To identify the best real estate schools in Massachusetts (MA) that satisfy your prelicensing, continuing education (CE), broker licensing, and exam prep needs, we examined national and local schools that guarantee high-quality education. We based our evaluations on various learning styles, pricing, course features, customer reviews, and our expert opinion. We shortlisted schools providing robust online real estate courses in Massachusetts and flexible learning methods for students at all stages of their careers.
- Colibri Real Estate School: Best for aspiring agents who prefer online courses with interactive features
- The CE Shop: Recommended for agents wanting self-paced learning for every stage of their career
- Freedom Trail Realty School: Excellent for aspiring and experienced agents seeking high-quality education and longer course access
- New England Real Estate Academy: Ideal for busy agents seeking flexible course scheduling
- Lee Institute School of Real Estate: Great for aspiring agents who want to complete prelicensing within a few days
- American Real Estate Academy: Perfect for agents who need direct access to experienced local real estate experts
Best Real Estate Schools in Massachusetts at a Glance
School | Education Provided & Starting Price | Learning Formats | Pass Guarantee | Customer Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Prelicensing: $427 Broker licensing: $429 CE: $109 Exam prep: $99 |
| ✓ | Phone, email, and live chat |
 | Prelicensing: $285 CE: $25 Exam prep: $79 |
| ✓ | Phone, email, and live chat |
 | Prelicensing: $229 Broker licensing: $349 CE: $15 |
| ✓ | Live chat |
 | Prelicensing: $299 Broker licensing: $349 CE: $15 Exam prep: $35.25 |
| ✓ | Phone and email |
 | Prelicensing: $400 Broker licensing: $420 CE: $20 Exam prep: $25 |
| ✕ | Phone and email |
 | Prelicensing: $245 Broker licensing: $375 CE: $10 Exam prep: $49.95 |
| ✕ | Phone and email |
Things you need to know before enrolling for your Massachusetts real estate license education: Along with education requirements, there are additional steps to completing your real estate licensure. Check out our step-by-step guide to becoming a real estate agent in Massachusetts to help you get started.
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Colibri Real Estate School: Best Online Real Estate School in MA With Interactive Courses
Pros
- Offers comprehensive courses for all stages of your career
- Provides a variety of course formats
- Has direct instructor access and interactive study groups
Cons
- No post-licensing courses
- Only six months of course access
- No 1:1 coaching and training or mobile app
Accreditations
- Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO)
- International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC)
- MA Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
Colibri Real Estate, one of the best accredited online schools nationwide, is highly recommended for aspiring agents looking for prelicensing courses with interactive elements. Complete the course at your own schedule or in the comfort of your home by attending livestream classes. Regardless of the prelicensing course package you select, you will receive direct instructor support via email or phone.
Colibri Real Estate’s prelicensing packages include features like Instructor Q&A and Live Exam Crammer Series. The Instructor Q&A gives students 40 hours of live question-and-answer sessions with licensed experts monthly. Aspiring agents can also attend instructor-led webinars focused on passing the state licensing exam.
Colibri Real Estate School Additional Features
Colibri Real Estate’s dashboard
- Exam Prep Master: Consists of dozens of practice exams, flashcards, study guides, additional practice exams, and exam prep courses.
- Smart bites: This is Colibri Real Estate School’s proprietary teaching methodology, where each course topic is broken down into smaller lessons to improve learning retention.
- Course extension: If you are unable to complete your course within the given six months of course access, Colibri Real Estate allows you to extend your course access from seven, 30, or up to 60 days for an additional cost.
- Learning Management System (LMS) platform: Provides students with a progress tracker, online note-taking tools, and free downloads to prepare for the exams in an easy-to-use dashboard.
Colibri Real Estate received excellent reviews of 4.1 out of 5 for its high-quality education for an affordable price. Students also found the platform and courses very informative and easy to use. Others also praised the instructors because they taught them everything they needed to know to pass the real estate licensing test on their first try.
Since Colibri Real Estate’s self-paced courses are predominantly text-based, some agents wished for more videos, graphics, and engagement methods. Others also complained about the lack of one-on-one coaching and training. If you want the features above, check out The CE Shop.
Colibri Real Estate prelicensing and broker licensing courses are among the most expensive on this list, but it provides a variety of tiered packages and allows you to customize by adding course add-ons. In addition, its CE courses are offered through its partner, McKissock Learning.
Prelicensing: Starting at $427
All packages include 40 hours of prelicensing coursework, state-approved instructor support, and three real estate study guides.
- The Basics: $427 includes everything mentioned above
- Exam Preparation: $502 includes everything in the Basics package, plus CompuCram exam prep and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee
- Exam Preparation Plus: $582 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Package, plus exam crammer webinar series, instructor Q&A, and animated video library
- Ultimate Learning: $662 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Plus package, plus one year of access to career success tools
Continued Education: Starting at $109
- 12-hour Renewal Package (includes optional NAR COE course): $109 includes complete 12 hours of required CE courses
- MA McKissock CE PLUS Membership: $149 includes all required CE courses, Pro-Series webinar on-demand library, how-to videos, 100-plus job aids (worksheets, scripts, and checklists), product and service discounts, and knowledgeable education specialists
Broker Prelicensing: Starting at $429
- Broker Basics: $429 includes 40 hours of prelicensing course, real estate math e-book, state-approved instructor support, and discussion board
- Broker Ultimate Learning: $499 for everything in the Broker Basics package, plus printed course textbooks
Exam Prep: Starting at $99
- MA Exam Prep: $99 includes exam prep with audio review guides
- MA Exam Prep Live: $219 for everything in MA Exam Prep packages, plus animated learning videos from Sketchy, instructor Q&A, and live exam crammer series
Visit Colibri Real Estate School
Use Promo Code: FSB25 for 25% off
The CE Shop: Best for Self-paced Education for Every Stage of Your Career
Pros
- Provides comprehensive courses for all stages of your career
- Has direct instructor access
- Offers interactive courses that provide feedback
Cons
- Courses are mostly text-based
- No post-licensing courses
- Doesn't have a mobile app
Accreditations
- ARELLO
- IDECC
- MA Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
The CE Shop is the best real estate school in MA for aspiring agents and brokers looking for customizable, self-paced real estate education. It offers prelicensing, CE, and broker prelicensing courses in livestream, self-paced, and on-demand video formats. The school also provides national and MA state exam prep courses for agents preparing for the exam.
Students can access interactive course information on the go or from the comfort of their own homes using The CE Shop’s customized LEAP platform. This platform is built with streamlined navigation to break down each topic into smaller unit courses, increasing the overall learning experience. Prelicensing course packages also involve actual interaction with teachers, as required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This enables students to ask questions and receive responses in real time.
The CE Shop Additional Features
The CE Shop’s Agent Essentials page
- Refund policy: If your course progress is less than 50%, you can request a full refund within 30 days of purchase.
- Agent essentials: Licensed agents can access free Agent Essentials on The CE Shop’s website. It contains informative blogs, an agent encyclopedia, e-books, podcasts, and videos about real estate topics—providing valuable insights to help you become successful in real estate.
- Free trial: The CE Shop offers a five-day free trial with unlimited access to a prelicensing course.
- Instructors: The CE Shop faculty includes real estate educators, active agents and brokers, lawyers, CPAs, and mortgage loan originators with decades of experience and vast knowledge in their respective fields.
- Exam Prep Edge: It features intuitive dashboards that measure competency in real time, allowing students to identify the sections they’ve mastered and the topics they need to focus on.
The CE Shop is appreciated by agents for its high-quality content and simple platform. Students can study at their own pace and easily resume where they left off, thanks to its self-paced learning. Others like the school’s interactive exam prep courses, such as the mini exams at the end of each session, which enhance their confidence in taking the final exam. With this, The CE Shop obtained a 3.8 out of 5 customer review rating.
However, some agents were not satisfied with The CE Shop because of the course expiration and the additional fees they needed to pay for a course extension. Additionally, some students wished that the school offered broker prelicensing courses. If you want these features and courses above, try Freedom Trail Realty School.
The CE Shop offers all its real estate courses in tiered packages. It also provides individual classes for CE courses.
Prelicensing: Starting at $285
All packages include 40 hours of prelicensing coursework, business e-books written by experts, career resources, downloadable resources, digital flashcards, a real estate glossary, and a study schedule.
- Course only: $285 includes everything above
- Standard Package: $349 includes everything in the course-only package, plus Exam Prep for national and state portions and a pass guarantee
- Value Package: $399 includes everything in the Standard Package, plus business building courses
- Premium Package: $525 includes everything in the Value Package, plus a 12-hour MA CE package (first renewal) and real estate e-textbook
Continued Education: Starting at $25
- Individual courses: $25 each
- 12-hour MA CE Package (with optional Ethics course): $105 includes the 12 module hours required for Broker and Sales active real estate license renewals
Exam Prep: Starting at $79
The CE Shop’s exam prep courses include initial assessment, unlimited practice exams, and interactive dashboards.
- Exam Prep Edge: $79; choose between PSI national portion and MA state portion
- Exam Prep Edge: MA Salesperson National and State Portions: $135
Visit The CE Shop
Use Promo Code: FSB30 for 30% off
Freedom Trail Realty School: Best for High-quality Education With Longer Course Access
Pros
- Provides comprehensive courses for every stage of your career
- Has direct access to MA-licensed instructors
- Offers a variety of course formats and features
Cons
- Archived class recordings are not available in all course plans
- No post-licensing and exam prep courses
- No phone or email customer support
Accreditation
- MA Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
Freedom Trail Realty School is best for its wide selection of real estate courses, different learning formats, many course add-ons, and direct access to experienced local instructors. Freedom Trail Realty offers comprehensive courses with scheduling flexibility, whether you’re taking the license exam the first time, renewing your license, or planning to upgrade to a broker level.
You have the option of taking livestream classes or combining self-paced and livestream instruction. Each package also includes 24/7 access to on-demand classes, allowing students to complete half of the 40-hour course whenever they want. Furthermore, to reinforce learning and improve information retention, its prelicensing courses include extra materials, such as e-books, audiobooks, study guides, and digital flashcards. Agents are also given one year of course access, so they are not rushed in their study.
Freedom Trail Realty School Additional Features
Freedom Trail Realty School livestreaming classes
- Accessibility: Take your online Massachusetts real estate classes on any device, like a computer, phone, or tablet.
- On-demand videos: Every online class session you take is instantly archived and saved to your account, and every class topic is also available as an on-demand class 24/7.
- Instructors: Freedom Trail Realty School’s instructors are highly knowledgeable and experienced. Some of them are active agents, attorneys, and mortgage loan originators.
- Refund policy: Purchase of class access is refundable within 14 days of your registration if you have not begun any classes or logged any class time.
- Job board and recruiting: Prelicensure students can search for job openings in MA or decide to join job recruiting so that brokerage firms looking for new agents can contact them. After graduating from any license class, you can join the school’s alumni group and network.
Freedom Trail Realty received an excellent review rating of 4.9 out of 5 for its straightforward course content and easy-to-follow video lessons. Aside from these, many students mentioned that the materials were clear and covered everything they needed to know, which helped them pass their exam on their first try. Students also love its knowledgeable instructors who integrate real-life experiences into their classes.
However, Freedom Trail Realty doesn’t provide one-on-one coaching and training. Also, many students complained about the need for more extensive customer support. If you want a school that offers one-on-one coaching and training with phone and email customer support, we recommend Lee Institute School of Real Estate.
Freedom Trail Realty offers tiered packages and individual courses. All prelicensing and broker licensing course plans include alumni group access and networking, outside-of-class live chat support, test preparation workshops, and direct access to MA-licensed instructors.
Prelicensing: Starting at $229
All prelicensing course plans include a full 40-hour curriculum and multiple learning materials, such as practice questions, e-books, audiobooks, unlimited on-demand video access, livestreaming online classes, 24/7 on-demand classes, digital flashcards, how-to study guide and planner, job board and recruiting, exclusive alumni group invite, and self-paced scheduling.
- Base Trail: $229 includes everything above, plus 25 hours of livestreaming access, six months of course access, and over 1,100 practice questions
- Ridgeline Trail: $299 for everything in the Base Trail package, plus 40 hours of livestreaming access, nine months of course access, and Real Estate Forms 101
- Peak Trail: $359 for everything in the Ridgeline Trail package, plus 60 hours of livestreaming access, 12 months of course access, over 1,700 practice questions, pass or don’t pay guarantee, archived live class recordings, and unlimited practice tests
- Summit Trail: $499 for everything in the Peak Trail package, plus 100 hours of livestreaming access, three online tutoring sessions, and RE14R07: Architecture class
Broker Prelicensing: Starting at $349
All broker licensing packages include a complete broker license course, e-book, audiobook, unlimited on-demand access, 24/7 on-demand classes, livestreaming online classes, digital flashcards, how-to study guide and planner, job board and recruiting, exclusive alumni group invite, and self-paced scheduling.
- Base Trail: $349 includes everything above, plus 25 hours of livestreaming access, six months of course access, and over 1,000 practice questions
- Summit Trail: $399 includes everything in the Base Trail package, plus 60 hours of livestreaming access, nine months of course access, over 1,700 practice questions, pass or don’t pay guarantee, archived live class recordings, unlimited practice tests, Real Estate Laws and Regulations for Owners and Managers class, and Brokerage Relationships class
Continued Education: Starting at $15
- Individual courses: $15 for each course
- MA CE 12-hour Package: $69 includes the complete required CE course hours
Visit Freedom Trail Realty School
New England Real Estate Academy: Best for Flexible Course Schedules
Pros
- Offers extensive course learning formats
- Provides interactive study groups
- Has direct instructor access
Cons
- No post-licensing courses
- Doesn’t offer course assistance
- No 24/7 or live chat customer support
Accreditation
- MA Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
New England Real Estate Academy has flexible schedules for its MA-approved prelicense courses, CE courses for MA and NH licensing renewal, and professional development courses for sales and management development. It offers live classes in the mornings, evenings, and Saturdays. The courses are also accessible in an online multi-media format featuring self-paced components, current study materials, and live instructor webinars.
Furthermore, New England Real Estate Academy professors provide practical, real-world experiences and innovative adult learning approaches to help students obtain an in-depth understanding. The institution also customizes courses to match the needs of the ever-evolving real estate market.
New England Real Estate Academy Additional Features
New England Real Estate Academy MA online real estate classes
- Instructors: New England Real Estate Academy instructors consist of former brokerage owners, commercial real estate directors, former complex leasing managers, and real estate investors with decades of experience.
- Refund policy: Students who have yet to access any course material and request a refund within 14 days of enrollment are eligible for a full refund.
- Real estate instructor course: New England Real Estate Academy offers an MA 30-hour instructor license course for $599.
- Student resources: New England Real Estate Academy provides students with various materials like flashcards, books, and real estate forms to help them retain knowledge and stay updated about the real estate industry.
New England Real Estate Academy scored a 4.6 out of 5 customer review rating for its highly knowledgeable instructors and flexible course schedules. Students also love that the ability to take the class remotely made it very easy to focus on the content and study materials from the comfort of their own home.
As for negative reviews, New England Real Estate Academy doesn’t have one-on-one coaching and training or a mobile app, nor does it offer full-year course access and career assistance. If you wish to have those features, try Freedom Trail Realty School.
Prelicensing and CE courses at the New England Real Estate Academy are offered in affordable packages and individual classes.
Prelicensing: $299
- Prelicense Pro Series course: $299 includes 20 hours of live online interactive instructor-led classes, 20 hours of on-demand videos and quizzes, 180 days to complete the course, and 180 days to review the course material after completion; you’ll also get over 1,000 practice exams, a monthly study group, a pass guarantee, local phone and email support, and a 600-page digital manual
Broker Prelicensing: $349
- Broker license course: $349 includes the 40 hours of Massachusetts-approved curriculum required for broker licensing
Continued Education: Starting at $15
- A la carte courses: $15 per course
- MA bundle A and MA bundle B: $45 for each package
- NH & MA combined CE package: $149 includes required core courses, Conducting Open Houses and developing a Safety Plan, Buyer Agency, Financing, Disclosures/Seller Due Diligence, 1031 Exchanges, and Code of Ethics courses
Exam Prep: $35.25
- Massachusetts real estate license exam prep (2nd edition): $35.25 includes national and MA practice tests, MA sample exam, MA-specific laws and practices, real estate math key formula review and practice, and national principle and law key point review
Visit New England Real Estate Academy
Lee Institute School of Real Estate: Best for Fast-paced Prelicensing Courses
Pros
- Provides online and real-time instructor interaction
- Allows course extension with an additional fee
- Offers career assistance and 1:1 coaching and training
Cons
- No pass guarantee or a mobile app
- Post-licensing courses are not offered
- 24/7 and live chat customer support are not available
Accreditations
- MA Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
- MA Board of Appraisal for Fundamentals of Real Estate Appraisal, Income Property Appraisal, and the USPAP Course
Lee Institute School of Real Estate’s prelicensing program is offered online real-time instruction with over 700 challenging practice questions outlined and detailed throughout the course. Once you start your course, you will only have 60 days to complete it.
Each class includes chapters and open time for questions, videos, and exams. Aside from these, all lectures are recorded so students can retake or replay a video of any lecture they missed to complete the 40 hours of prelicense classes. Students can set their own pace and complete their real estate course anytime and anywhere.
Lee Institute School of Real Estate Additional Features
Lee Institute School of Real Estate’s online courses
- Books and study materials: Lee Institute School of Real Estate offers supplementary study resources to students like textbooks, audio CDs, real estate flashcards, e-books, e-docs, and e-study materials with a starting price of $10.
- Interface Zoom system: This feature is designed specifically for the Lee Institute website to provide classroom interaction and many features such as video, exams, and whiteboard PowerPoint slides so students can obtain an education similar to a live classroom setting.
- Instructors: Each course is taught by highly experienced and professional instructors to provide students with the best preparation for their Massachusetts state exam.
- Lee exam tutor: Lee Institute School of Real Estate offer this feature to help students understand the different real estate terms and terminologies in the real estate license exam. The school also offers a free trial on any subject.
Lee Institute School of Real Estate received a 4.6 out of 5 customer review rating for its well-organized and simple-to-follow courses. Students also praised the professors for being entertaining and knowledgeable. One student stated that the instructors created a relaxed and enjoyable learning experience because of their humor and interest in challenging students with hypothetical, real-world situations.
Despite the great feedback, Lee Institute School of Real Estate falls short in offering interactive study groups, a pass guarantee, and a mobile app. If you desire those features, we recommend you check out the New England Real Estate Academy.
Lee Institute School of Real Estate offers excellent value for money for all its courses. Students can purchase individual courses or packages, depending on their education needs.
Prelicensing: Starting at $400
All packages include PowerPoint PDF slides, the PSI candidate handbook and exam application, the final salesperson general exam with 80 questions, and the final salesperson state exam with 40 questions.
- Live salesperson class: $390 (plus $10 service charge) includes textbooks and study materials
- Standard: $449 includes everything mentioned above, plus MA salesperson video real estate concepts and practice, and electronic Lee textbook
- Realty Advanced: $479 includes everything in the Standard package, plus salesperson real estate concepts and practice, 15th edition Lee textbook, and real estate license law rules and regulations handbook
- Realty Professional: $515 includes everything in the Standard and Realty Advanced packages
Broker Prelicensing: $420
- Broker license course: $420 includes textbooks and all study materials
Continued Education: Starting at $20
- Individual courses: From $20 to $59
Exam Prep: Starting at $25
- Individual courses: From $25 to $420
Visit Lee Institute School of Real Estate
American Real Estate Academy: Best for Access to Experienced Local Instructors
Pros
- Variety of course formats
- Provides direct access to an experienced local instructor
- Offers comprehensive courses for every stage of your career
Cons
- Online students are only given 90 days from the date of registration to complete the course
- No career assistance and interactive study group
- 24/7 and live chat customer support are not available
Accreditation
- MA Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
American Real Estate Academy (AREA) offers students direct access to experienced real estate agents in MA. AREA offers online real estate classes for every level of your career, from prelicensing to broker licensing and CE. The online prelicensing course is divided into in-person and all-online classes. There are also comprehensive practice tests and topic-specific quizzes containing over 400 exam prep questions. Students can watch full-length course review videos and other learning materials on demand.
Students taking online programs only have 90 days to finish the course. If they require more time, the school will extend the course for an additional 90 days at no cost. AREA also enables agents to make up for missed live classes. If you prefer more traditional education, AREA offers in-classroom classes with flexible scheduling.
American Real Estate Academy Additional Features
AREA’s professional development courses
- Refund policy: AREA will not issue a refund after 90 days from the registration date.
- Professional development: It offers professional development packages and individual courses to help students kick-start their career.
- Discounts: AREA provides discounts to the military, first responders, and nurses.
- Accessibility: All courses are accessible on any device, like desktop, phone, and tablet.
Agents recommend AREA for its affordable pricing, flexible course schedule, and knowledgeable teachers. They also appreciated the learning format options of in-person and all online classes, which allowed them to complete the course on their own schedule. Agents were pleased with AREA’s good career preparation and hands-on training, which helped them pass their exams on the first try. As a result, AREA obtained a customer review rating of 4.5 out of 5.
However, some agents found certain parts of the textbook “confusing.” In addition, AREA doesn’t provide career assistance, interactive study groups, or extensive customer service. We recommend trying The CE Shop since it has all the features mentioned above.
AREA offers exceptionally reasonable costs for a local provider, rivaling the pricing of national providers on our list, albeit most of their courses are available in bundled packages rather than individual courses.
Prelicensing: Starting at $245
All courses include complete practice exams and topic-specific quizzes, totaling more than 400 exam prep questions, and access to full-length and on-demand course review videos of all course topics. The school also provides a course book (for in-person students), e-book (for online students), course outline, Real Estate Terms and Definitions, and the ability to make up missed classes. All course review has unlimited access for up to two years from registration.
- All online: $245 includes everything mentioned above
- In-person weekdays and weekends: $425 each package includes everything mentioned above
Broker Prelicensing: $375
- All online: $375 includes textbook, more than 700 practice exam questions, plus free review videos
Continued Education: Starting at $10
- Individual courses: $10 each
- 12-credit CE course (online): $30
- 12-credit CE course Group A/B and C/D (live): $125 for each package
Exam Prep: $49.95*
- National real estate drill and Qbank: $49.95
*Offered in partnership with RE Campus.
Visit American Real Estate Academy
How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Schools in Massachusetts
Completing 40 hours of agent and broker prelicensing courses and 12 hours of CE online gives you autonomy over time and a more customized learning experience. With a wide selection of real estate courses in Massachusetts, the best real estate schools in Massachusetts provide customer and instructor support and supplemental materials to help you succeed in real estate.
After evaluating numerous national and local education providers, we found Colibri Real Estate School to be the best overall for its various course features, scheduling flexibility, custom class platform, direct access to experienced instructors, and interactive study groups. The exam prep courses also contain multiple practice exams and digital resources to help you improve your exam scores and pass the licensing exam on the first try.
The following are the criteria we used to evaluate the best real estate courses in Massachusetts:
25% of Overall Score
Consists of various formatting and learning styles for each course to meet the specific needs of the agent as well as ease of course accessibility.
20% 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.
15% of Overall Score
The availability of each level of education for different stages of licensure. This would include pre- and post-licensing, continuing education courses, broker prelicensing, and exam prep.
15% of Overall Score
Extending services past licensure such as coaching and training and career assistance. Also, whether the provider offers pass or refund guarantees for its courses.
10% 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.
10% 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.
5% of Overall Score
We looked into the convenience and attainability of customer service for technical support and instructor assistance.
