6 Best Online Real Estate Courses in Iowa

The best schools in Hawkeye State offer convenient and interactive education for current and aspiring agents and brokers. These Iowa real estate courses can be taken on any mobile device from the comfort of your home or office—so you wouldn’t need to go gravel just to get to your classes on time. Schools also provide ample customer support to ensure an effective learning experience. We evaluated six options, comparing their course availability, features, pricing, and student support to find the right fit for your needs.

• Center for Real Estate Excellence: Best overall for aspiring agents who need to complete the 96-hour prelicensing education in Iowa
• QC School of Real Estate: Most affordable salesperson education for initial licensing
• Kaplan: Top choice for agents who prefer self-paced learning with access to an interactive study group
• McKissock Learning: Ideal for active licensees who need customizable continuing education (CE) with career resources
• Concepts Real Estate Schools: Great option for prelicensing students who need direct access to local real estate experts
• Colibri Real Estate: Recommended for individuals looking for self-paced education with extensive instructor support

Best Online Schools in Iowa At a Glance

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Center for Real Estate Excellence: Best Overall for Complete Prelicensing Coursework With Learning Format Variety

We recommend the Center for Real Estate Excellence for aspiring agents looking to complete all of the required 96 hours of prelicensing education in Iowa, with several learning formats to choose from. Students can take the prerequisite 60-hour prelicensing coursework either via self-paced online or live stream classes. They can then complete the three additional 12-hour courses via live Zoom instruction. Live classes are taught by seasoned Realtors, so students get direct access to local experts and can ask questions in real time.

Uniquely, the Center for Real Estate Excellence offers a free self-paced 60-hour prelicensing course through its affiliate partner, Keller Williams School of Real Estate. Even though this free course doesn’t include learning materials and instructor support, this is appealing to self-motivated students who only need minimal supervision.

Self-study students can purchase a stand-alone exam prep course or attend a live weekend exam prep class for additional test preparation. Additionally, active licensees can complete the 36-hour continuing education needed to maintain their license.

Center for Real Estate Excellence Reviews

The Center for Real Estate Excellence[/fitlink] is loved by its customers because of its knowledgeable instructors who did a “great job relating the course information to real-life scenarios” and made classes engaging. Students recommended its prelicensing courses, which helped them pass their exams, and its CE courses for license renewal.

As of writing, the school doesn’t offer broker licensing courses. Prelicensing courses also don’t include a pass guarantee in case an exam retake is required, unlike at Colibri Real Estate and Kaplan, If you need broker prelicensing courses, you can check local schools like Iowa Real Estate Academy.

Center for Real Estate Excellence Pricing

Courses at the Center for Real Estate Excellence are more expensive than similar courses at other schools. Some prelicensing courses are conducted via Zoom livestream and include books and other learning materials.

Prelicensing: Starting at $120

As mentioned, the Center for Real Estate Excellence offers all the required prelicensing hours. The three 12-hour live Zoom classes are conducted in five-day groupings, though students may take them at any time. Note that all livestream classes require 100% attendance and have strict class policies.

• 12-Hour individual courses: $120 for each of the three required courses
• 60-Hour Prelicensing: $475 available in live Zoom format; includes books and additional learning materials
• 60-Hour Prelicensing*: Free; available in a self-paced online format through Keller Williams School of Real Estate; no instructor and learning materials included
• Iowa Real Estate Professional Track v2.0**: $395, includes 60-hour of self-paced coursework plus Complete Iowa Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank

Continued Education: Starting at $20

Active agents can take individual CE courses either through livestream or self-paced format. Licensees can also enroll in in-person classes held at their learning center in West Des Moines, Iowa. Note that the state requires you to take 12 CE hours via live instruction.

• Livestream CE courses: contact school for pricing and availability
• Individual courses**: $20 to $60 based on credits, self-paced coursework

Exam Prep: $95

Prelicensing students taking the 60-hour prelicensing self-study course can take a stand-alone exam prep class during the weekends. This course goes over exam tips, practice exams, and the Iowa Licensing Law (for the state portion of the exam) with a live instructor. This course includes printed study materials.

*Courses available through an affiliate partner, Keller Williams School of Real Estate.

**Courses provided through the RE Campus online platform.

Visit Center for Real Estate Excellence

QC School of Real Estate: Most Affordable 60-Hour Prelicensing Education

QC School of Real Estate offers the Real Estate Principles and Practices course at a more budget-friendly price compared to similar courses from other schools. While this course is self-paced, it contains video segments to keep students engaged with their learning materials. In case you have questions about your lessons, contact the school through phone and email. You can also contact the school if you need to obtain CE credits or need reporting sent to the state.

QC School of Real Estate also offers several exam prep courses for prelicensure students who need additional test preparation. These courses cover the state and national portions of the exam and contain a comprehensive Qbank test engine that simulates the actual exam environment. Customize tests by topics and view answer explanations, so you can master each concept. As of writing, the school doesn’t offer the 36-hour live instruction prelicensing coursework required by the state.

QC School of Real Estate Reviews

Agents love QC School of Real Estate because of its excellent instructor who has in-depth knowledge of the real estate industry. One agent commented that she “felt secure” in her skills after taking the school’s real estate classes. The course also helped her “comfortably move forward” with her career. Another agent also said that the teacher kept the students engaged throughout their classes.

As mentioned, the school doesn’t currently offer the 36-hour live prelicensing classes required by the state. CE and broker licensing courses are also not available. If you need to take all the required prelicensing education, we recommend the Center for Real Estate Excellence[/fitlink]. You can also check CE courses at Kaplan and [McKissock Learning.

QC School of Real Estate Pricing

Courses at QC School of Real Estate are among the most affordable on this list. Students can complete the 60-hour prelicensing coursework, which is a prerequisite for taking the exam. Aspiring agents can also take an exam prep course to supplement their prelicensing education.

Prelicensing: Starting at $287

• IA Real Estate Principles: $287, includes 60 hours of self-paced coursework
• IA Real Estate Professional Track: $385, includes IA Real Estate Principles course plus the Complete Iowa Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank
• IA Real Estate Accelerator Package: $385, includes Iowa Real Estate Principles, the Complete Iowa Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank and the Real Estate Accelerator Live Online Sales Training and Coaching program

Exam Prep: Starting at $27.50

• IA Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank: $27.50
• Complete IA Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank: $120

Visit QC School of Real Estate

Kaplan: Best for Self-paced Prelicensing Course With Access to an Interactive Study Group

We recommend Kaplan to incoming agents who prefer to complete the required 60-hour prelicensing education in a self-paced format. Despite the lack of livestream classes, Kaplan’s prelicensing course includes access to an Interactive Study Group, which covers the national licensing content in live webinars.

Aspiring agents can interact with expert faculty to ask questions in real time and learn from other students as well. The study group aims to keep students on track, so they can finish their education on time and master key concepts covered in the state licensing exam.

If you’re looking for additional learning materials, purchase exam prep courses that cover both national and Iowa state portions of the exam. These courses provide multiple practice exams and simulations to help you build confidence before taking the test. If you need CE credits to renew your license every three years, CE course packages and individual courses are available on Kaplan, which you can take via self-paced or on-demand formats.

To see if this school is the right school for you, check out our Kaplan Real Estate review.

Kaplan Reviews

Agents praised Kaplan because of the knowledgeable and helpful instructors who are enthusiastic about real estate topics, which made the learning experience more enjoyable. Customers also love the variety of course formats, which gave them more flexibility and convenience in terms of schedule.

However, some agents wished course access could be longer than six months, especially those who signed up for multiple Kaplan courses at the same time. Kaplan also doesn’t offer the 36-hour live prelicensing coursework required by the IREC. If you need to complete all the prelicensing education requirements, we recommend courses at the Center for Real Estate Excellence.

Kaplan Pricing

Kaplan’s pricing includes individual courses and bundled packages at competitive rates. Course packages include several learning features, such as access to the Interactive Study Group, which can help you prepare fully for the license exam.

Prelicensing: Starting at $369

• Real Estate Principles: $369, includes 60-hour course
• Real Estate Principles with Master Exam Prep Package: $399, includes 60-hour course, plus National and Iowa Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank, and Interactive Study Group
• Career Launcher Package: $699, includes everything in the Real Estate Principles with Master Exam Prep Package plus Real Estate Accelerator course

Continued Education: Starting at $19

Continuing education is available for salesperson and broker licensees. Courses are provided either in self-paced or on-demand course formats.

• 24-Hour CE Package: $149, hybrid course utilizing both self-paced and on-demand formats
• Individual courses: $19 to $59

Exam Prep: Starting at $99

Self-paced exam prep courses are available from Kaplan. The course content is organized by topic and includes in-depth explanations and a performance tracker.

• IA Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank: $99, includes National PSI Drill and Practice QBank and IA Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank
• National-only Real Estate Exam Prep Solution: $129, includes national online video course and national real estate drill and practice Qbank

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McKissock Learning: Best for Customizable CE With Professional Development Tools

We recommend McKissock Learning for active salespersons and brokers looking for affordable and customizable continuing education in Iowa with course format variety. A unique feature offered by McKissock Learning is its CE membership packages, providing several career resources on top of unlimited access to all available IA CE classes. These professional tools range from on-demand webinars to how-to videos, downloadable job aids, and access to education specialists.

McKissock Learning also provides bundled 24-hour CE renewal packages, which are customizable based on the topics you’re interested in. Take individual courses to suit your interest, schedule, and budget.

For aspiring agents, the 60-hour prelicensing education is available through its partner company, Colibri Real Estate[/f. However, the additional 12-hour live prelicensing courses are currently not available from the school, which is one of its drawbacks. McKissock Learning also doesn’t offer 12 hours of live CE courses required by the state for license renewal.

To see whether this school is a great option for you, read our McKissock Learning review.

McKissock Learning Reviews

Customers left glowing reviews for McKissock Learning because of its well-structured courses, which provided convenience and flexibility to busy agents. Others also praised the valuable information they received from CE courses, which served as a review for experienced professionals.

However, some agents found it challenging to complete their courses because of the text-based content, as well as “lengthy” and confusing topic questions. While a livestream CE class is available, it doesn’t fulfill at least 12 hours of live CE education necessary to maintain an IA license. You may want to consider local schools like the Center for Real Estate Excellence and Concepts Real Estate School.

McKissock Learning Pricing

A national education provider, McKissock Learning’s pricing includes bundled packages and individual courses at fair rates. Course packages contain several additional learning tools and career resources, which help agents understand estate topics effectively. Prelicensing courses are offered through a partner company.

Prelicensing: Starting at $359*

The 60-hour prelicensing course is self-paced. Aside from state-approved instructor support, more expensive packages contain Instructor Q&A, where students get 40 hours of live question-and-answer sessions with experts every month. After completing the course, students can join the Live Exam Crammer Series, which is a series of six webinars focused on passing the real estate exam.

• 60-Hour IA Prelicense Course: $359
• The Basics Package: $384, includes 60-hour course plus state-approved instructor support, and three real estate books
• Exam Preparation Package: $447, includes everything in the Basics package plus exam prep and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee
• Exam Preparation Plus Package: $485, includes everything in the Exam Preparation package plus real estate dictionary, Instructor Q&A, and Live Exam Crammer Series
• Ultimate Learning Package: $614, includes everything in the Exam Preparation Plus package plus printed course textbook, and one-year professional development membership

Continued Education: Starting at $24

You can complete the 24 hours of required CE electives from McKissock Learning. If you purchase any of the renewal packages, you can swap courses based on your topics of interest.

• Individual courses: $24 to $54 based on credit hours
• 24-Hour License Renewal Packages: $149.95, choice between core and elective courses; includes NAR Ethics courses
• IA CE Plus Membership: $234, includes all IA CE courses, pro-series webinars, how-to-videos, job aids, product and service discounts, and access to knowledgeable education specialists

Exam Prep: $99*

The Exam Prep Master is a stand-alone course that covers the national and state portions of the licensing exam. It includes progress exams, final exams, custom exams, flashcards, and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee

*Courses offered through its partner company, Colibri Real Estate.

Visit McKissock Learning

Concepts Real Estate School: Recommended for Direct Access to Local Real Estate Experts

For students needing direct guidance from local real estate experts, we recommend Real Estate School. Classes are taught by seasoned agents, brokers, lawyers, firm owners, and local industry experts with decades of experience. It offers in-person prelicensing and CE classes, allowing students to have real-time instructor interactions. The school also offers real estate business training programs, professional development courses, and personalized training programs for agents who want to succeed in real estate.

Concepts Real Estate School is one of the only two schools on this list that provides the complete 96-hour prelicensing coursework in Iowa. Students can take the prerequisite 60-hour coursework in a convenient self-paced online format. They can then complete the three required 12-hour courses by joining in-person classes at any of the school’s training centers in Windsor Heights, Cedar Rapids, and Davenport.

CE classes are also available online for busy agents who want to complete the required renewal courses as their schedule permits. Virtual CE courses are also available for those who prefer live classes from the comforts of their homes.

Concepts Real Estate School Reviews

Though Concepts Real Estate School received positive testimonials from its students, no online customer ratings have been given yet regarding the school’s real estate education. Nevertheless, the school is a great option for prelicensing students who want to mix self-paced online learning with in-person instruction.

The school doesn’t provide exam prep courses for those who need additional test preparation. You can check Kaplan and Real Estate Express for interactive exam prep courses.

Concepts Real Estate School Pricing

Concepts Real Estate School offers prelicensing and continuing education at fair pricing. While no bundled packages are available, students can purchase individual courses that they can fit into their busy schedules.

Prelicensing: Starting at $100

For a total of $625, you can complete the required 96-hour prelicensing coursework at Concepts Real Estate School. This is cheaper compared to the full cost of $755 to $835 for the 96-hour prelicensing training at the Center for Real Estate Excellence. To fulfill the state requirement, the three individual 12-hour courses are conducted via in-person classes, which you can complete in six days.

• IA Real Estate Principles*: $325, includes the 60 hours of self-paced online course work
• Individual 12-hour courses: $100 for each of the three required courses; each course is held over two days

Continued Education: Starting at $15

CE classes are available via in-person and self-paced online* formats. Topics cover software systems and tools, marketing, new agent tools, and best practices in the real estate industry. The required Law Update and Ethics courses are available via livestream format. Free in-person classes are also provided regularly. Individual courses range from $15 to $50 based on credit hours.

*Courses provided through the RE Campus online platform.

Visit Concepts Real Estate School

Colibri Real Estate: Ideal for Self-paced Education With Instructor Support

What’s unique about Colibri Real Estate[/fitlink] is the interactive features and abundance of instructor support included in its tiered packages. Each self-paced prelicensing package contains state-approved instructor support, where students can email or call their teachers for questions and guidance. If you purchase premium packages, you will get access to Instructor Q&A and Live Exam Crammer Series features, which allow real-time discussion with seasoned real estate experts.

Prelicensing students get additional study materials to help them ace the licensing exam, such as printed course textbooks, real estate e-books, and an exam prep course. A stand-alone exam prep course is also available for purchase. Both prelicensing and exam prep courses come with a pass guarantee, which assures students of a full refund in case they fail the state exam. Active agents looking to renew their license can also purchase CE courses from its partner company, McKissock Learning.

To see if this is a good fit for your education needs, check our Colibri Real Estate review.

Colibri Real Estate Reviews

Agents like Colibri Real Estate’s courses for its scheduling flexibility. Students also love the school’s virtual support, immediate instructor feedback, and study guides and quizzes, which helped them pass the licensing exam on the first try.

However, some students were not fond of the school’s text-based content and the “long reading” required to finish the course. Colibri Real Estate also doesn’t provide the three required 12-hour prelicensing courses in Iowa, which is another drawback. You can check the Center for Real Estate Excellence and Concepts Real Estate School to get the additional 36-hour prelicensing course.

Colibri Real Estate Pricing

One of the best accredited online real estate schools, Colibri Real Estateprovides bundled packages and individual courses at competitive rates. Course packages contain several supplementary learning materials.

Prelicensing: Starting at $359

The 60-hour prelicensing course is self-paced. Each package includes state-approved instructor support. More expensive packages contain Instructor Q&A, where students get 40 hours of live question and answer sessions with teachers every month. After completing the course, students can join the Live Exam Crammer Series, which is a series of six webinars focused on passing the real estate exam.

• 60-Hour IA Prelicense Course: $359
• The Basics Package: $384, includes 60-hour course plus state-approved instructor support, and three real estate books
• Exam Preparation Package: $447, includes everything in the Basics package plus exam prep and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee
• Exam Preparation Plus Package: $485, includes everything in the Exam Preparation package plus real estate dictionary, Instructor Q&A, and Live Exam Crammer Series
• Ultimate Learning Package: $614, includes everything in the Exam Preparation Plus package plus printed course textbook, and one-year professional development membership

Continued Education: Starting at $24*

Purchase CE course packages and individual courses through its partner company, McKissock Learning.

• Individual courses: $24 to $54 based on credit hours
• 24-Hour License Renewal Packages: $149.95, choice between core and elective courses; includes NAR Ethics courses; swapping courses allowed
• IA CE Plus Membership: $234, includes all IA CE courses, pro-series webinars, how-to-videos, job aids, product and service discounts, and access to knowledgeable education specialists

Exam Prep: $99

The Exam Prep Master is a stand-alone course that covers the national and state portions of the licensing exam. It includes progress exams, final exams, custom exams, flashcards, and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee.

*Courses offered through its partner company, McKissock Learning.

Visit Colibri Real Estate

How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Schools in Iowa

The best schools provide Iowa real estate courses in convenient formats that allow easy access and scheduling flexibility. These schools also offer ample instructor support, fair pricing, and interactive course features to ensure a positive learning experience despite the minimal (or lack of) face-to-face interaction.

After evaluating several real estate schools, we found the Center for Real Estate Excellence to be the best overall because of its complete 96-hour prelicensing education, course format variety, and direct instructor access. The school also uniquely provides a free self-study version of the 60-hour prelicensing course for self-motivated students. You can purchase a self-paced exam prep course or attend in-classroom exam prep classes if you need additional test preparation.

Here are the criteria we used to find the best schools that offer quality online real estate classes in Iowa.