Do You Need College to be a Real Estate Agent?

Real estate is a viable career option for many. One of the most popular tracks is a real estate agent. In this position, agents schedule showings, update property listings, manage open houses, and more. For those looking to get involved in this career, you may wonder: do you need college to be a real estate agent? In this article, we will review the requirements to become a real estate agent and determine do you need college for real estate. As well, we will provide examples of colleges that offer real estate degrees.

Can you become a real estate agent without a college degree?

If you are interested in real estate, it’s no wonder. Real estate was defined as one of the top 100 highest paying college majors in 2023. There is a good living to be made in this career path. If this option appeals to you, you may be wondering, do you need college to be a real estate agent?

First, let’s clarify what it takes to become a real estate agent. In most cases, you don’t need a college degree to become a real estate agent. However, a degree might help your resume stand out.

For example, an associate’s degree in a relevant field, like finance or business, can prove helpful for the prospective real estate agent.

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Does real estate require college, then? Well, it may not, but it does require certification.

Regardless of your degree status, real estate agents must obtain a real estate license to begin working. These requirements for licensure vary by state. Prospective applicants must take pre-licensing education and pass a final examination. Applicants take advantage of free online tools, like practice tests, to prepare.

So, do you need college to be a real estate agent? While obtaining a real-estate-specific degree is not necessary, you will need to pass a real estate licensing examination before practicing.

What skills do you need to be a real estate agent?

Real estate can be a demanding field. There are certain qualities prospective agents should consider whether they obtain.

Examining these qualities may help answer when do you need college for real estate? For example, if you feel that you could benefit from instruction in these areas, a degree may be beneficial.

Communication Skills

As you can imagine, real estate agents must be able to communicate clearly and effectively.

When showing houses, real estate agents must be able to appropriately answer questions and relay information about the property. Typically, real estate agents are personable and enjoy working with people.

Additionally, real estate agents must be able to communicate professionally through email, marketing materials, and contracts. Written communication is just as important as verbal communication.

Do you need college for real estate if you are already a skilled communicator? The choice is yours, but courses may offer insight into specific situations you may encounter as an agent.

Local Knowledge

Real estate agents should be familiar with the neighborhoods they work in. Likely, clients will have questions about the area surrounding the property.

Plus, some properties include certain resident perks, like a community pool or recreation center, that can influence a purchasing decision.

Does real estate require college if you are looking to sell locally? If you attend a school in the area you plan to live and work in, it may be a helpful bonus.

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Negotiating Skills

A real estate agent is responsible for ensuring their clients receive a fair deal. Most clients are not skilled negotiators or familiar with the process of real estate transactions. In this case, the real estate agent must be able to translate the language of contracts and work as a mediator for their clients. Do you need college for real estate can depend on how comfortable you are in negotiations.

In fact, it is helpful if real estate agents are willing to be assertive. They must be confident in their ability to negotiate with a wide variety of people.

Do you need college to be a real estate agent can also depend on how comfortable you feel with your prior knowledge of negotiation. Real estate-specific courses can prepare you for these potentially intense negotiations.

Networking Skills

Not all real estate agents work for large companies. Some work independently. In this case, it is critical that real estate agents understand the necessity of being well connected in the communities they serve.

For example, real estate agents often establish positive working relationships with home inspectors and financers. Plus, making connections with interior designers can help you connect with staging specialists. Being able to utilize these connections and relationships help real estate agents become successful in their fields.

Additionally, real estate agents should be able to market themselves and their business positively. Does real estate require college for marketing? It may be helpful. For example, experience with social media and website design helps real estate agents remain connected to not only their contacts but also to their communities.

Which schools offer degrees in real estate?

Since we have answered the question, do you need college to be a real estate agent, you might wonder where real estate degrees are offered. As well, you might wonder: why do you need college for real estate?

While it is important to reiterate that you do not need a degree to become a real estate agent, it could prove helpful later in your career. Plus, if you take advantage of internships in college, you will already have relevant experience in your field.

However, before you apply for these programs, it is worth considering what you are looking to gain from the experience. Do you need college for real estate can depend on your background.

For example, most of these colleges offer courses in finance, investment, and business. Courses at these institutions require students to understand basic economic, accounting, and financial planning principles. Having a foundational knowledge of these subjects could prove beneficial.

Let’s take a look at a few schools and programs that offer real estate programs.

1) University of Wisconsin—Madison

Located within the School of Business, you can major in real estate at UW—Madison. Students will learn the basics of property development, investing, market analysis, and much more. The program also offers several student organizations, like Real Estate Club and Women in Real Estate.

2) University of Pennsylvania

Within this program, students will have the opportunity to complete a concentration in real estate. Each student will be required to take a foundations course in real estate investment and then choose three elective courses. These electives range from real estate law, housing markets, real estate entrepreneurship, and more.

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3) New York University

Do you need college to be a real estate agent can also depend on the type of environment you are looking to work in. Especially if you are interested in learning about property investment and sale in an urban setting, NYU may be a good fit. This is a full-time undergraduate program that offers concentrations like real estate finance, real estate development, and more.

4) University of California, Berkeley

Undergraduates can partake in the research apprentice program, where students work directly with faculty on relevant projects. Also, students can also take advantage of summer internships. You might wonder, does real estate require college for internships? While you may be able to find an apprenticeship if you are well-connected, internships may be easier to come by through a degree program.

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5) University of Georgia

Located in the Terry College of Business, this program has a long and prestigious history. Students will have the opportunity to learn more about real estate development, law, investment, and much more. Additionally, there is a scholarship opportunity, through the ICSC Undergraduate Real Estate Award.

6) University of Southern California

Through this opportunity, students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Development. Do you need college to be a real estate agent can depend on your prior background knowledge. Students must take a variety of both pre-major requirements and foundational core classes, like foundations of accounting.

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7) University of Texas at Austin

Undergraduates can major in finance with a special focus in real estate. Faculty in this program work closely with industry professionals to ensure students have a fruitful educational experience. However, maybe you are looking at majoring in another program. Does real estate require college if you major in something else? In this program, you can choose to minor in real estate, no matter your major.

8) University of Florida

Students in this program can minor in real estate. However, even though this is not a degree major, the program offers many worthwhile courses for students. For example, students can learn more about the business of commercial real estate and common processes of real estate investment.

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9) Florida State University

The real estate major at this institution prepares students for positions in mortgage banking, real estate investment, appraisal, and more. With the option for students to join the Real Estate Society, students can further network. As well, students will have the option to take advantage of internships.

10) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Students will have the opportunity to minor in real estate. To earn this minor, students must take at least nine credit hours of required classes. Examples of these classes include corporate finance, real estate development, real estate finance, and more.

To reiterate, does real estate require college? Not necessarily. However, each of these programs are ranked highly and offer worthwhile programs.

Should you attend college before becoming a real estate agent?

So, do you need college to be a real estate agent? The answer is likely dependent on your own career goals.

Plus, you must consider the time requirement of earning a degree, as it will most likely require four years of full-time instruction.

However, it is important to remember that regardless of your degree status, you must be licensed before becoming a real estate agent. So, either way, you will need to undergo some type of instruction before earning a license.

Ultimately, you should examine your career goals within the real estate field to determine if a degree will be beneficial for you.

Additional Resources

• 10 Best Colleges Offering Online Associate’s Degrees
• College Investigator 
• Best Colleges for Business