Getting your real estate license doesn’t have to be difficult. To become an agent, you’ll need to find the best online real estate school in California that fits your learning style.
When you choose to take your real estate courses online, you get to set your own pace and complete the 135-Hour Pre-Licensing Course on your schedule. Finding the best online real estate schools in CA just got a lot easier; we have done the hard work for you and compiled a list of the top online schools.
You can scroll down to find out why we have chosen these six schools as the best online California real estate schools. We give you the pros and cons and go in-depth on what each online school has to offer you with its courses. Your journey to become the best real estate agent in CA starts now!
Top 6 California Online Real Estate Schools
1. Aceable Agent
Known as one of the top online real estate courses in California, Aceable is leading the way in online education. They offer an approved curriculum by DRE (California Department of Real Estate) in PDF form that can be accessed on any device. Aceable Agent has an astounding 92% national pass rate!
Aceable Real Estate offers a straightforward delivery system for the real estate classes. You will use the provided documents to prepare you for the CA Real Estate Exam. In addition, Aceable’s pre-licensing course will give you the 135 hours you need to get your real estate license. With the private tutoring they offer, they really have the ultimate learning course. They even offer a guarantee to pass the exam or your money back.
Choose from three different packages with Aceable Agent, including:
- Basic – For $179, you get the 135-hour pre-license course, practice exam questions, instructor support, PDF format, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Deluxe – For $299, you get everything in the Basic package, as well as 75 video and 70 audio lessons, digital flashcards, deluxe exam prep with 1,660+ practice questions, and a real estate exam prep eBook.
- Premium – For $399, you will get everything the Basic and Deluxe packages offer, plus private tutoring with a real estate expert, live webinars five times a week, and live Q&As every Friday.
| AceableAgent Pros | AceableAgent Cons |
|---|---|
| Self-Paced | Only PDF Option |
| Affordable | No In-Person Option |
| Instructor Support |
Cancellation/Refund Policy
Aceable Agent does have a refund policy as long as you have not completed the course and the request is within 30 days of purchase. After that, you need to contact their student concierge. A course is considered completed if you have gone through all the levels of the course, whether or not you have taken and passed the final exam.
If you have purchased through a third party (e.g., Groupon), you will need to contact them to receive a refund.
Please note that the extension will not be refundable if you have requested a course extension because of an expiring course completion date.
2. The CE Shop
The CE Shop offers a good choice for your online real estate school in California. They offer everything you need to complete your pre-licensing requirements. All packages will include three 45-hour online interactive courses to fulfill your 135-hour pre-licensing requirements.
California requires these three courses to get your real estate license:
- 45-Hour Principles course
- 45-Hour Practice course
- 45-Hour Finance course
You get a 96% student satisfaction rate and a 90% national student pass rate with The CE Shop. In addition, you can complete the coursework as fast as seven and a half weeks. You can quickly become one of the best real estate professionals with The CE Shop.
There are four packages that The CE Shop offers:
- Course Only – For $129, you get 135-hours of CA pre-licensing courses, eBooks, a real estate glossary, career resources, digital flashcards, downloadable resources, and a study schedule.
- Standard Package – For $199, you get everything included in the course Only package, access to the Exam Prep Edge package, and a pass guarantee.
- Value Package – For $249, you get everything included in the Standard package, as well as the Business Building Courses, which can help you start your real estate journey.
- Premium Package – For $445, you receive everything The CE Shop offers with its biggest package. You get all the benefits of the Value package, along with a 45-hour first renewal package and 3 California Real Estate Edition eTextbooks.
You can also purchase the individual courses for $105 if you have already completed one of the 45-hour courses. The CE Shop also offers continuing education courses: helping real estate agents keep their licenses active.
| The CE Shop Pros | The CE Shop Cons |
|---|---|
| High National Pass Rate | No Instructor Support |
| Digital Flashcards | No In-Person Classes |
| Individual Course Options |
Cancellation/Refund Policy
The CE Shop offers a refund of the purchase price as long as the request is submitted within 30 days of the purchase date, before the course expiration, and less than 50% of the course has been completed.
If you request a refund for Exam Prep Edge, The CE Shop will refund the purchase price as long as the request is within 30 days of the purchase date and the initial assessment has not been completed.
Ebooks are non-returnable, and all sales are final.
3. Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate, formerly known as Real Estate Express, is a great option for getting your real estate license in California. Colibri Real Estate offers an easy online learning experience, which makes this school one of the top options. The 135-hour pre-licensing course is offered in many different packages, from basic needs to livestream options.
With Colibri, you can also get continuing education courses. This can really help your real estate business as you work through the first few years of being a real estate agent in CA.
The different packages include:
- The Basics – For $129, you will get the pre-license course, three real estate eBooks, and instructor support.
- Exam Preparation – For $229, you get everything The Basics offers, along with exam prep with audio playback. You will even get a Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee when it comes to your real estate license exam.
- Exam Preparation Plus – For $349, you get plenty of extra benefits with this package. It gives you everything the Exam Preparation package offers; you can also access an instructor Q&A, a real estate dictionary, live exam cram video series, and interactive learning videos.
- Ultimate Learning – For $449, you will get access to everything the Exam Preparation Plus package offers, along with a one-year professional development membership, and you can purchase a printed course textbook.
- Livestream – For $449, you can access livestream classes Tuesday & Thursday as well as Saturday & Sunday. All live stream courses offer the pre-licensing course, real estate eBooks, exam prep, instructor support, study resources, and the pass or don’t pay money back guarantee.
You can also purchase single courses for $99; these courses include:
- California: Property Management
- California: Real Estate Finance
- California: Real Estate Practice
- California: Real Estate Principles
- Legal Aspects of Real Estate
- Real Estate Appraisal
- Real Estate Economics
- Real Estate Office Administration
| Colibri Real Estate Pros | Colibri Real Estate Cons |
|---|---|
| Many Package Options | No Mobile App |
| Livestream Courses | Limited Days for Livestreams |
| Instructor Support |
Cancellation/Refund Policy
Colibri Real Estate does offer a refund policy; they back every purchase with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. For online courses, you have one week from the date of purchase to request a full refund. For the livestream courses, you must request a refund within one week of the first day the livestream courses start to get a full refund.
You can either call or email to request a refund.
4. Kaplan
A well-known name in education, Kaplan offers real estate pre-licensing courses in many states, including California. You can take live online or on-demand courses through Kaplan. They even offer home study options and cater to all learning styles. With Kaplan, you can be prepared to take the California real estate exam. You will need to complete your course within six months from the date of purchase.
The Kaplan Real Estate School offers multiple packages, including:
- California OnDemand Package – For $399, you get the 135-hour pre-licensing course, exam prep workbook, drill and practice QBank, terms & definitions audio MP3, interactive study group, and live career mentoring.
- Career Launcher OnDemand Package – For $599, you get everything in the California OnDemand package and a real estate accelerator class.
- Carnegie Career Launcher OnDemand Package – For $799, you get everything provided in the Career Launcher OnDemand package plus Win Friends and Influence People: Secrets of Success, a 40-page PDF guidebook.
- California Live Online Package – For $549, you get the 135-hour pre-licensing course, exam prep workbook, drill and practice QBank, terms & definitions audio MP3, interactive study group, and live career mentoring.
- Career Launcher Live Online Package – For $749, you get everything in the California OnDemand package and a real estate accelerator class.
- Carnegie Career Launcher Live Online Package – For $949, you get everything provided in the Career Launcher OnDemand package plus Win Friends and Influence People: Secrets of Success, a 40-page PDF guidebook.
The home study packages range in price from $179-$679, but you get to work in the comfort of your own home. You can also purchase courses individually if you need one or two courses.
| Kaplan Pros | Kaplan Cons |
|---|---|
| Many Package Options | No Mobile App |
| #1 Name in Test Prep |
Cancellation/Refund Policy
Kaplan does offer a cancellation policy; all web-based courses, live courses, and paper-based courses need to be requested for a refund within 30 days of the date of purchase, and only if the course/class has not been completed. If you ask for a refund for a live class or paper-based course, you must return all unused materials.
Real Estate Accelerator can be canceled up to one week before the start date, and all downloadable materials are final and non-refundable.
5. RealEstateU
RealEstateU is the best budget-friendly option out of all the real estate schools in California. They have helped over 140,000 real estate students across the United States, and you can access their pre-license course on any device. In addition, you will be able to review and study key sections of the course using downloadable documents and infographics.
RealEstateU offers three different course package options to choose from, including:
- Course Only – For $149, you get access to their 135-hour pre-license course, online audio courses, infographics of key concepts, a course glossary, and a course(s) certificate of completion.
- Course + Study Guide – For $274, you get everything in the Course Only package plus real estate exam prep with potential California real estate exam questions, 13 practice tests, and one sample California practice state exam.
- Course + Study Guide + Agent Success – For $453, you get everything in the Course + Study Guide package plus expert advice coming from tens of thousands of hours of research into the top brands in real estate, practical first steps meant to be followed by new agents, advice from the top real estate agents in the world, and self-paced guide to ensuring your success in real estate.
| RealEstateU Pros | RealEstateU Cons |
|---|---|
| Very Affordable | No Live Classes |
Cancellation/Refund Policy
Real Estate U does offer a refund for their real estate courses. You can request a refund if you have not completed more than 50% of the course and it’s within 30 days of the purchase date. You may be subject to a $20 admin charge for your refund.
Books are not eligible for a refund.
Course(s) purchased through Groupon and/or Living Social will have to contact Groupon and/or Living Social to obtain a refund in accordance with their refund policy.
6. Allied Real Estate Schools
Allied Real Estate Schools is one of the most recognized real estate schools in California. They are the number one choice for many people wanting to become an agent in CA. They offer many different online packages, from self-paced courses to livestream courses. With so many different package options, you are sure to find something that fits your learning style.
Allied Schools packages include:
- Fast Track Career Program – For $199, you get all 135-hour pre-licensing courses, downloadable eBooks, practice exams, and live instructor access.
- Fast Track Career Premium Program – For $299, you get everything included in the Career program, plus exam cram webinar and videos, digital exam flashcards, eBook dictionary, and the Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee.
- Fast Track Career Premium Plus Program – For $399, you get everything Allied Schools has to offer for the online self-paced packages. You also get printed course textbooks and CE+ Membership.
- Livestream Packages – For $449, you learn live and online from experienced California instructors., and get to engage with other real estate students like you. They have classes on Tuesday/Thursday evenings and full-day, Monday/Wednesday full-day, and Saturday/Sunday full-day options.
Allied also offers the option to purchase courses individually for $68; these courses include:
- Legal Aspects of Real Estate
- Real Estate Appraisal Course
- Real Estate Economics Course
- Real Estate Escrow Course
- Real Estate Finance Course
- Real Estate Office Administration Course
- Real Estate Practice Course
- Real Estate Principles Course
- Real Estate Property Management Course
Allied also allows you to swap out a class for another one when applicable.
| Allied Real Estate Schools Pros | Allied Real Estate Schools Cons |
|---|---|
| Many Course Packages | Short Refund Window |
| Livestream Courses | |
| Instructor Support |
Cancellation/Refund Policy
Allied Real Estate Schools does have a refund policy, but it is a very short window because they thrive on 100% student satisfaction. You may request a refund by email or phone.
For the online course, you have one week to get a full refund from the date of purchase.
For livestream courses, you have one week to request a refund from the start of the classes to get a full refund.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Real Estate Schools in California
How long will I need to work on pre-licensing requirements?
You will need a minimum of 7.5 weeks to complete the pre-licensing courses. There are three 45-hour courses, and California won’t allow you to complete each one faster than 2.5 weeks. However, most students will take three to four months to complete the course.
Will I need to pass a final exam?
Yes, you will need to pass your pre-licensing course and the California real estate licensing exam. Many of the online real estate schools offer exam prep to help you pass as well.
Will college credits work for my pre-licensing requirements?
Yes, if you have real estate or law courses, you can use these as part of your pre-licensing. You can get up to 45 credits towards pre-licensing with the right college credits.
Will I need to complete California real estate school to become a real estate agent?
Yes. You must complete the 135 hours of classes before becoming an agent. However, there are options with virtual classes above and others, allowing you to meet the requirements at your own pace. You can even start the coursework before you move to California.
How long does it take to get my California real estate license?
After completing your real estate education, you will need to apply for the real estate license exam and pass to be able to get your California real estate license. This process typically takes 5-8 months from start to finish.
California Real Estate Agent Course
With real estate industry-leading exam pass rates, you can be sure that Aceable Agent is a great choice!
Getting your real estate license in California doesn’t have to be difficult. With one of these schools, you’ll be able to fulfill the requirements and get the exam prep you need to begin your real estate career.
