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Are you aspiring to become a real estate agent and don’t know where to start? Well, you’ve come to the right place. The first big decision you’ll make is deciding where you’ll complete your licensing education. Finding the right program can give you the confidence and tools you’ll need to pass the exam and hit the ground running.
There are so many online real estate schools that claim to be the best, but it’s not easy to know which programs are really worth it. That’s where we come in. We’ve reviewed the best online real estate schools based on what future real estate agents really care about – flexibility, pricing, pass rates and student support. Let’s take a look at your options to see which one is the right fit for you.
- The CE Shop: Best for flexible, self-paced learning
- Aceable Agent: Best for affordable, mobile-friendly learning
- Colibri Real Estate: Best for course upgrades and instructor support
- Kaplan: Best for extensive exam prep
4 best online real estate schools: Our top picks at-a-glance
Our Top Pick
The CE Shop
Flexible, self-paced learning in all 50 states
Intuitive online platform, built-in progress tracking, and streamlined navigation. Pass guarantee with Exam Prep Edge packages.
Price range:
$139 to $1,015
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Value Pick
Aceable Agent
Affordable online, audio, and mobile-friendly courses
Affordable learning options available on any device, anytime. Learning types include videos, audio lessons, interactive questions and more.
Price range:
$116 to $779
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Upgrade Pick
Colibri Real Estate
Course upgrades and instructor support
Excellent student support, intuitive online platform, and package upgrades that feature instructor engagement, exam prep and career resources.
Price range:
$88 to $941
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Courses Only
Kaplan
Extensive exam prep
50+ years of experience best known for exam prep, instructor-led option, and career mentoring.
Price range:
$319 to $899
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What to look for in an online real estate school
Before you review the school information below, here are the features you should pay attention to when deciding on which online real estate school is best for you.Â
- State approval: You’ll want to be sure the school is accredited with your state licensing board prior to enrollment. If it’s not, you could spend hours working on coursework that won’t count.
- Course format: You know how you learn best. Do you want to go at your own pace or would you be better off with something a bit more structured, like a livestream class? Some schools offer both, so be sure to double-check which course format you’re choosing.
- Mobile access: If you plan to study on your phone or tablet, be sure the school offers mobile-friendly platforms or has its own app. Otherwise, you may need a laptop to complete your courses.
- Exam prep tools: Studying for the exam is just as important as taking the courses themselves. Be sure to check to see if your school provides exam resources like study guides, practice exams, flashcards and simulated exams.
- Instructor support: Access to instructors is extremely helpful, especially if you’re new to the industry. See if your school offers access to instructors and their availability.
- Career resources: Some of the best online real estate schools offer career coaching, job placement and discounts on future post-licensing and continuing education courses. These bonus features add major value to jumpstart your career.
- Student reviews: Hearing success stories from real students can help you identify which schools may be the best for you – and they can also help you spot red flags.Â
Now that you’re armed with a checklist of items to keep your eye on, continue reading to choose the best school for your needs.
Top Pick
The CE Shop: Best for flexible, self-paced learning
Starting price: $139 to $1015
Availability
The CE Shop offers real estate courses in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, and boasts a 96% student satisfaction rate. Students attribute this to its engaging course features, student support and a proprietary online learning platform called LEAP.
Our favorite feature: Interactive content with progress tracking
You can complete your online real estate prelicensing coursework in as little as two weeks if your schedule permits. The CE Shop regularly updates course content, and every topic covered is based on commonly faced, real-life scenarios. It can be tough to stay consistent with self-paced courses, but The CE Shop makes it easier with interactive content with built-in progress tracking to keep you engaged and motivated.
Prelicensing courses range from $139 to $1015 (depending on your state)
If you’re concerned about investing in a course you’re not sure will be a good fit for you, The CE Shop offers a free five-day trial with unlimited access for all prelicensing courses. What’s more, they offer a money-back guarantee within 30 days of purchase, as long as your course is less than 50% complete.
Product offerings
The CE Shop’s product offerings include prelicensing, post-licensing, continuing education and exam prep courses, depending on your state. In most states, The CE Shop offers exam prep and continuing education courses that can be bundled with prelicensing courses for convenience and significant savings. As an added bonus, they offer a pass guarantee with any Exam Prep Edge purchase for prelicensing. If you don’t pass, they will refund the cost of your initial licensing exam.
Course format and delivery
The CE Shop’s courses can be accessed through your tablet, computer or smartphone 24/7 for on-the-go learning that is flexible and convenient. On the downside, the course can be heavy on text and light on video lessons. With certain packages, you get unlimited attempts at passing the course’s final exam.
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Value pick
Aceable Agent: Best for affordable, mobile-friendly learning
Starting price: $116 to $779
Availability
While it doesn’t operate in all 50 states, Aceable Agents offers prelicensing courses in 15 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
Built by learning science experts, Aceable Agent’s workshops, practice tests and other study tools are designed to help you pass your exam on the first try. The school offers a first-of-its-kind mobile app from which students can complete their studies, anytime from any device.
Our favorite feature: Mobile app and narrated audio
The hands-free audio narration lets you tune in as you would to your favorite podcast. We also love the Mastery Tracking algorithm. As you progress through your course, it learns where you need improvement and provides personalized exam prep. Students can switch between their browser and Aceable Agent’s mobile app, both of which track and save progress, so you can stop and resume your studies when it’s convenient for you across devices.
Prelicensing courses range from $116 to $779 (depending on your state)
Aceable Agent is so confident that you’ll love their courses, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you did not complete the course and don’t feel their program is right for you – you can request a full refund. The school also has an Ace or Don’t Pay Guarantee, so students who take one of AceableAgent’s prelicensing courses and don’t pass the licensing exam are eligible for a refund.
Product offerings
AceableAgent’s product offering includes post-licensing courses, exam prep and continuing education courses in most states, in addition to prelicensing courses. Course availability varies by state, so be sure to check if the course you are looking for is available in your area.
Course format and delivery
Students have access to self-paced, online courses from a mobile device or computer at any time of day. Aceable Agent’s courses feature interactive games, videos and bite-sized lessons to help students successfully meet prelicensing coursework requirements and pass the state and national exams. While most students appreciate that course content is presented in a highly engaging way to help with retention, interactive courses may not be best for visual learners who prefer to read or see pictures.
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Upgrade pick
Colibri Real Estate: Best for course upgrades and instructor support
Starting price: $88 to $941
Availability
Colibri offers real estate courses in Washington DC and 36 states, including: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
More than 520,000 students have enrolled in Colibri Real Estate’s courses to complete their education requirements and prepare for the license exam, and students give the school a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Our favorite feature: Course upgrade options
Prelicensing course upgrades include Exam Prep Plus for instructor engagement and study tools, and Ultimate Learning for access to the school’s Career Booster. If you’re balancing completing your education requirements with work and family demands, you’ll appreciate being able to move through the online course at your own pace with the next-generation student dashboard.
Prelicensing courses range from $88 to $941 (depending on your state)
Students enjoy Colibri’s clear course format, real-world examples and practice exams that simulate live tests and include assessments. Colibri offers a Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee. If you don’t pass the licensing exam within 30 days of completing your course, Colibri will reimburse the cost of the purchased package, unless state laws or regulations prohibit qualification for the guarantee.
Product offerings
Colibri’s product offering includes post-licensing courses, exam prep and continuing education courses in most states listed above, in addition to prelicensing courses.
Course format and delivery
Colibri’s self-paced and livestream courses are designed to allow you to study on any device with internet access and a browser, including your smartphone or tablet. With 24/7 access to the dashboard, you can stop and start your course anytime without losing track of your progress.
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Also popular
Kaplan: Best for extensive exam prep
Starting price: $319 to $899
Availability
Kaplan offers real estate pre-licensing courses in 33 states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
While Kaplan does not publish pass rates, the school is committed to your success. They offer the Kaplan Commitment which promises that they will continue to support your studies for the same state exam at no cost to you. With over 50 years of experience, Kaplan has helped thousands of students begin and advance their real estate careers every year.
Our favorite feature: Video segments with expert instructors
Kaplan’s real estate course uses interactive content that combines industry fundamentals with the latest state-specific information needed to pass your state’s licensing exam. Video-based courses make complex topics easier to understand and feel more like a real classroom experience. Even better, the courses are created by real estate experts to mirror licensing exam topics to give you a greater chance to pass the exam on your first try.
Prelicensing courses range from $319 to $899 (depending on your state)
Kaplan’s self-paced, online prelicensing offerings let you start, stop and resume your course when it’s convenient for you. In addition to prelicensing courses, the school offers continuing education packages and exam prep courses in most states. Full tuition refunds are available within 30 days of purchase for web-based courses and online classes that have not been completed.
Product offerings
Kaplan’s product offering includes prelicensing courses in over 30 states, post-licensing courses, exam prep and continuing education courses in many of those states. Exam prep is included in most packages and backed by some of the best educators in the business.
Course format and delivery
You can access your courses online and the courses are mobile-friendly. Access your courses anywhere, anytime from your laptop, tablet or mobile device. Kaplan’s online video courses complement text-based course content to reinforce key concepts, even on the go.
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Methodology: Best online real estate schools
To find the best online real estate school, we have evaluated dozens of real estate schools, reviewing both online and in-person programs. We’ve chosen schools with interactive content, hands-free audio, mobile learning and other convenient formats that will help you fit your studies into your busy schedule. Our real estate experts possess in-depth knowledge of real estate licensing and online courses and evaluate real estate licensing programs based on pricing, course packages, course materials, teaching styles, online user experience, exam success rates, customer reviews and more.
The best online real estate schools on our list are not only widely available — they offer economies of scale that make their course packages affordable — using tech that makes their online courses way more convenient than having to commute to attend in-person classes at a brick-and-mortar location. Unlike your local school, they have the scale to invest in leading-edge technology that makes getting prepped for your state real estate exam a snap.
Don’t believe us? Check out our real estate education page for more information about getting licensed and the best real estate schools available in your state. We recommend the schools on this list for their convenience, value for money, excellence in course materials and thoughtful user experience.
Best online real estate schools: FAQs
If I already have a license from another state, do I need real estate school?
Each state has its own license reciprocity and portability rules, and many have license reciprocity agreements with other states. If you have your real estate license in one state and want to conduct business in another, check with the state you are not licensed in to see if they will waive your prelicensing education requirements based on a license reciprocity agreement.
How do I sign up for online real estate school?
The schools featured in this guide make it easy to sign up for your online real estate classes. Just click the website of the school of your choice below, select the package you want from the school’s catalog, add it to your cart, check out and wait for the school to deliver your course (typically as a link, email, or both).
How do I know if online real estate school is right for me?
In-person real estate classes can be beneficial if you prefer a traditional learning atmosphere and have an incredibly flexible schedule. But for anyone pursuing a real estate license who has to juggle a full-time job, family, and other obligations, a school offering 100% online real estate classes is a much more convenient option.
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Real estate license reciprocity and portability: A complete guide to where you can practice
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Best real estate continuing education schools for quick & easy license renewal in 2024
The full picture: Best online real estate schools
Now that you know what the industry-leading online real estate schools have to offer, you can make the most informed decision to launch a new career. Once you have obtained your license, you’ll be ready to complete any post-licensing requirements, continuing education requirements, or pursue your broker’s license. No matter where you are in your real estate journey, Vetted by HousingWire provides the information and insights you need to succeed as a real estate professional.
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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