2024
| Role | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks | $46,960 |
| Administrative assistants | $46,270 |
| Office managers | $57,310 |
| Customer service representatives | $40,290 |
| Billing and posting clerks | $44,880 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS Industry-Specific Data, Real Estate and Rental and Leasing (NAICS 53), May 2024
For small and mid-sized property management companies (under 500 units), a single bookkeeper or office manager often handles all of these functions. Larger operators typically divide the work across dedicated AP clerks, a controller, and an office manager.
5. The fully loaded labor cost: beyond base salary
Base wages are only part of the story. Employers carry additional costs on every W-2 hire that push the fully loaded cost 25 to 40 percent above stated salary. These costs are not discretionary: FICA, FUTA, and state unemployment taxes are mandatory, and health insurance has become an expected benefit in the property management sector.
Typical employer cost add-ons per W-2 hire
| Cost category | Typical range (% of base salary) |
|---|---|
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | 7.65% |
| Federal unemployment (FUTA) | 0.6% (on first $7,000) |
| State unemployment (SUTA) | 1.0-5.4% (varies by state) |
| Health insurance employer contribution | 5-12% |
| Paid time off and holidays | 4-6% |
| Workers' compensation | 1-4% |
| Recruiting, onboarding, training | 8-15% (first year) |
| Equipment, software licenses, workspace | 3-8% |
Sources: IRS Publication 15 (2025); SHRM Benefits Survey 2024; NARPM Operations Survey 2024
For a leasing consultant earning $40,000 base, these add-ons bring the true annual cost to $50,000 to $56,000. For a property manager at $65,000 base, the fully loaded cost runs $81,000 to $91,000. The 1.25x-1.40x multiplier holds consistently across roles.
6. Turnover costs: the hidden budget line
Property management has a turnover problem. The National Apartment Association's 2024 Apartment Staffing Study found that annualized voluntary and involuntary turnover for leasing and site-level staff was approximately 33 percent. That means a company with 30 employees in these roles is replacing roughly 10 people per year.
SHRM's 2022 benchmarking data (the most recent comprehensive study) pegged average replacement cost at 50 to 200 percent of annual salary for non-exempt and exempt roles, respectively. For property management's most common hire points:
Estimated replacement costs by role (2025)
| Role | Median base | Replacement cost estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Leasing consultant | $40,000 | $20,000-$30,000 |
| Property manager | $62,000 | $31,000-$62,000 |
| Maintenance coordinator | $47,000 | $23,500-$35,000 |
| Administrative assistant | $46,000 | $23,000-$34,500 |
Sources: SHRM Human Capital Benchmarking Report 2022; NAA Apartment Staffing Study 2024
Replacement costs include advertising and recruiting fees, manager time spent interviewing, onboarding and training time, productivity loss during ramp-up (typically 60 to 90 days for leasing roles), and the increased error rate and missed follow-up that occurs in the gap. For leasing roles specifically, a vacant or undertrained seat can mean 5 to 15 unrented apartments per month, each representing lost rental income.
A property management company with $8 million in annual revenue that experiences 33 percent annual turnover across 20 site-level positions is absorbing $270,000 to $560,000 in annualized replacement costs, based on these benchmarks. Most operators cannot identify this cost in their P&L because it is diffused across payroll, recruiting, and productivity line items.
7. Staffing mix comparison: onsite vs. outsourced vs. virtual support
Property management companies now run a mix of onsite staff, outsourced services, and remote support. The cost profiles are meaningfully different.
Cost per seat by staffing model (annual, 2025)
| Function | Onsite W-2 hire | BPO/outsourced | Offshore virtual assistant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leasing coordinator | $50,000-$60,000 (fully loaded) | $28,000-$40,000 | $9,000-$15,000 |
| Maintenance coordinator | $52,000-$65,000 (fully loaded) | $30,000-$42,000 | $10,000-$18,000 |
| Admin / bookkeeping | $52,000-$70,000 (fully loaded) | $28,000-$38,000 | $9,000-$14,000 |
| Property manager (oversight) | $80,000-$100,000 (fully loaded) | Not typically outsourced | $18,000-$28,000 (partial support) |
| Owner reporting / communications | $45,000-$58,000 (fully loaded) | $22,000-$32,000 | $9,000-$14,000 |
Sources: Industry salary benchmarks (BLS, Glassdoor, Payscale 2024-2025); Stealth Agents pricing data; NARPM Operations Survey 2024
Where each model fits
Some roles cannot be done remotely: in-person leasing tours, move-in/move-out inspections, and hands-on maintenance coordination require physical presence and local knowledge. Those stay onsite.
Outsourced BPO arrangements work for call center functions, after-hours answering, and bulk data entry. Savings over direct hires run 30 to 50 percent, but quality control can be inconsistent and vendor management is its own overhead.
Offshore virtual assistants are the most cost-competitive option for administrative, bookkeeping, maintenance dispatch coordination, and owner communications. Any function that runs over phone, email, and property management software (AppFolio, Buildium, Yardi, Rent Manager) is a candidate for remote delivery. At $9,000 to $18,000 per seat annually, the cost is 65 to 80 percent below a fully loaded onsite hire. See the cost of hiring a virtual assistant 2026 and real estate virtual assistant hiring costs research for detailed rate breakdowns.
8. What mid-sized operators actually spend: a benchmarked model
To translate these per-seat figures into a realistic budget picture, consider a property management company managing 800 residential units across 5 properties.
Illustrative staffing model: 800-unit residential PM company
| Role | Headcount | Fully loaded annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Property managers (senior) | 3 | $81,000-$91,000 each |
| Leasing consultants | 4 | $50,000-$56,000 each |
| Maintenance coordinators | 3 | $52,000-$65,000 each |
| Administrative / bookkeeping | 2 | $52,000-$70,000 each |
| Office manager | 1 | $68,000-$80,000 |
| Total onsite labor | 13 | $913,000-$1,118,000 |
Based on BLS May 2024 wage data and standard employer burden calculations
That total labor spend of roughly $913,000 to $1.1 million represents 11 to 14 percent of gross revenue for an 800-unit company billing $80 to $100 per unit per month in management fees plus leasing and maintenance markups.
Companies that shift 3 to 4 administrative, leasing coordination, and maintenance dispatch roles to offshore virtual support can reduce that line by $120,000 to $180,000 annually, bringing total labor spend to 9 to 11 percent of revenue, a 2 to 3 percentage point margin improvement without reducing service output.
9. Cost drivers beyond wages
Portfolio growth without proportional headcount
Property management operators who hold costs down as they grow tend to do it the same way: technology investments that reduce administrative work per unit, combined with remote support for coordination and reporting. AppFolio AI leasing tools, automated rent reminders, and digital maintenance request portals each cut the manual work that would otherwise require an additional hire. Companies that run this combination can push managed units per FTE from 100 to 120 up to 180 to 240, without a proportional headcount increase.
Benefits inflation
Health insurance has gotten expensive fast. The Kaiser Family Foundation 2024 Employer Health Benefits Survey found average employer contributions for single-employee coverage at $8,435 per year, up from $7,911 in 2022. For a 13-person property management team, that is $109,000 to $132,000 in annual health insurance contributions before any cost-sharing adjustments.
Licensing and training
Property managers in most states must hold a real estate broker's license or property manager license. California requires a broker's license for most property management work; Florida requires a real estate license for leasing activity. Licensing fees and CE requirements vary, but the more consistent cost is time: new hires typically need 30 to 60 days before they are fully productive and compliant.
Software licensing
Yardi Voyager, AppFolio Property Manager, and Buildium all charge per-unit or per-seat fees that scale with portfolio size. At 800 units on AppFolio, expect $1,800 to $3,200 per month in software fees, or $21,600 to $38,400 annually. This cost does not appear in wage benchmarks but affects total cost per managed unit meaningfully.
10. Where operators actually reduce costs
Move portable functions to remote staff
Owner reporting, AP processing, delinquency tracking, renewal outreach, and maintenance dispatch coordination do not require physical presence. Each of those seats costs $9,000 to $18,000 per year when staffed remotely versus $50,000 to $65,000 fully loaded onsite. Stealth Agents' property management virtual assistant services covers these workflows.
Set staffing ratios and hold them
NARPM benchmarks 150 to 300 units per property manager. Operators who hit 200 to 300 units per manager tend to get there by offloading administrative and coordination work to support staff or remote assistants, not by making managers absorb more.
Spend on retention before you spend on recruiting
A leasing consultant departure costs $20,000 to $30,000 to replace. Spending $3,000 to $5,000 per year per employee on retention (spot bonuses, schedule flexibility, 90-day structured check-ins) is cheaper. NAA's 2024 data shows that companies with formal onboarding and check-in programs run leasing staff turnover 8 to 12 percentage points below industry average.
Cover after-hours with a different model
W-2 employees covering maintenance emergency lines and after-hours leasing calls are expensive for the volume they handle. After-hours answering services or trained remote staff in overlapping time zones handle that demand at 40 to 60 percent of the cost of a dedicated FTE.
For broader context on real estate and property management labor structures, see the real estate industry staffing costs 2026 research.
Key takeaways
The stated wage is rarely what a property management hire actually costs. Add FICA, health insurance, PTO, workers' comp, and first-year recruiting, and the number is 25 to 40 percent higher before the employee processes a single application.
Layer in turnover, and the picture gets worse. At 33 percent annual site-level turnover across a 13-person team, a company is replacing four or five people per year at $20,000 to $30,000 per departure. That is $80,000 to $150,000 in replacement spend that does not appear as a line item on the P&L.
The operators who run lowest labor cost per managed unit do not just hire more carefully. They change the mix: onsite staff for work that requires physical presence, remote support for everything that runs over software and a phone. At $9,000 to $18,000 per seat for trained offshore support versus $50,000 to $65,000 fully loaded onsite, the margin math on three or four remote seats adds up quickly.
Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 - SOC 11-9141 (Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers). bls.gov/oes
- Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2024 - NAICS 53 (Real Estate and Rental and Leasing) industry-specific data. bls.gov/oes
- Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS Metropolitan Area Data, May 2024. bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm
- Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2024 - SOC 49-9071 (Maintenance and Repair Workers) and SOC 49-1011 (First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers). bls.gov/oes
- National Apartment Association, Apartment Staffing Study 2024. naahq.org
- National Apartment Association, Survey of Operating Income and Expenses in Rental Apartment Communities 2024. naahq.org
- National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM), Operations Survey 2024. narpm.org
- BOMA International, 2024 Salary and Compensation Survey. boma.org
- Payscale, Leasing Consultant and Property Manager Compensation Reports, 2025. payscale.com
- Glassdoor, Property Management Role Compensation Data (employer-reported), Q1-Q2 2025. glassdoor.com
- Robert Half, 2025 Salary Guide: Administrative and Customer Support. roberthalf.com/salary-guide
- SHRM, Human Capital Benchmarking Report 2022. shrm.org
- Kaiser Family Foundation, 2024 Employer Health Benefits Survey. kff.org/health-costs
- Indeed, Property Management Job Postings and Employer-Reported Compensation Data, Q1 2025. indeed.com
- IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, 2025. irs.gov
- AppFolio, Buildium, Yardi Voyager pricing documentation (publicly available), 2025.
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