A property manager keeps a building or community running smoothly for its owners and residents.
It is a people-and-paperwork job that mixes leasing, maintenance, budgets and problem solving, and it is found in apartment complexes, shopping centers, office buildings and homeowner associations.
This guide explains what property managers do each day, the skills and requirements employers expect, what the work is like, what they earn and how to become one in the United States.
The BLS groups them with real estate and community association managers, and all numbers come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET unless noted.
Licensing rules vary by state, so check your state’s requirements before you apply.
Quick jump: Daily dutiesSkillsRequirementsQualificationsWork environmentSalaryOutlookCareer pathHow to becomeJob facts
Property Manager Daily Duties and Responsibilities
Duties change by property type, but most days follow the same flow: inspect, lease, resolve problems, handle the money and report to the owner.
| Part of the day | Typical duties |
|---|---|
| Start of day | Check email, maintenance requests, emergency calls and the day’s showings |
| Morning | Inspect the grounds, building facilities and equipment, and meet with maintenance staff |
| Leasing | Meet prospective tenants, show units and explain the lease and terms of occupancy |
| Midday | Take resident calls and investigate and settle complaints, disturbances and violations |
| Afternoon | Collect rent, process bills, review contractor bids and keep records of rental activity |
| Reporting | Prepare budgets and financial reports and update owners on occupancy and lease expirations |
| End of day | Review open work orders and plan the next day; some managers respond to emergencies after hours |
Here is the full list of property manager duties and responsibilities, based on O*NET and the BLS:
| Duty | What it means on the job |
|---|---|
| Oversee property operations | Manage the operations, maintenance, administration and improvement of residential, commercial or industrial properties |
| Lease and market units | Show properties, explain lease terms and market vacant space through leasing agents, advertising or other methods |
| Screen tenants | Determine and certify the eligibility of prospective tenants, following government regulations |
| Collect rent and fees | Direct the collection of monthly fees, rents and deposits |
| Handle bills and expenses | Process or delegate the handling of insurance, maintenance, staff costs, taxes and other operating costs |
| Prepare budgets and reports | Prepare detailed budgets and financial reports for properties |
| Inspect the property | Inspect grounds, facilities and equipment routinely to decide what repairs or maintenance are needed |
| Coordinate maintenance and repairs | Plan, schedule and coordinate maintenance, major repairs and remodeling projects |
| Hire and manage vendors | Solicit and analyze contractor bids and contract for landscaping, trash removal, security and other services |
| Direct staff | Direct and coordinate staff and contract personnel and evaluate their performance |
| Resolve complaints | Investigate and settle complaints, disturbances and violations under management rules |
| Work with owners and boards | Act as a liaison between tenants, on-site managers and owners, and meet with boards of directors and committees |
| Follow fair housing laws | Follow anti-discrimination laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Federal Fair Housing Amendment Act when advertising or leasing |
| Keep records | Keep records of rental activity, owner requests, maintenance and operating costs |
Property Manager Skills
Employers look for practical property and finance skills, and for the people skills that keep residents and owners satisfied.
Hard skills
| Skill | How you use it |
|---|---|
| Leasing and sales | Showing units, explaining terms and marketing vacancies |
| Budgeting and financial reporting | Budgets, rent rolls and reports for owners; O*NET lists management of financial resources |
| Property management software | Yardi is listed by O*NET as in demand, along with Microsoft Office, Excel, Word and Outlook |
| Accounting tools | Intuit QuickBooks is listed by O*NET as a hot technology |
| Maintenance coordination | Scheduling repairs, inspecting facilities and managing contractors |
| Contracts and bids | Preparing contracts and comparing contractor bids |
| Fair housing and landlord-tenant rules | Following anti-discrimination and housing laws |
| Marketing | Advertising vacancies; O*NET lists Google Analytics and social media among hot technologies |
Soft skills
| Quality | What the BLS and O*NET say |
|---|---|
| Communication skills | Speak and write clearly with tenants, owners and staff (BLS) |
| Customer-service skills | Treat residents and owners well (BLS) |
| Interpersonal and listening skills | Work with many types of people and listen to concerns (BLS) |
| Organizational skills | Keep track of leases, budgets, work orders and deadlines (BLS) |
| Problem-solving skills | Resolve complaints and repair issues quickly (BLS) |
| Essential skills | O*NET lists reading comprehension, speaking, active listening, critical thinking, writing, monitoring, active learning and mathematics |
| Work styles | O*NET lists leadership orientation, social orientation, integrity, attention to detail and dependability |
Property Manager Position Requirements
| Requirement | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Education | A high school diploma or equivalent is typical for onsite positions; employers may prefer college graduates for commercial roles that oversee finances or contracts (BLS). In the O*NET new-hire survey, 48% said a bachelor’s degree, 22% an associate’s degree and 15% some college |
| Experience | Less than 5 years in a related occupation, such as real estate sales or customer service (BLS) |
| Training | Short-term on-the-job training; employers typically require formal training through professional real estate associations (BLS) |
| License | Some states require a state-issued license; in most states, property managers need a property management license or a real estate broker’s license, and managers who buy or sell property need a real estate license (BLS) |
| Community association managers | Some states also require a license for them (BLS) |
| Subsidized housing | Managers of federally subsidized public housing must hold certifications (BLS) |
| Job Zone | O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4, which calls for considerable preparation |
Requirements vary by state and employer, so read each posting closely before you apply.
Property Manager Qualifications
Requirements are the minimum to apply. Qualifications are what make a candidate stand out.
| Qualification | What employers look for |
|---|---|
| Minimum qualifications | A high school diploma or equivalent, customer-service experience and a valid state license where required |
| Preferred education | A degree in business administration, accounting, finance, real estate or public administration, which the BLS lists as relevant fields |
| Preferred experience | Several years in a related job, such as leasing, real estate sales, customer service or maintenance coordination |
| Professional designation | Completing a program from a professional real estate association and passing a written exam may lead to certification or a designation (BLS) |
| Tool skills | Property management software such as Yardi, Excel, QuickBooks and Microsoft Office |
| Specialty | Onsite, commercial, community association or asset management, the specialties named by the BLS |
| Core abilities | Communication, organization, problem solving and dependability |
Property Manager Work Environment
| Work condition | What property managers report (O*NET) |
|---|---|
| 100% use email every day | |
| Face-to-face talks | 81% say they have face-to-face discussions every day |
| Phone | 74% say they talk on the telephone every day |
| Hours | 59% say a typical week is more than 40 hours |
| Freedom | 63% say they have a lot of freedom to determine tasks, priorities and goals |
| Indoors | 78% say they work indoors in a controlled environment every day |
| Conflict | 41% say conflict situations come up once a month or more, but not every week |
| Setting | Usually an office, but much of the day may go to showing units, checking on maintenance staff or investigating resident problems (BLS) |
| After hours | Managers may respond to emergencies off duty or attend evening meetings, and some must live onsite (BLS) |
The BLS describes four common specialties: property and real estate managers, community association managers, onsite property managers and real estate asset managers.
Where property managers work
| Industry | Share of jobs | Median salary (May 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate | 56% | $64,290 |
| Self-employed workers | 31% | Not reported |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional and similar organizations | 2% | $73,620 |
Property Manager Salary
The BLS reports a May 2025 median salary of $69,990 a year ($33.65 an hour) for property, real estate and community association managers, compared with $106,770 for other management occupations and $50,980 for all occupations. By industry, religious, grantmaking, civic, professional and similar organizations has the highest median among the industries listed at $73,620, and real estate is $64,290. The BLS wage data excludes self-employed workers.
| BLS measure (May 2025) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $69,990 |
| Median hourly salary | $33.65 |
| Lowest 10% earned less than | $41,010 |
| Highest 10% earned more than | $139,680 |
| Other management occupations, median | $106,770 |
| All occupations, median | $50,980 |
Your salary depends on your state, property type, portfolio size and experience.
Property Manager Job Outlook
The BLS projects employment of property, real estate and community association managers to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the 3% average for all occupations, adding about 17,100 jobs to reach 477,600. About 36,900 openings are projected each year, mostly from workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the workforce, such as retirees. The BLS says growth comes from more people living in buildings that property management companies manage, such as apartments, condos, cooperatives, planned communities and senior housing, and from single-family housing growth that needs managers for shared areas and homeowner association rules. Automation of tasks such as posting vacancies and assigning maintenance requests may slow growth.
Property Manager Career Path
The BLS describes a typical path from onsite manager to assistant property manager to property manager. Experienced managers may oversee several properties or open their own firms. O*NET lists related titles such as apartment manager, commercial property manager, community association manager, leasing manager and resident manager.
Property management experience also connects to other careers:
| Related job | Typical entry education | Median salary (May 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative services and facilities managers | Bachelor’s degree | $110,500 |
| Food service managers | High school diploma or equivalent | $69,390 |
| Lodging managers | High school diploma or equivalent | $69,250 |
| Real estate brokers and sales agents | High school diploma or equivalent | $57,400 |
How to Become a Property Manager
- Finish school. A high school diploma or equivalent is typical for onsite jobs; a degree in business, accounting, finance or real estate can help for commercial roles.
- Build related experience. Start in a role such as leasing, real estate sales or customer service, or as an onsite manager.
- Learn the rules. Study fair housing laws and your state’s licensing requirements.
- Get licensed or certified. Get the property management license or real estate broker’s license your state requires, and consider an association program that ends in a written exam.
- Apply and show your strengths. Highlight organization, communication and any experience with leases, budgets and maintenance.
Is this job right for you?
- Do you enjoy working with many types of people?
- Can you stay calm when a resident calls with an urgent problem?
- Are you organized enough to track leases, budgets and work orders?
- Are you comfortable with evening meetings or after-hours emergencies?
- Do you want a path from onsite manager to running several properties?
Property Manager Job Facts at a Glance
| Quick fact | What to know |
|---|---|
| What property managers do | Oversee residential, commercial or industrial properties: leasing, rent collection, upkeep, budgets and tenant or owner relations |
| Median salary (May 2025) | $69,990 a year, or $33.65 an hour (BLS) |
| Jobs in 2025 | About 460,400 |
| Job outlook, 2025 to 2035 | 4% growth, about as fast as average; about 36,900 openings a year |
| Education | A high school diploma or equivalent is typical for onsite jobs; employers may prefer a degree for commercial roles |
| Experience and training | Less than 5 years in a related job; short-term on-the-job training (BLS) |
| License | Many states require a property management or real estate broker’s license |
| Top employer type | Real estate, at 56% of jobs; 31% are self-employed |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a property manager do?
Property, real estate and community association managers oversee many aspects of residential, commercial or industrial properties. They show properties, explain leases, collect rent, inspect facilities, arrange repairs, process bills, settle complaints and prepare budgets and reports.
What are the main duties of a property manager?
Leasing and marketing units, screening tenants, collecting rent, handling bills, inspecting the property, coordinating maintenance and contractors, managing staff, resolving complaints, following fair housing laws and keeping records.
What skills does a property manager need?
The BLS lists communication, customer-service, interpersonal, listening, organizational and problem-solving skills. O*NET adds budgeting, negotiation, time management and software such as Yardi, Excel and QuickBooks.
What education do you need to be a property manager?
A high school diploma or equivalent is typical for onsite positions, according to the BLS. Employers may prefer a college degree for commercial roles that oversee finances or contracts.
Do property managers need a license?
Often, yes. In most states, property managers need a property management license or a real estate broker’s license, and managers who buy or sell property need a real estate license. Rules vary by state, so check with your state’s real estate board.
How much experience do you need?
The BLS lists less than 5 years in a related occupation, such as real estate sales or customer service, plus short-term on-the-job training.
How much do property managers make?
The BLS reports a May 2025 median salary of $69,990 a year ($33.65 an hour). The lowest 10% earned less than $41,010 and the highest 10% earned more than $139,680.
Where do property managers work?
Real estate employs 56% of property, real estate and community association managers, and 31% are self-employed. Many work in an office but spend time on the property itself.
Is property management stressful?
It can be. O*NET reports that 59% work more than 40 hours in a typical week, and the BLS says managers may respond to emergencies off duty, attend evening meetings and sometimes live onsite.
What is the job outlook for property managers?
The BLS projects employment to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as average, with about 36,900 openings a year. Growth comes from more people living in managed buildings, while automation of tasks such as posting vacancies and assigning maintenance requests may slow it.
Conclusion
A property manager protects an owner’s investment and gives residents a safe, well-kept place to live or work. With organization, people skills, the right license and some related experience, you can build a steady career with room to grow. If you are ready to apply, use the resources below to prepare.
Related Reading
- Property manager interview questions and answers
- Residential property manager resume sample
- Property manager resume objective examples
- Assistant property manager resume example
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers. O*NET OnLine, 11-9141.00 Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers. Requirements vary by state and employer; check the posting and your state’s real estate board before you apply.