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Ready to get your real estate license in Pennsylvania? You’ll want to enroll in one of the best Pennsylvania real estate schools to gain the skills and knowledge you’ll need to ace the state exam and succeed in your new career. First, you’ll need to meet Pennsylvania’s 75-hour prelicensing course requirement.
We’ve conducted extensive research and narrowed it down to the best approved PA real estate schools to help you make an informed decision. From Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, you’ll find everything from self-paced courses to in-person classes in this guide. Let’s get started!
At-a-glance: Best online real estate schools in Pennsylvania
Best for accelerated learning
The CE Shop
From $389
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Best for home study
Colibri Real Estate
From $389
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Best for professional development
Aceable Agent
From $299
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Best for flexibility and affordability
The Real Estate Academy
From $275
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Best for an interactive experience
Kaplan Real Estate Education
From $429
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Best for traditional classroom learning
Philadelphia Real Estate Classes
From $499
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*AceableAgent publishes its national pass rate. Other pass rates are state-specific.
The CE Shop: Best Pennsylvania real estate school for accelerated learning
Starting from: $389
Overview
The CE Shop is an education provider that specializes in online real estate education. The school reports its student satisfaction rate as 96%, which it attributes to the intuitive interface, features, and support offered.
Leveraging a proprietary content delivery platform, LEAP, the CE Shop ensures that students engage with content needed for passing the licensing exam. All course content is offered live online with self-paced delivery, giving you the option to learn in the way that works best for your learning preference and schedule.
And every topic covered is based on real-life scenarios commonly faced by real estate salespeople in Pennsylvania.
Prelicensing Courses
Compare course packages at The CE Shop
Pricing
All of the CE Shop’s prelicensing classes meet Pennsylvania’s 75-hour prelicensing requirement. The CE Shop’s post-licensing courses meet Pennsylvania’s 14-hour continuing education requirement for first-time renewals.
- Courses only ($389): 75 hours of prelicensing courses, e-books, career and downloadable resources, digital flashcards, glossary and study schedule.Â
- Standard package ($489): Courses only, plus exam prep edge with national and PA-specific prep.Â
- Value package ($565): Standard package, plus Kickstarter Professional Development Program.Â
- Premium package ($669): Value package, plus 14-hour post-licensing courses and real estate e-textbooks.
Pros & Cons
- Free 5-day trial of the Pennsylvania Salesperson Prelicensing courses available.
- Option to complete your education in as little as two weeks
- Lack of access to live instructors.
Features
Course Formats:Â Self-paced online.
Course Access:Â Six months from the date of purchase.
Money-Back Guarantee:Â The CE Shop offers a money-back guarantee to students who are not satisfied with the course they purchase, but only if it is within 30 days of the purchase date and the course is less than 50% complete.
Student Support:Â Support is available seven days a week via chat, email, and phone during hours of operation.
Exam Prep: Prelicensing Standard, Value, and Premium packages all feature Exam Prep Edge courses, which include an initial assessment, after which the school’s interactive dashboard guides you through each topic. You’ll receive feedback in real time, so you’ll know what to focus on prior to exam day.
Final Exam:Â After you complete all the coursework, the state requires that you take a proctored final course exam. You must pass the Prelicensing Final Exam with a 75% or more. You may take the exam as many times as needed to pass.
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Colibri Real Estate: Best Pennsylvania real estate school for studying from home
Starting from: $389
Overview
A state-approved real estate education provider, Colibri Real Estate offers a variety of course formats for a customized learning experience. Its online courses are best for students who prefer to study at their own pace, while livestream classes appeal to anyone who studies best with a regimented schedule. If you’re working to get your Pennsylvania real estate education requirements complete while still holding down a 9 to 5 job, you’ll especially appreciate being able to take the evening classes at home.
Prelicensing Courses
Compare course packages at Colibri
Pricing
Colibri’s prelicensing classes meet Pennsylvania’s 75-hour prelicensing requirement. Colibri’s post-licensing courses meet Pennsylvania’s 14-hour continuing education requirement for first-time renewals.
- The Basics ($389): 75-hour prelicensing courses, instructor support, study guides, audio lessons and Buffini & Company coaching videos.
- Exam Preparation ($469): The Basics, plus CompuCram exam prep, which includes simulated exams, flashcards, readiness assessment and audio review guides.
- Exam Preparation Plus ($539): Exam Preparation, plus live and interactive instruction, which includes Exam Crammer Webinar series and instructor Q&A.
- Ultimate Learning ($649): Exam Preparation Plus, plus one-year access to Career Booster, which includes videos, job aids, buyer and seller checklists and action plan templates.
Pros & Cons
- Livestream options available for connecting virtually with peers and instructors.
- Career videos included in all prelicensing packages.
- No livestream classes offered on the weekends.
Features
Course Formats:Â Self-paced or livestream courses.
Course Access:Â Six months from your registration date in most cases.
Pass Guarantee: Colibri’s Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee is available with all prelicensing packages, with the exception of the Basics package. Colibri will reimburse the original cost if you don’t pass the Pennsylvania real estate licensing exam within 30 days of completing a course’s exam prep program.
Student Support:Â Prelicensing packages enable students to email or call local experts with your questions. In general, live chat can be used to connect with an Education Specialist or Advisor. Or reach out via email or phone during business hours (detailed on the website).
Exam Prep: Colibri’s exam prep packages include audio review guides, flashcards, simulated practice exams, and a readiness assessment to help pass your real estate state exam.
Final Exam:Â Once you complete your prelicensing course, you must pass a proctored course final exam.
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Aceable Agent: Best Pennsylvania real estate school for professional development
Starting from: $299
Overview
Featuring interactive games, videos, and bite-sized lessons to help students successfully meet Pennsylvania’s 75-hour prelicensing coursework requirement, Aceable Agent’s courses are built by learning license experts. The school’s workshops, practice tests, and other study tools are designed to give those starting out in real estate a boost of confidence. And students appreciate that accessing the course any time of day from an iPhone or computer is easy and the content is laid out in an engaging way.
Prelicensing Courses
Compare course packages at Aceable Agent
Pricing
All Aceable Agent’s prelicensing classes meet Pennsylvania’s 75-hour prelicensing requirement.
- Basic ($299): 75 hours of prelicensing classes with interactive elements, mobile app, progress tracking, audio narration, instructor support and satisfaction guarantee.
- Deluxe ($429): Basic package, plus virtual AI instructor and PrepAgent Deluxe Exam Prep, which includes three months of exam prep, practice exam builder and e-book.
- Premium ($529): Premium package, plus PrepAgent Premium Exam Prep, which includes three months of exam prep, practice exam builder, e-book, private tutoring, live webinars and live Q&A.
Pros & Cons
- AI-powered course support now provides answers and detailed explanations about content and concepts 24/7.
- Classes can be taken from a mobile device or from a smartphone.
- No post-licensing or CE courses are offered in Pennsylvania.
Features
Course Formats:Â Self-paced online.
Course Access: Your prelicensing course must be completed within one year of the day that the course was purchased, including taking and passing the course’s final exam.
Ace or Don’t Pay Guarantee: Students who take one of Aceable Agent’s Prelicensing courses and don’t pass the licensing exam after three attempts are eligible to get their money back.
Student Support & Engagement: Aceable Agent’s prelicensing courses provide several resources for students, including support from a real-life, State Real Estate Agent Commission-approved instructor. Once enrolled, you can email your instructor Monday-Friday if you have a question or need clarification about course content. And AceableAgent’s Student Concierge Support Team is on call five days a week to help answer questions submitted via the school’s online form.
Exam Prep: The Basic Prelicensing package features Lite Exam Prep, including 1,000 unique Real Estate Exam practice test questions, while the Deluxe and Premium packages’ include 1,660+ additional national and state exam practice questions.
Final Exam: At the end of your prelicensing course, you’ll take a proctored, online final exam.
Visit Aceable Agent
The Real Estate Academy: Best for flexibility and affordability
Starting from: $275
Overview
With its stellar reputation as a national brokerage, The Real Estate Academy brings the same high-quality to educating real estate agents. Their classes are the most affordable compared to others on our list, and their instructors bring real-world experience to each lesson. The Real Estate Academy’s courses are meant to fit anyone’s schedule and learning style, which makes them especially advantageous for busy people. Classes are available online, both through live stream and self-paced formats, or in-person. Live stream options are taught during the week, either during the day or at night, and self-paced options are available at any time. This allows your education to move at your pace and according to your schedule.
Pricing
The Real Estate Academy offers an affordable way to obtain your Pennsylvania real estate license. From self-paced to in-person courses, pricing includes live instruction, course materials and exam prep.
- Self-study online only ($295): 75-hour prelicensing course online
- In-person course ($275): 75-hour prelicensing course offered taught in-person
- Live virtual ($275): 75-hour prelicensing course taught by instructors over a virtual platform
Pros & Cons
- In-person, live virtual and self-paced courses
- Local instructors
- Career potential with Weichert after passing the exam
- Competitive pricing
- Instructor accountability and guidance
- Self-paced course offers limited support
- Limited class times for live instruction
- Interface can feel a bit more dated
- Career support is limited to working with Weichert
- Upgraded course features are limited
Features
Course Formats: Live virtual, self-paced and in-person course options.
Course Schedule: Livestream classes have various schedules to fit your needs, including day and night options. In-person classes are run on a Monday through Friday schedule. Self-paced options have access for six months from the date of purchase.
Course Access: Students can access the self-paced courses at any time. Livestream and in-person courses are based on scheduling.
Pass Guarantee or Refund Policy: Refunds are available if requested before the course is started, minus the $65 registration fee; there is no pass guarantee.
Student Engagement & Support: Direct support from instructors during class; administrative support available by phone or email.
Exam Prep: Built into the course packages; stand alone exam prep is available.
Final Exam: A proctored final exam is required at the end of the course.
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Kaplan: Best for an interactive experience
Starting from: $429
Overview
With more than 65 years of experience helping thousands of students begin and advance their real estate career, Kaplan provides courses and expert instruction through a flexible, online video delivery format. These video courses feature multiple segments with expert instructors. And students consistently appreciate how the videos are complemented by text-based content to reinforce key concepts.
Prelicensing Courses
Compare course packages at Kaplan
Pricing
All Kaplan’s prelicensing classes meet Pennsylvania’s 75-hour prelicensing requirement. Kaplan’s post-licensing CE courses meet Pennsylvania’s 14-hour continuing education requirement for first-time renewals.
- Pennsylvania Licensing with Exam Prep Package ($429): Required 75 hrs of coursework. Online course includes national & PA Exam Prep online video, Live Online National Interactive Study Group webinar for exam prep & Career Mentor Connect for professional development.
- Career Launcher Package ($829): Required 75 hrs of coursework. Online video course includes all features of Exam Prep Package + National Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank + Accelerator video course & live online coaching.
Pros & Cons
- Exam prep included in prelicensing tuition fee.
- Access to Live Online National Interactive Study Group webinar.
- Zoom must be downloaded and installed on your computer/ laptop for Live Online portions of certain courses.
Features
Course Formats:Â Self-paced online.
Course Access:Â Six months from the date of purchase to complete the course.
Pass Guarantee or Refund Policy: For web-based courses and classes, Kaplan’s students are eligible for a full tuition refund within 30 days of purchase if the class has not been completed.
Student Support:Â Customer or Technical Support staff are available to answer any of your questions via email, the chat feature, or phone during business hours. The Student Support team is also available via email or phone.
Exam Prep: When you enroll in one of Kaplan’s prelicensing online courses, you receive comprehensive real estate license exam prep featuring the practice and repetition needed to confidently pass the Pennsylvania real estate licensing exam.
Kaplan also offers stand-alone Exam Prep Packages that include the National and Pennsylvania Drill and Practice QBank.
Final Exam:Â The Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission regulations require that students take a proctored final exam for courses. If you have to retake an exam, the proctoring process must be followed for each exam attempt.
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Philadelphia Real Estate Classes: Best for traditional classroom learning
Starting from: $499
Overview
Voted one of the top five schools in Pennsylvania for live instruction, Philadelphia Real Estate Classes offers traditional classroom courses in Philadelphia and live streaming, instructor-led courses for those outside of the city. Students appreciate that the teachers are professional and accommodating and the classes feature quality content.
Prelicensing Courses
Compare course packages at Philadelphia Real Estate Classes
Pricing
Philadelphia Real Estate’s prelicensing classes meet Pennsylvania’s 75-hour prelicensing requirement.
- In-person classroom ($499): Required 75 hrs of coursework. Course consists of Real Estate Fundamentals & Real Estate Practice modules on designated dates / times. Includes book.
- Live stream Zoom ($499): Required 75 hrs of coursework, 3 days per week for 3 weeks. Choose from day, weekend, and night classes. Instructor-led course consists of Real Estate Fundamentals & Real Estate Practice modules. Includes book & Business Coaching Class.
Pros & Cons
- Limited seating for classroom courses means individual attention for students
- No exam prep offered
- No CE courses offered
Features
Course Formats:Â Livestreaming or in person.
Course Access:Â Course can be accessed on dates and times of scheduled classes.
Refund Policy & Price Guarantee:Â From the date of registration up to two business days preceding the class registered for, you can request a tuition refund (minus a $75 cancellation fee per class). If certain criteria are met, students also have the option of transferring from the canceled class to another class offered by the Philadelphia Real Estate Classes.
Student Support & Engagement: The school’s owner can be contacted with any questions by email, phone, or submission form.
Exam Prep:Â Not available.
Final Exam:Â Students must take and pass a course final exam with a score of 75% or more. If you fail the exam, you can contact the school to request a retake.
Visit Philadelphia Real Estate Classes
Methodology: How we chose the best real estate schools in Pennsylvania
To determine the very best Pennsylvania real estate schools, we immersed ourselves in research, rating each school based on the following:
- Course affordability and accessibility
- Course format options
- Course study aids and technologyÂ
- Instructor expertise and support
- Pass rates and student satisfaction
- Pass guarantees or refund policies
Finally, we considered the unique features and professional development opportunities of each education provider, which can lead to long-term success for real estate agents like yourself.
Frequently asked questionsÂ
HousingWire is here to provide the resources you need to start off on the right foot. So to help we’ve collected and answered some frequently asked questions below.
What are the steps to getting a Pennsylvania real estate license?
The requirements for taking the PA real estate exam and becoming a real estate salesperson are as follows:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Successfully complete 75 hours of approved real estate education
- Complete a background check
- Take and pass the Pennsylvania Salesperson Real Estate Exam
- Find a sponsoring brokerage
- Submit the licensing application and pay the fee to the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission
Can I take my real estate licensing exam online?
Yes, you can take your real estate licensing exam as a remote proctored exam by scheduling it through Pearson VUE. You can also take the licensing exam in-person instead of online, as on-site testing is still available for those students who prefer it.
How long is the Pennsylvania licensing exam?
The PA Real Estate Licensing Exam consists of X questions and is based on the 75-hour prelicensing curriculum. This 120 question test has two portions, covering both state and national requirements. The number of questions on both portions are as follows:
- The licensing exam consists of 80 national questions. You’re given 150 minutes to complete this section.
- The licensing exam consists of 40 state specific questions. You’re given 1 hour to complete this section.
How much does it cost to get your Pennsylvania real estate license?
To become a real estate agent in Pennsylvania, you’ll need to make a worthwhile investment. Here’s what to budget for: 169
- Prelicensing coursework = $149 to $500
- Background check = $22
- License application fee = $97
- Examination registration fee = $49
Estimated total = Between $317 and $668
What is the average salary for a Pennsylvania real estate agent?
According to Glassdoor.com, the estimated average salary for a Pennsylvania real estate agent is $103,301 annually. This value represents the median. Additional pay is estimated to be $70,009 per year, which may include cash bonuses, commission, profit sharing, and tips.
The full picture: Best Pennsylvania real estate schools
Now that you know which Pennsylvania real estate schools offer courses that can help you launch your career on the right foot, you can choose the online course that’s ideal for your schedule and budget.
From the best prelicensing education package to exam prep for passing the Pennsylvania licensing exam, HousingWire provides information and insights from licensed agents to help you start your real estate journey and succeed as a Pennsylvania real estate professional.
Helpful links for Pennsylvania real estate schools
We’ve gathered the links and websites that prospective real estate agents visit the most for the most helpful information on obtaining a real estate license, choosing a school, and other requirements in Pennsylvania.Â
- Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission Website
- Pearson VUE Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission
- Pennsylvania Department of State: Real Estate Education Information
HW Media, LLC has established an agreement with The CE Shop to promote online course information to consumers and real estate licensees. HW Media, LLC is not the developer of these courses and is simply providing a referral. Any questions regarding course content or technology should be directed to The CE Shop.
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