Real estate appraiser training is necessary for becoming a licensed appraiser, renewing or upgrading your license, and accurately determining the value of properties. In order to help you pass your real estate appraiser exam and have a successful career in this industry, we researched dozens of online appraisal training courses and picked the six best schools based on their ability to satisfy a variety of budgets, locations, and learning styles:
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Best for: | Best for: | Best for: | Best for: | Best for: | Best for: |
Prospective appraiser trainees and licensees wanting extensive geographic coverage and course offerings | Licensed appraisers who need online classes to meet continuing education requirements | Aspiring real estate appraisers who want the best online, self-paced platform | Professionals looking for low-cost, high-quality course packages | Aspiring and licensed appraisers who want post-licensing professional development resources | Most affordable individual continuing education classes for appraisers to maintain their license |
Prelicensing cost: | Prelicensing cost: | Prelicensing cost: | Prelicensing cost: | Prelicensing cost: | Prelicensing cost: |
$899-$1,599 | Not offered | $665 | $799-$899 | Cost varies | Not offered |
Things you need to know before enrolling for your real estate appraisal education: Along with education requirements, there are additional steps to completing your appraisal licensure. Check out our Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Real Estate Appraiser to help you get started.
McKissock Learning: Best Course Variety & Availability
McKissock Learning
What We Like
- Available in every state
- Multiple package options
- Membership offers extensive resources
What's Missing
- Customer support is not always accessible
- Can be expensive
Additional Features
- Self-paced online and livestream courses
- Prelicensing courses, continuing education, exam prep, and certification courses to upgrade your license
- Membership includes professional development classes, extensive library and resources, and continuing education
- Certification courses available
- Instructor support available by email
- Customer review rating of 4.3 out of 5
- Accredited by International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC) and The Appraisal Foundation
McKissock Learning is the only online school on our list offering appraisal classes and continuing education courses in all 50 states. Not only is McKissock our top pick because of extensive geographic availability, but the platform also features a variety of high-quality coursework, a user-friendly dashboard, and a valuable annual membership option, making it great for those seeking a robust course offering at a competitive price.
Although McKissock provides extensive resources, course options, and positive customer reviews, if you’d like to integrate yourself further into the appraiser community for expert advice and mentorship, consider the membership options at the Appraisal Institute.
Pricing
Prices range per state, but McKissock Learning offers tiered packages with add-on features to fit your educational needs.
Prelicensing: Starting at $209
- Basics Package: From $899.95 to $1,599.95
- Advanced Pro Package: From $1,149.95 to $2,199.95
- Trainee Livestream Package: $1,580
- Qualifying Education (QE) Unlimited Learning Subscription: From $1,399 to $1,699
- 15-hour National USPAP* Course: $299
- Individual 15- to 30-hour classes: 30 hours from $209 to $409.95
*Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP)
Post-licensing: Starting at $599.95
- Basics Package: From $599.95 to $1,999.95
- Advanced Pro Package: From $799 to $2,499
- QE Unlimited Learning Subscription: From $1,399 to $1,699
Continued Education: Starting at $224.99
- Self-paced Online Renewal Packages: From $224.99 to $809.99
- Appraisal Unlimited Learning Membership: $399 per year
Exam Prep: $199.99
- Exam Prep for Licensed Residential Appraisers or Certified Residential Appraisers
Appraiser eLearning: Best for Continuing Education in Multiple Formats
Appraiser eLearning
What We Like
- Only training program with 5 out of 5 customer review rating
- Variety of CE course topics
- Affordable pricing
What's Missing
- Lacks prelicensing
- Lacks exam prep
- Limited customer support hours
Additional Features
- Engaging video lessons
- Required courses, electives, and professional development
- Courses offered online or live online
- Offered in 30 states
- Resourceful podcast and YouTube channel
- Accredited by IDECC
Appraiser eLearning is an online course provider that exclusively offers continuing education (CE) courses for licensed appraisers, which includes unique classes like Learning Home Measurement, Sales Comparison Approach, and Appraiser Liability. They also offer the widest range of CE course formats, with video series, text-based courses, webinars, and live online courses.
Appraiser eLearning is also one of the only providers with a 5 out of 5 customer review rating. Unfortunately, they don’t offer prelicensing or exam prep courses, so consider McKissock Learning for your required real estate appraiser prelicensing training or for help preparing to pass your exam.
Pricing
Although Appraiser eLearning only offers CE courses, they do give the choice of multiple learning formats.
Continued Education: Starting at $29.95
- Self-paced video courses: From $69.95 to $229.50
- Live virtual classes: $155.95
- Recorded webinars: $29.95
VanEducation Center: Best Self-paced Learning Platform
VanEducation Center
What We Like
- Only school to offer a free trial
- Engaging video lessons
- User-friendly interface
What's Missing
- Prelicensing only available in eight states
- Lacks exam prep
Additional Features
- Prelicensing, CE, and exam prep courses
- Interactive questions
- Flashcards and study tools
- Optional e-books included
- Instructors available through the platform and by phone and email
- Veterans receive a 15% discount
- Customer review rating of 4.4 out of 5
- Accredited by Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) and IDECC
VanEducation Center (VanEd) is an online real estate education provider that offers engaging and interactive self-paced courses. Self-paced courses are a great option for busy individuals who need schedule flexibility to complete their coursework. Their excellent customer reviews overwhelmingly state how their courses help students learn easily and that their platform is intuitive and easy to navigate.
However, VanEd only offers real estate appraisal prelicensing courses directly in eight states. In addition, they only offer CE courses through partnerships with other real estate schools, but offer an exclusive discount when using those partner schools. If you’d rather take continuing education and exam prep directly from your ideal provider, we recommend Appraiser eLearning or McKissock Learning.
Pricing
VanEd offers a limited selection compared to competitors, but at a reasonable cost and with self-paced scheduling.
Prelicensing: Starting at $249
- 75-hour Basic Education Package: $665
- 15-hour USPAP course: From $250 to $300
- Individual 30-hour courses: $249
Hondros College: Most Affordable Appraiser Training Courses
Hondros College
What We Like
- Affordable prices
- User-friendly interface
What's Missing
- Courses only available in 32 states
- Lacks exam prep
- No interactive components
Additional Features
- All courses are self-paced online
- Partners with CompuCram for exam preparation
- Customer review rating of 4 out of 5
- Accredited by Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
Hondros College offers online real estate appraiser training in 32 states. Their coursework packages are less expensive than other providers and significantly cheaper than buying all required appraisal courses individually. Hondros College is a great choice for aspiring real estate appraisal professionals on a budget who want high-quality training.
Similar to VanEd, Hondros is not available in all states, and only offers exam prep through a partnership with CompuCram. The majority of students from Hondros College state that the courses are easy to complete online and helped them pass the exam on the first try, although some students express frustration with customer service. For more geographically available courses with accessible customer support, try McKissock Learning.
Pricing
Hondros College offers premade packaged courses as well as individual courses in order to jump start your property appraisal career.
Prelicensing: Starting at $299
- 154-hour National Licensed package: $1,299
- Trainee Package: From $799 to $899
- Individual 30-hour courses: $399
- 15-hour USPAP course: $299
Post-licensing: Starting at $595
- Upgrade to Licensed Residential Package: $795
- Upgrade from License Appraiser to Certified Residential: $595
Continued Education: Starting at $199
- Packages range from $199 to $499
Exam Prep: $149
Appraisal Institute: Best Post-licensing & Professional Development Resources
Appraisal Institute
What We Like
- Customer review rating of 5 out of 5
- Online, on-demand, and classroom courses
- Extensive professional development courses and designations
What's Missing
- Lacks exam prep
- Limited self-paced courses
Additional Features
- Professional development and designation courses available
- National and local events
- Career resources, networking, and leadership development
- Discounts on business services
- Accredited by NASBA (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy)
As opposed to being a real estate appraiser training program, the Appraisal Institute (AI) is a professional organization that provides resources like qualifying courses, license upgrade courses, and continuing education credits to real estate appraisal professionals. Since the Appraisal Institute is an organization, as opposed to an accredited real estate school, its packages are offered as memberships that include discounts on appraiser training courses.
Students and members note that the Appraisal Institute provides incredible education, guidance, and resources for appraisers, giving the organization a 5 out of 5 customer review rating. Membership benefits and a variety of topic-specific courses make Appraisal Institute a great option for appraisers who want to grow their career via professional resources. However, if you need a school with more extensive prelicensing education options, try Hondros College.
Pricing
AI differs from other real estate appraiser training schools in that it is a professional association that offers memberships for access to professional resources and discounted course packages.
Membership: Starting at $50
- Student Affiliate: $50 per year
- Affiliate: $235 per year
- Practicing Affiliate: $370 per year
- Candidate for Designation: $480 per year
Prelicensing: Staring at $280
- Individual 30-hour courses: From $435 to $500 without membership
- 15-hour USPAP course: From $280 to $400 without membership
Continued Education: Starting at $200
- 7-hour update course: $250
- Professional development course: $200
- 14-hour individual courses: $380
360Training: Most Affordable Individual CE Courses
360Training
What We Like
- Most affordable course prices
- Refund guarantee
- Self-paced format
What's Missing
- No video components
- No instructor support
- Only available in eight states
Additional Features
- All courses are online
- Basic course topics like Real Estate Appraisal and Real Estate Finance
- Customer support via phone, email, and live chat
- Customer review rating of 4.5 out of 5
- Accredited by International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)
360Training is an online education provider that gives current real estate appraisers the ability to complete continuing education requirements simply and affordably. With only two primary CE course topics, you can achieve a deeper understanding of the most foundational concepts in this career field.
All courses from 360Training are online and self-paced. This is the best school choice if you don’t want to attend scheduled classes but would rather take your time studying the material. However, if you need exam prep or professional development, try Hondros College for affordable course options.
Pricing
While 360Training does not have nationwide coverage for appraiser courses, they do offer competitive pricing for the states they are approved in.
Prelicensing:
- 45-hour Real Estate Principles (approved in California): $80
Continued Education: Starting at $29
- State-specific license renewal packages: From $45 to $89
- 3-hour CE courses: $29
How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Appraiser Schools
Requirements to become licensed as a real estate appraiser vary significantly between states, but at a minimum you will need to complete at least 75 hours of education before starting fieldwork. Given the amount of time and effort you’ll spend learning how to become an appraiser, we evaluated the top places to complete your required real estate appraiser training.
Based on our criteria, McKissock Learning emerged as the best overall option for real estate appraiser training. It offers self-paced and live online courses, individual courses, and a membership package for access to many more professional resources and tools. Plus, they are available in all 50 states and have excellent customer ratings with hundreds of thousands of reviews.
To evaluate the best real estate appraiser training, we considered these criteria:
25% of Overall Score
Pricing is based on the cost and availability of pre- and post-licensing, continuing education courses, and exam prep for each online institution.
20% of Overall Score
Consists of various formatting and learning styles for each course to meet the specific needs of the student as well as ease of course accessibility.
15% of Overall Score
Based on customer feedback for each program, with particular attention given to reviews of the product and popularity of the provider, to certify the course meets user satisfaction.
15% of Overall Score
Measured by the number of states serviced by the education provider.
15% of Overall Score
Expertise in the field and firsthand experience with the providers allow us to evaluate the standout features, value for the money, and ease of use for each school.
10% of Overall Score
We looked into the convenience and attainability of customer service for technical support and instructor assistance.
If you’re looking for different career options within the real estate industry, we’ve got you covered:
- Read our complete step-by-step guide for how to become a real estate agent, including state-specific requirements.
- Learn how to become a home inspector, where you’ll examine homes before they are purchased.
