How Much Do Auctioneers Make A Year?

Article Content:
How Much Money Do Auctioneers Make? 
Auctioneer job market outlook. 
Education
Competition
Work Style
Best Locations
Work Force
Part Time Work 

At elegant New York galleries like Christie's and Sotheby's, the mood is restrained and the objects on sale may be Impressionist paintings worth millions. Out West, the merchandise may be cattle, and the atmosphere livelier. In an affluent suburb anywhere in the country, it may be the contents of a home, the owner recently deceased or bankrupt with everything from furniture to silverware going to the highest bidder. In an industrial town, it might be every piece of machinery and equipment in a recently closed plant, the buying audience made up of representatives from other local industries, looking for a bargain. In Hollywood, it might be the ruby slippers Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz or a hat that once belonged to Clark Gable being auctioned off for a good cause. 


You can and probably should go to auctioneering school, but the job requires knowing your merchandise as much as your craft. So, if you're interested in this career, choose a specialty (from 19th-century art to factory equipment) and start turning yourself into an expert. If you want to become a livestock auctioneer, for instance, a degree in agriculture could help you get hired. And a degree in electrical engineering would be an asset if you want to make a career as an industrial or commercial auctioneer. How can you describe your merchandise in detail, know where to start the bidding, and be sure you're getting your employer or client a fair price unless you're dealing with things you know well? 


A flair for the theatrical couldn't hurt, either. "The auctioneer is performing, and it's a free show for the people who come," agrees Michael White, president of the New York based Auctioneers Association and General Manager of Tupper Galleries. "It's glamorous, not only because of the merchandise, but because they can see celebrities and big dealers come in to buy." 

But the competition to break in can be forbidding. "It's a closed field in many ways," says one New York art expert. The National Auctioneers Association doesn't report statistics on employment or earnings and does not provide career information to those interested in entering the occupation. 

One recommended road to success is to get a job even as a clerk with a company that employs auctioneers, make your interests and abilities known to your supervisors, and work your way into the job from the inside. You may choose to stay on as a salaried auctioneer or leave to become an independent, being hired to handle individual events as they arise. Auctioneers may work on salary, on a commission of what they sell, or by an arrangement that combines the two. 

How Much Do Auctioneers Make?

Yearly Salary $58,200
Monthly Salary  $4,700
Weekly Salary $1,200
Hourly Salary  $29

Job Market Outlook: 

No official projection, but signs are favorable. More and more merchandise is being sold through the auction process. 

Education: 

Auctioneering schools from Billings, Montana, to North Palm Beach, Florida, now offer formal training, and a few offer home-study courses. Formal apprenticeship programs exist in some locations. Many municipalities, including New York, require licensing. 

Perfect Your Speed Talking at This Auction School

Competition: 

Very stiff in the art field, more moderate in other specialties such as industrial or livestock auctioneering. 

Work Style: 

"Onstage" in a fast-paced combination of theatrical performance and business deal. 

Best Locations: 

Varies by specialty but opportunities for some kind of auctioneering exist throughout the U.S. 

Young Cattle Auctioneer Champion


Work Force: 

59 percent male, 41 percent female. Minority figures unavailable. 

Part-Time Work Available: 

Independent auctioneers can set their own schedules.

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