All About A Relocation Consultant Career

You think about becoming a relocation agent but are still not entirely sure whether this career would be great for you or not?

Stick with me since I will show you everything you need to know about being a relocation consultant in the following chapters.

Not only will you learn how much you can make as a relocation specialist, but we will also talk about job prospects, future outlook, work-life balance, duties, educational requirements, job satisfaction and much more.

After reading this article, you will have a much better idea of what working as a relocation specialist really looks like and whether you still want to aspire to such a career or rather want to go for a different job instead.

Without further ado, let’s get right into it!

Table of Contents

What does a Relocation Specialist do?

Relocation specialists organize everything when a client moves to a different country or region.

Not only will they assist their clients with finding a home, but they will also organize the moving process and support clients with doing all the paperwork related to it.

Relocation agents also help their clients with communication issues during the first weeks or months and make sure that they have a good start at their new home.

Responsibilities & Duties of a Relocation Specialist

  • Support clients finding a new home in a different country or region
  • Organizing the moving process
  • Assisting clients with all the paperwork related to moving
  • Making sure that clients have a good start at their new home
  • Assisting clients when it comes to legal topics related to the relocation process
  • Developing relocation strategies
  • Making sure that clients fit local requirements for moving to a specific region
  • Giving clients emotional support in case they are insecure
  • Making sure that clients don’t get ripped off in a foreign country

What a Typical Day of a Relocation Specialist looks like?

Relocation agents usually start their workday between 7 and 9 a.m.

After answering their most important and urgent emails, relocation specialists schedule their appointments.

They either meet up with clients in person or do video calls to figure out the needs and preferences of their clients so that they can offer them the best possible solutions and services for their relocation plans.

Thus, your work will consist of lots of research while you will also have lots of contact with clients and you should therefore be service-oriented to deliver the best possible results.

You should also be friendly and outgoing so that clients recommend your services and you can stay in the game in the long run.

After working in this client-oriented business for many hours, you will finish your workday between 4 and 6 p.m. most often.

Relocation Specialist Salary 2023

Relocation Specialist salary brackets 2023

Salary BracketsSalary (per year)Salary (per hour)
Top 10 %> $69,000> $34.41
Top 25 %$56,000 – $62,000$27.92 – $30.89
Bottom 25 %$38,000 – $45,000$18.95 – $22.47
Bottom 10 %$29,000 – $34,000$14.48 – $16.88
Range$29,000 – $84,000$14.48 – $41.94
Average (Mean)$51,000$25.39
Median$49,000$24.43

Relocation Specialist salary 2023 by expert level

Level of ExperienceSalary (per year)Salary (per hour)
Entry level$29,000 – $38,000$14.48 – $18.95
Junior$36,000 – $44,000$17.92 – $21.89
Professional$42,000 – $54,000$20.93 – $26.87
Senior Professional$51,000 – $59,000$25.46 – $29.41
Expert$56,000 – $72,000$27.88 – $35.94
Top Expert$69,000 – $84,000$34.48 – $41.94

Relocation Specialist salary by state 2023 (average)

StateSalary (per year)Salary (per hour)
Alabama$48,600$24.28
Alaska$52,300$26.12
Arizona$53,100$26.54
Arkansas$46,500$23.23
California$57,200$28.57
Colorado$48,100$24.03
Connecticut$50,600$25.29
Delaware$47,300$23.63
District of Columbia$51,200$25.58
Florida$53,800$26.89
Georgia$49,300$24.62
Guam$51,400$25.68
Hawaii$54,600$27.23
Idaho$47,100$23.54
Illinois$45,900$22.93
Indiana$46,800$23.37
Iowa$51,200$25.56
Kansas$47,800$23.89
Kentucky$46,700$23.32
Louisiana$49,600$24.78
Maine$51,200$25.59
Maryland$55,200$27.58
Massachusetts$53,800$26.87
Michigan$51,900$25.93
Minnesota$52,400$26.18
Mississippi$46,900$23.41
Missouri$44,800$22.38
Montana$48,300$24.14
Nebraska$47,500$23.72
Nevada$49,400$24.68
New Hampshire$50,800$25.39
New Jersey$53,300$26.63
New Mexico$47,100$23.54
New York$58,600$29.27
North Carolina$52,700$26.33
North Dakota$51,100$25.52
Ohio$50,600$25.28
Oklahoma$48,800$24.37
Oregon$49,700$24.83
Pennsylvania$52,400$26.19
Rhode Island$50,200$25.08
South Carolina$49,800$24.89
South Dakota$51,500$25.73
Tennessee$48,600$24.28
Texas$49,700$24.83
Utah$52,800$26.39
Vermont$54,100$27.03
Virginia$53,200$26.58
Washington$56,200$28.09
West Virginia$52,400$26.17
Wisconsin$51,600$25.78
Wyoming$48,300$24.13

Job Security of Relocation Specialists

Relocation specialists have pretty poor job security since there are no high formal educational requirements to be able to work in this field and almost everyone can do it.

Consequently, you will have to compete with many people who also want to succeed in this industry and have to deliver outstanding services to stay in the game in the long run.

Future Outlook of Relocation Specialists

The demand for relocation specialists is decreasing since many people just do all the research work themselves.

Thanks to the internet, it has become pretty easy to find all the information you need to migrate to a different state or country and you don’t have to rely on relocation agencies anymore.

This trend will continue in the future and relocation consultants will therefore have a pretty poor future outlook since many of them will become unemployed just a few years from now.

Working Hours of Relocation Specialists

Most relocation specialists start their workday between 7 and 9 a.m. and finish their workday between 4 and 6 p.m.

Thus, relocation agents have a pretty standard workweek and come home from work rather early compared to investment bankers or financial analysts who often have to work long hours every day and will not have time to meet up with their favorite people after work.

Job Satisfaction of Relocation Specialists

Since relocation specialists don’t make good money and also have to worry about losing their jobs on a regular basis, many relocation consultants are not happy with their careers since they always have to deal with lots of insecurity related to their profession.

Promotion Opportunities of Relocation Specialists

Promotion opportunities for relocation specialists are almost non-existent.

Once you become a relocation agent, you will do the same things for many years or even decades without getting the chance of being promoted anytime soon.

Career Levels of Relocation Specialists

  • Relocation specialist intern
  • Junior relocation consultant
  • Senior relocation consultant
  • Senior relocation consultant leading a team or relocation agents
  • Manager of a relocation business
  • Owner of a relocation business

Fields and Types of Relocation Specialists

  • Relocation specialists focused on people who want to move within a country
  • Relocation agents specialized in moving to foreign countries
  • Relocation consultants focused on students
  • Relocation consultants focused on business people
  • Relocation specialists specialized in doing legal work
  • Relocation agents specialized in housing
  • Relocation consultants organizing the moving process
  • Relocation specialists focused on doing paperwork for their clients
  • Relocation agents specialized in moving to exotic countries

Educational Requirements for Relocation Specialists

You don’t need fancy education to become a relocation specialist.

Instead, educational barriers to entry are pretty low and almost everyone can start working in this field right after finishing high school.

How to become a Relocation Specialist

  1. Inform yourself about the advantages and disadvantages of being a relocation specialist
  2. Apply for an internship at a local relocation agency
  3. Work hard and make a good impression during your internship
  4. Stay in touch with your relocation colleagues
  5. Finish high school
  6. Apply for jobs as a relocation consultant
  7. Master the job interview
  8. Sign your labor contract
  9. Get experience and build a strong reputation
  10. Start your own relocation firm

Character Traits you need as a Relocation Specialist

  • You should be friendly
  • You should be reliable so that clients keep trust in your relocation services
  • You should be a good listener
  • You should be client-focused to build a strong reputation in this industry
  • Ability to deal with difficult people in a healthy manner
  • You should put your clients first
  • You should be open to critical feedback
  • Willingness to work on yourself every day
  • Passion for helping people out
  • Patience helps you deal with snarky comments in an emotionally healthy manner
  • Persistence helps you succeed in the long run

Relocation Specialist Skills

Hard Skills for Relocation Specialists

  • Excellent knowledge of laws, rules and regulations related to moving
  • Good knowledge of foreign housing markets
  • Knowledge of laws of countries your clients want to move to
  • You should have good knowledge of the countries your clients want to move to in general
  • Ability to forecast future relocation trends
  • You should know how to assure safety during the relocation process
  • Good problem-solving skills are a plus
  • Math skills help you run your relocation business in a proper manner
  • Digital skills help you promote your relocation services

Soft Skills for Relocation Specialists

  • Patience for clients who have a bad day
  • Persistence helps you get all the paperwork done
  • Good time management skills help you make the moving process as efficiently as possible
  • Good people skills help you lead a team or relocation consultants
  • You should be client-oriented so that you get recommended to other people
  • Attention to detail helps you stand out from the crowd
  • Good communication skills help you solve conflicts
  • Ability to deal with unfair comments in a healthy manner
  • You should give it your all for your clients

Exit Options for Relocation Specialists

In case you don’t want to work as a relocation specialist anymore, you may still be able to work as a translator or real estate agent.

Relocation Specialist – Similar Careers

Relocation Specialist Career FAQs

Is working as a relocation specialist physically demanding?

Being a relocation specialist is not physically demanding.

Even though you might have to travel quite a lot and this can be exhausting for your body, you will still not have to work with your hands in a hard physical manner as lumberjacks and miners often have to do on a regular basis.

Is working as a relocation specialist mentally demanding?

Working as a relocation specialist is not heavily mentally demanding.

Although you have to use your brain to provide great customer service to your clients, you will still not have to stress your brain as much as financial controllers or other people who often have to work with complex models all day long.

Is it dangerous to work as a relocation specialist?

Working as a relocation agent is not dangerous at all since you will work in a classical office environment for most of your workday and will therefore have a pretty low risk getting involved in accidents or other incidents at work compared to police officers or firefighters who have to risk their lives on a daily basis.

How long do relocation specialists stay in their jobs?

Since relocation consultants are pretty specialized and often have a hard time finding a job in a different industry, they often stay in the relocation sector for many years or even decades since their exit options are pretty limited.

Is it easy for relocation specialists to find a new job?

Since an increasing number of people don’t rely on relocation services anymore but rather get all the information they need on the internet, the demand for relocation specialists will drop significantly over the next years and this means that you will have a pretty hard time finding a new job in this industry.

Is it hard to switch from being a relocation specialist to another field of work?

Since relocation agents are pretty specialized and often also don’t hold a fancy degree, they have a pretty hard time finding a job in a different field and often get trapped in the relocation sector for many years or even decades.

Do relocation specialists have a high social status?

Relocation specialists don’t have a high social standing. Instead, you will be belittled by many people and some people may even make fun of you regarding your career choice.

Thus, if you want to be admired by the general public, you should not become a relocation agent but rather work as a judge or nurse practitioner instead.

Can you help out your family and friends as a relocation specialist?

Since you will develop strong expertise in the moving business, you can also help out your loved ones in case they want to move to a different state or country and can organize all the things necessary to have a good start at the new location.

Can relocation specialists work remotely?

Relocation consultants are able to work remotely at least part of their workweek.

While you sometimes have to meet up with clients in person, you can still do the majority of your work via video calls with a computer and can therefore work from home quite often.

Is it easy to find a partner as a relocation specialist?

Relocation consultants often have a hard time in the dating market since they are not able to make good money from what they are doing and also have to fear losing their jobs on a regular basis.

Consequently, they are not considered good providers and often have a hard time finding someone for a long-term relationship.

Do relocation specialists have to work on weekends?

Relocation specialists don’t have to work on weekends.

However, many relocation agents who work self-employed still work during Saturdays or even Sundays to make as much money as possible from their profession.

Do relocation specialists have to work on holidays?

Relocation consultants don’t have to work on holidays.

Instead, you can use those days to make nice trips with your favorite people or just hang out with your family at home.

Do relocation specialists have to work at nighttime?

Relocation specialists don’t have to work at nighttime.

Instead, they have a rather standard workweek and work in a classical 9 to 5 environment, which gives them more than enough time to meet up with their favorite people after work or to spend on their hobbies.

Do you have to travel as a relocation specialist?

You sometimes also have to travel as a relocation specialist to make sure that everything is organized for your clients in a foreign country or state and this means that you will be away from home quite often and may not be able to see your family as often as you might want to.

Are relocation specialist pensions good?

Since most relocation specialists don’t make good money from what they are doing, also their pensions are rather low.

Consequently, many relocation agents get into serious financial trouble once they get older and quit their active careers to retire.

Are relocation specialist salaries going up?

Relocation consultant salaries have not been going up significantly over the past years and wages in this field will likely stay low in the future since many people don’t rely on relocation services anymore and rather organize the moving process on their own.

Hence, with lower demand for relocation specialists, also their wages will likely decrease in the near future.

Can you have a positive impact on society as a relocation specialist?

While you can do good for your clients, you will still not have a significant positive impact on society as a relocation specialist compared to teachers or professors who can really change the lives of many people out there in a significant manner.

How long does it take to become a relocation specialist?

Since you don’t need to get fancy education, you can become a relocation specialist within a few weeks and can start your relocation career right after finishing high school.

Is it difficult to become a relocation specialist?

It is not difficult to become a relocation agent at all since educational barriers to entry are pretty low and you don’t need to get a fancy degree.

Instead, you just need to finish high school and you will be good to work in this field.

Do you need to be smart to work as a relocation specialist?

You don’t need to be super-smart for succeeding as a relocation agent.

What’s much more important than having a high IQ is that you are a friendly and reliable person whom clients can trust so that you can provide the best service possible and get good recommendations that help you stay in the game in the long run.

Do relocation specialists have a good work-life balance?

Relocation agents have pretty decent work-life balance since they don’t have to work on weekends and holidays and also come home from work relatively early so that they have enough time to spend with their family or on their favorite hobbies.

Do relocation specialists have to work many extra hours?

Relocation agents don’t have to work many extra hours.

Instead, they have a rather fixed schedule and once their workday is over, they just quit and come back to work the next morning.

How to maximize your chances of becoming a relocation specialist?

The more experience you get in the relocation sector at a rather young age, the higher your chances of succeeding as a relocation agent in the long run.

Thus, you should work as an intern in the relocation industry pretty early in your life to make some important contacts that could help you find a job as a relocation consultant later on.

Can relocation specialists work part-time?

Relocation agents can work both part-time as well as full-time.

However, most relocation specialists still work full-time since their hourly wages are rather low and a part-time job in this industry would not be enough to make a living from what they are doing.

Do relocation specialists work indoors or outdoors?

Relocation specialists work indoors in a classical office environment or at home and also spend some time outdoors when it comes to meeting up with their clients.

Thus, you should not be afraid of spending some time outdoors during times of bad weather as a relocation consultant.

What does the workplace of a relocation specialist look like?

While you will work with a computer for the majority of your workday, you will also meet up with your clients in person from time to time and it is therefore crucial that you have great people skills so that clients will trust you and rely on your support.

Do you have to look good for working as a relocation specialist?

You don’t need to look good as a relocator.

However, since you work in the client business, you should still look groomed so that clients are not disgusted by your appearance and will be happy to book your services and to get in touch with you whenever they need help.

Is a relocation specialist career beneficial for your private life?

Being a relocation specialist means that you will be away from home quite often while you will still not be able to make really good money.

Thus, working as a relocation consultant is often problematic for your private life since your partner may start cheating on you sooner or later.

Do you need a college degree for becoming a relocation specialist?

You don’t need a college degree for becoming a relocation consultant.

In fact, you don’t need any fancy education to work in this industry and almost everyone can work in this field.

Thus, instead of having to spend many years on college education as many other people have to do, you can rather start making money at a rather young age.

Do you need to be certified to work as a relocation specialist?

You don’t need any certifications for working as a relocation consultant.

What’s much more important than looking good on paper is that you have a real passion for working in this client-focused industry to provide the best possible services in the long run.

How much does it cost to become a relocation specialist?

Since you don’t need to get a fancy degree for becoming a relocation consultant, you can start working in this field at virtually no cost and can even make money from a rather young age while many of your friends will have to spend many years and lots of money on college education before they are able to work in their dream jobs.

Is being a relocation specialist a good career?

Since you will be away from home quite often and are also not able to make good money while you always have to fear losing your job, being a relocation specialist cannot be considered a good career from an objective point of view.

Is it easy to start your own business as a relocation specialist?

It is quite easy to start your own relocation business since legal requirements are pretty low and you also don’t have to spend lots of money upfront.

However, while starting your business is relatively easy, making it successful is a completely different animal.

Can relocation specialists teach themselves?

Relocation specialists can teach themselves all the skills they need and don’t have to get fancy degrees or certificates to work in this field in a successful manner.

Do relocation specialists make good money?

While some relocation consultants are able to make decent money, many relocation specialists are barely able to make a living from what they are doing and often struggle financially in the long run.

Is it ever too late to become a relocation specialist?

Since you don’t need to get fancy education and also don’t have to work in a hard physical manner, you can become a relocation specialist at any age and may be able to succeed as long as you are really passionate about working in this field and provide the best possible support to your clients.

Do relocation specialists have to quit their careers early?

Most relocation specialists don’t have to quit their careers early since they don’t have to work in a hard physical manner and will therefore be less likely to suffer from serious health problems compared to roofers or other people who have to work with their hands and lift heavy things on a daily basis.

What is the hardest thing about working as a relocation specialist?

The hardest part about being a relocation specialist is that you will work with many different people and everyone will have different preferences and expectations.

Thus, you will often not be able to make everyone happy and may have to deal with lots of negative feedback over time.

Can you provide for your family by working as a relocation specialist?

While some relocation specialists are able to make decent money and can provide for their families, many relocation specialists only make pretty poor money from what they are doing and are not able to provide for their families.

Hence, your spouse may have to work as well and may not be able to care for the kids.

Will relocation specialists suffer from old-age poverty?

Since relocation specialists don’t make good money, also their pensions are pretty poor and many relocation consultants therefore suffer from old-age poverty and are not able to pay their bills anymore once they retire.

Can relocation specialists retire early?

Most relocation specialists are not able to retire early since they simply don’t make enough money during their active careers and will have to work until official retirement age and sometimes even longer to be able to pay their bills.

Do relocation specialists get a fixed or variable salary?

Relocation consultants often get a fixed base salary and also receive a significant variable component that is greatly dependent on the number of clients you acquire and help out.

Thus, your income as a relocation agent may greatly vary over time and this makes it hard for you to plan your future since you can never be sure to have enough money to afford your plans.

Can you get rich as a relocation specialist?

Since most relocation specialists don’t make good money, it is also pretty hard for them to get wealthy or even rich.

Hence, if your goal is to get rich, you should not become a relocation agent but rather start your own business or become a dentist or pilot instead.

Do relocation specialists need a second job?

While some relocation agents are able to make a full-time income from what they are doing, many relocation consultants are not able to make a living and have to work a second job to cover their expenses.

Do you get continuous training as a relocation specialist?

Most relocation specialists don’t get continuous training.

Instead, they have to learn on the job and it is on you to become really good at what you are doing to stay successful in this field in the long run.

Do you get sick pay as a relocation specialist?

You don’t get sick pay as a relocation specialist most of the time.

However, this also greatly depends on the region you live in and on the relocation agency you want to work for.

Do relocation specialists have a high level of responsibility?

Relocation agents don’t have high levels of responsibility.

Even though mistakes on their sides could lead to some financial trouble for their clients, relocation consultants still don’t have the same high level of responsibility compared to people working as psychologists or pharmacists.

Can relocation specialists work abroad?

Relocation specialists are needed all over the world.

However, salaries and working conditions might still be quite different from what you are used to at home and before moving to a foreign country, you should inform yourself about working conditions abroad.

Is it stressful to work as a relocation specialist?

Working as a relocation consultant is not that stressful.

Even though you will have to deal with difficult clients from time to time, you will still not have to deal with as much stress at work compared to people who work in demanding positions in the corporate world.

Is it boring to work as a relocation specialist?

Working as a relocation specialist barely becomes boring since you will work with many different clients and will always have to adjust to different personal preferences and there will often just be no time to get bored.

Is being a relocation specialist hard?

Since you don’t have to stress your body and your brain that much at work, being a relocation agent is not hard and you can spend your workday in a rather relaxed manner most of the time.

Are relocation specialists at risk of burnout?

Since you don’t have to deal with lots of stress at work, also your risk of suffering from burnout or other mental problems will be pretty low as a relocation consultant.

Is there a dress code for relocation specialists?

There is no dress code you have to comply with when working as a relocation specialist.

Instead, you can wear whatever you feel most comfortable with.

What kind of relocation specialists are paid the most?

The more new clients you acquire, the more value you can provide for the relocation agency you work for and the more money you can make in the long run.

What percentage of relocation specialists are women?

While around 62% of all relocation agents are women, only 38% are men and women are therefore more common to work in the relocation sector.

Do I need a mentor to succeed as a relocation specialist?

You don’t need a mentor to succeed as a relocation consultant.

What’s much more important is that you have a passion for helping people out and that you are also client-oriented to provide the best possible support to your customers to stand out from the crowd in the long run.

Do relocation specialists have a high life expectancy?

Relocation specialists have pretty decent life expectancy since they don’t have to work in a risky environment and will be able to work in a rather safe manner.

Do relocation specialists suffer from sleeping problems?

Relocation agents often don’t suffer from sleeping problems since they work in a classical 9 to 5 environment and are therefore able to maintain a healthy sleeping pattern.

What states are best for working as a relocation specialist?

Since you can work remotely as a relocation specialist, you should choose a state where living costs are pretty low so that you are able to make a living from your relocation consultant career and don’t need to get a second job.

Who do relocation specialists work with?

Relocation specialists work with many different clients on a regular basis and it is therefore crucial that you are a friendly and trustworthy person so that clients are happy to rely on your services.

Is working as a relocation specialist cool?

Working as a relocation specialist is considered fairly cool by most people out there.

However, you should still not choose your job according to what’s cool but rather rely on your own intuition to find your dream job.

Can you start a side hustle as a relocation specialist?

It is pretty easy for relocation specialists to start a side hustle since they have enough time to do so and can easily start a blog or YouTube channel about relocation to make additional money on the side.

Do you have to be creative as a relocation specialist?

Creativity helps you succeed as a relocation specialist in the long run since you will often run into unforeseen problems and the more creative you are, the better you will be able to deal with those situations.

Do relocation specialists suffer from being overweight?

Since relocation specialists often work in a classical office environment, they don’t get sufficient exercise at work and many relocation specialists therefore suffer from being overweight.

How employable are relocation specialists?

Since an increasing number of people no longer rely on relocation services, relocation agents are not that employable anymore and always have to fear losing their jobs.

Are relocation specialists happy with their jobs?

Since relocation specialists are not able to make good money while they often have to deal with high levels of insecurity related to their jobs, most relocation agents are not happy with their jobs and secretly think about working in a different field.

Is working as a relocation specialist exciting?

Being a relocation specialist is not that exciting since you will do many things over and over again and you should have a real passion for helping people out to stay motivated with what you are doing in the long run.

Can you have a positive impact on our environment as a relocation specialist?

Since you will just focus on relocation topics, you will not care about our environment at work and will not have a big positive impact on our planet during your workday.

What are the pros and cons of working as a relocation specialist?

If you still think about becoming a relocation agent, you should also have a look at additional pros and cons of a relocation consultant career.

Sources

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1173074/moving-services-market-businesses-us/

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1102100/moving-services-market-size-united-states/

Interviews and own research.

About the author

My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people about the different career paths that are possible in our current state of the world. In my opinion, people often make the mistake to choose their profession solely based on how much money they can earn from it instead of doing what makes them really happy.

This is quite sad and I just want to give people a more objective picture of how a fulfilling career could look like. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Master’s degree in Economics. However, I’ve quit pretty soon after that since I haven’t found true meaning in my job.

Now I can do what I really love to do and I want to enable as many other people as well to go this exciting path towards happiness instead of money.

I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice.

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