9 Top Online Real Estate Schools In California For 2021

9 Top Online Real Estate Schools In California For 2021

California requires 135 hours of pre-licensing education to get your real estate license in the state. This means you need to join a real estate school to take classes. I have listed in this guide the 9 best online real estate schools in California so you can get the proper education.

 NOTE: My work is supported by affiliate commissions. Learn More 


Best Rated Real Estate Schools In California


1.

best online real estate schools in CaliforniaReal Estate Express
best California real estate schools

2.

best online real estate schools in CaliforniaAceableAgent
5

3.

The CE ShopThe CE Shop
4


1. Real Estate Express

5


Number One Best Online Real Estate Schools In California

Real Estate Express is my number one best online real estate school in the United States and it’s also my first pick for online real estate schools in California as well. They simply offer the best California pre-license real estate course on the market and we will look at the reasons why below. Don’t forget, I have used this school so I know it’s good. You can read my Real Estate Express review to learn more.

Pros:

  • Long Track Record In California: Real Estate Express is one of the oldest California real estate schools on the market. This means they have perfected the way they teach the California pre-licensing course. Using a California real estate school that has a good reputation is critical and they are the top in this area.
  • Great California Learning Platform: You want to choose an online California real estate school that allows you the freedom to take your course anywhere and at any time. The Real Estate Express California course does just that. It’s an amazon learning platform that tracks your progress and gives you the flexibility to take the course when you want.
  • Over 31,000 High Rated Reviews: It’s quite amazing the number of positive reviews that Real Estate Express has for its online California real estate course. At the time of this writing, they have over 31,000 reviews of this course and most of them are very positive. 4.42 out of 5 stars is quite high with this many reviewers.
  • Great California Package Options: The Real Estate Express California real estate course has four great package choices. Whatever education you need to get your real estate license in California each package will cover this. Some online real estate schools in California do not offer these many options.
  • California Passing Guarantee: As is always the case with this California real estate school, they have the best guarantee in the industry. If you do not pass your California real estate license exam, they will refund the purchase price of the course. It doesn’t get better than that.
  • Good Pricing For California Course: The cost of the Basic Real Estate Express California pre-licensing course is just over $119 full price. This is a very good price for this course. Even their three higher priced packages have good pricing and are competitive with any California online school.
  • Access To California Instructors: If you’re going to use a real estate school, you want to make sure you have help when you need it. Real Estate Express gives you access to your instructor if you should need help or have questions specifically about the California pre-licensing course.
  • Great California Exam Prep: You’re going to need extra exam prep before you take the California real estate license exam. With this school you will be able to access in-depth California exam prep for both state and national exam sections. This even includes flashcards and fourteen videos covering the national portion of the licensing exam.
  • California Textbooks: Not all California real estate schools offer textbooks. With Real Estate Express you will gain access to three real estate textbooks and if you use their California Ultimate option, you can even get the printed textbook.

Cons:

  • California Course Not As Interactive: There are few negatives with the California real estate course offered by Real Estate Express. If there is any negative to speak of it would only be that the California course is not quite as interactive as the course offered by AceableAgent below. This may not be a negative to most, but if you require extensive video content, AceableAgent might be a better choice.

2. AceableAgent

5


Number Two Best Online Real Estate Schools In California

Next on my list of best online real estate schools in California is AceableAgent. This is the real estate school I used to pass my real estate license exam on the first try so I know it’s good. If you want to see the inside of this course and how it works, read my AceableAgent review for this. Now let’s look at what makes this California real estate school so good.

Pros:

  • One Easy California Package Option: This can be a positive or a negative depending on how you look at it. The fact that AceableAgent only has one California course option is a positive if you want to have one easy choice that offers everything you will need to learn to pass the California real estate license exam. This means you don’t have to guess which package is best for you since they only have one!
  • Great Pricing For California Course: At right around $120, AceableAgent’s California real estate course is probably the best price for an all inclusive course you will find. There are some California schools that have a slightly lower price, but they don’t offer as much either.
  • Amazing California Learning Platform: If you have read any of my other guides you will know that I think AceableAgent has one of the best and most modern platforms to deliver their material. They have great interactive content and this makes taking the course quite easy. If you want to learn the California real estate market, you will love this platform.
  • High Rating For California Course: With over 1,000 reviews and a 4.7 out of 5 star rating, AceableAgent is obviously a good California real estate course. While not as many ratings and reviews as Real Estate Express, this is still quite high which means their course works.
  • Access Master California Instructors: Most likely at some point you will have a question as you take your pre-licensing course. With AceableAgent you will have access to Master California instructors who will be there to help when the need arises.
  • Downloadable Course: One of the great things about this California course is that the course material is downloadable so you can access them on any device at any time.
  • Pass The California Exam Guarantee: Aceable has a great guarantee for their California real estate course. If within three attempts you do not pass the California real estate licensing exam, they will refund your money.

Cons:

  • Newer California Real Estate School: AceableAgent is one of the newer online real estate schools in California. This may be a turnoff to some because they want a school with a longer record but, in my opinion, it doesn’t matter. They have truly made their course that good that the length of time they have been around is simply not important.
  • Just One Package Option: As I said above, this can be a positive and a negative. If you want less choices it’s a positive as stated above. However, if you want to have multiple package options then AceableAgent is not for you as they only have one package.

3. The CE Shop

best online real estate schools in California


Third Best Online Real Estate Schools In California

Next on my list of top online real estate schools in California is The CE Shop. This school has a great California curriculum and will give you everything you need to learn to pass the California state licensing exam. To see inside this course see my The CE Shop review. Let’s look at what makes them a good California real estate school.

Pros:

  • Full California Curriculum: The CE Shop offers a fully approved California pre-license curriculum that has what you need to help you learn to pass the California state licensing exam. This course has the full 135 hours required by the state.
  • Great California Exam Prep: It’s always good to get extra exam prep for the state licensing exam and The CE Shop has complete California exam prep with their Exam Prep Edge. This exam prep should cover what you need to get ready for your license exam.
  • Four California Package Options: The package options offered by The CE Shop are always good. There are four California packages offered and this will allow you to customize your education based on your needs.
  • Great California Learning Platform: The learning platform used by The CE Shop for the California course is very good. It’s easy to use, has some decent interactive content, and will track your progress from start to finish.
  • California Courses Priced Right: The price of this California real estate school is on the lower to mid range of pricing overall. Their prices range from $129 to $269 which is quite good for a full California based curriculum.
  • Weekly California Webinars: Get your questions answered but the actual California instructor in the weekly instructor lead course webinars. Topics will focus on learning what you will find on the actual national licensing exam.

Cons:

  • No Full California Course Guarantee: While The CE Shop does offer a pass guarantee, it’s not a full course guarantee. They will pay for you to retake the state licensing exam should you need to retake it but they do not offer a refund of the course itself.

4. Allied Schools

(Now Real Estate Express)

4


Number Four Best Online Real Estate Schools In California

Allied Schools is a sister company of Real Estate Express being owned by the same parent company. This means they have the same backing and good reputation as you would find with Real Estate Express. Let’s look at what makes this California real estate school good and see why I have added them to my list.

Pros:

  • Reputable Company: Allied Schools is associated with Real Estate Express which means they are part of the same family of real estate schools. This whole system is one of the oldest and most reputable in the country so you can be sure you have a good online California real estate school to back you.
  • Good Track Record: This school has been around since 1992 so they understand what it takes to become a real estate agent in California. This means their course material is going to be top notch.
  • Full California Curriculum: The curriculum offered by Allied Schools is fully approved and contains all of the required material required by the California Department of Real Estate.
  • Unique California Package Options: One of the unique differences between Allied Schools and others is they have several unique package options. Not only do they have an online California course but they also have a Live Streaming option.
  • California Pass Guarantee: Like Real Estate Express, Allied has a great passing guarantee. If you do not pass the California real estate licensing exam they will refund the purchase price of the course.
  • Good California Exam Prep: Allied Schools includes the California exam prep you will need to pass your state exam. Digital flashcards, exam cram video and practice tests are all part of the course contents.

Cons:

  • Course Interaction: This is not really a negative but more of something I will share for your information. The Allied Schools content is extremely good but does not have quite the content interaction you will find with AceableAgent.

5. 360Training

3


Number Five Best Online Real Estate Schools In California

I have added the 360Training online California real estate course to my list because they have good pricing and good reviews for this course by past students. To see what it’s like inside their course see my 360Training real estate review.

Pros:

  • Good Pricing: The 360Training online California course has some of the better pricing compared to other real estate schools in the state. Their course packages range from $100 to $160 and many times they run a sale price.
  • Self-Paced California Course: The good thing about this course is that it’s self-paced meaning you can take it when you want and where you want. There are no scheduled meetings or classes to attend.
  • Mandatory California Courses Included: The course contents include all of the required course material as specified by the California Department of Real Estate.

Cons:

  • Not Interactive: The 360Training California real estate course is just not that interactive. There are quizzes but the material is basically a pdf that you read and then take a quiz.
  • California Platform Not Great: The learning platform is ok but it does not have the intuitive interface that you see with AceableAgent or Real Estate Express.
  • No California Passing Guarantee: There is no passing guarantee of any kind with the 360Training California course. Their pricing is good so it may not matter. That’s something you would need to consider.

6. Kaplan California

3


Sixth Best Online Real Estate Schools In California

While Kaplan is not my favorite online real estate school, I placed them on this list of my top online California real estate schools because their California course is good though not my first choice. See inside the Kaplan course with my Kaplan review so you can decide for yourself. Now, let’s see what’s positive and negative about this California real estate school.

Pros:

  • Long California Track Record: Kaplan has been around for a very long time. This means they have been providing real estate education to California students for many years and have experience in this area.
  • Different California Options: If you’re looking for options besides just an online course, Kaplan has that. They offer an OnDemand self-paced online California course as well as a home study and live online package option.
  • Good California Course Platform: The learning platform provided by Kaplan is very good. You can easily access your course at any time (if using the OnDemand option) and the interface is simple to use.

Cons:

  • Much Higher Pricing: One of the biggest downsides to Kaplan’s California online course is that it is so much higher priced than other California online real estate schools. Their prices range from $399 to $799 for the OnDemand online course.
  • California Course Not As Interactive: If you’re looking for the most interactive California course then Kaplan is not your choice. It’s not as interactive as AceableAgent listed above. This may not even be a negative if you don’t care about having extremely interactive content.
  • No California Passing Guarantee: Having a passing guarantee is really a great plus. Kaplan does not offer any type of passing guarantee for their California real estate course.

7. Mbition California

3


Number Seven Best Online Real Estate Schools In California

I added Mbition to this list of best online real estate schools in California because like Kaplan, they do have a good course but overall, they are not my favorite provider. Mbition has some decent options and both positives and negatives which I explore below.

Pros:

  • Complete California Course: The Mbition California pre-licensing course does offer the complete 135 hours of required material you will need to get ready to pass the California real estate license exam.
  • Good Learning Platform: Mbition does offer a pretty good platform to take your California pre-license course. It’s easy to use and tracks your course progress.
  • Self-Paced: This California real estate course is self-paced which means you can take the course when and where you want. Most online courses are self-paced including Real Estate Express shown above.
  • Decent California Exam Prep: Mbition does offer California exam prep with their two higher priced packages. This will allow you to get ready for the California real estate licensing exam.

Cons:

  • Pricing Mid to High: The cost for the Mbition California pre-licensing course is not the best on the market. It’s in the mid range of pricing.
  • Two Final Exam Attempts: When taking the California course final exam with Mbition, they only allow two final exam attempts. I am not clear why they do this, but to me it’s something they should change.
  • No California Course Guarantee: While they do offer some type of first time passing guarantee which says they will pay for your second attempt to take the state exam, this is not a full course guarantee. It’s also not clear how to take advantage of this guarantee from their policies page.

8. License Masters3


This California real estate school is classified as a “Correspondence” based school. This means that they use real textbooks with a mix of online resources that maximize the learning. Every chapter will have a lecture that breaks down each chapter in their courses. These consist of a PowerPoint presentation that is a series of bullet points (Flash Cards) that streamline the material. They follow this up with their seven day instructor support.

Pros:

  • Good Passing Guarantee: They offer a 110% money back guarantee that you will pass the state exam on your first try. This means if you don’t pass the California real estate license exam on your first attempt, they will pay you 100% of the course fee plus 10% more.
  • Many Package Options: Out of all the online California real estate schools, License Masters offer the most package options. They offer six online course options which will allow you to pick what works best for you.

Cons:

  • Pricing Mid To High: The pricing for License Masters ranges from $135 for their Basic course option to over $500 for the best package. This is in the mid to high pricing sides for California real estate schools online.

9. ADHI Schools3


I list ADHI Schools on my list of best online California real estate courses because they are a well-known school in the state. They are not my favorite California real estate school, but they are worth mentioning.

Pros:

  • Over 17 Years In Business: ADHI Schools has been teaching California based real estate education since 2003 so they have a long track record.

Cons:

  • Not A True Self-Paced Course: ADHI Schools does not offer a true self-paced online course. It’s basically access to YouTube videos, textbooks, practice questions, and an online final exam. If you opt for their higher priced course, you also get live classes via Zoom but again, this is not a true self-paced online course.
  • No Response From Support: We contacted ADHI Schools several times to see if we could help. Both times we never received a response. I don’t know if this is normal, but this was our experience.

California Real Estate School FAQ

How Long Does It Take To Become A Real Estate Agent In California?

California requires 135 hours of pre-licensing education and then to pass the state exam. It normally takes 3 to 4 months to complete this entire process so that you can get your real estate license in California.

How Much Does It Cost To Get A Real Estate License In California?

First, you will need to take a pre-license course which can cost anywhere from $100 to $300. Then you will need to take the state examination which costs $60. After that you need to apply for a license which is $245 plus a $49 fingerprint processing fee. So the cost to become a real estate agent in California will be between $450 to $650.

How Much Are Real Estate Schools In California?

Real estate schools in California can range in price from $100 to $300 if you take one of the better online courses.

Do You Need A Degree To Become A Real Estate Agent In California?

No, you do not need a degree to become a real estate agent in California. This is a career that is open to everyone regardless of their educational status which is why it’s so appealing.

What Requirements Are Needed To Become A Real Estate Agent In California?

If you want to become a licensed real estate agent in California, you will need to meet these criteria and take these steps:

  • Step 1: You need to meet the age requirements and be 18 years of age or older.
  • Step 2: Next you will need to complete 135 hours of a pre-licensing course. You will also need to provide proof that you have completed the course.
  • Step 3: You must take and then you must pass the California Real Estate Exam. Your score must be 70% or higher to pass.
  • Step 4: Next you will need to file your real estate license application to the California Department of Real Estate. Do this within one year of passing your California real estate license exam.
  • Step 5: Submit your Live Scan Request to submit your fingerprints.

Be sure to visit the California Department of Real Estate website to make sure these steps are current.

Is It Hard To Become A Real Estate Agent In California?

No, it’s not hard to become a real estate agent in California. Actually, it’s quite easy compared to other careers. It will take study, but overall, it’s much easier than other career options.

What Is The Best California Real Estate Exam Prep?

By far the best California real estate exam prep would have to be PrepAgent or CompuCram. Both of these exam prep programs give you in-depth practice exams that will help you to pass the real estate licensing exam in California.