Selection of a relay station in a broadband wireless communication system is provided. In the broadband wireless communication system, a Base Station (BS) includes a sorter for generating a first index group in which indices of relay stations are sorted according to channel information between the BS and each relay station; a receiver for receiving a second index group in which the indices of the relay stations are sorted according to channel information between a Mobile Station (MS) and each relay station; and a selector for selecting a relay station to be used to communicate with the MS by using the first index group and the second index group.