6 Best Online Real Estate Schools in Massachusetts for 2022

To be a successful real estate agent in the Bay State, you need to complete 40 hours of prelicensing and 12 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years. Plus, to upgrade to a broker’s license, you must complete an additional 40 hours of courses. We evaluated national and local schools based on pricing, course features, and customer reviews to find the best providers to meet your education needs. These schools offer robust online real estate courses in Massachusetts and flexible learning formats for every stage of your career.

• Freedom Trail Realty School: Best overall for high-quality real estate classes in Massachusetts
• The CE Shop: Top choice for agents looking for self-paced learning for every stage of their career
• Real Estate Express: Best for aspiring agents who prefer online courses with interactive features
• American Real Estate Academy: Ideal for agents who need direct access to experienced local real estate experts
• Metropolitan School of Real Estate: Recommended for aspiring agents who want to complete prelicensing within a few days
• Online Real Estate Academy: Most affordable online real estate courses in Massachusetts for agents on a budget

Best Online Schools in Massachusetts at a Glance

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Freedom Trail Realty School: Best Overall Online Real Estate School in MA

Freedom Trail Realty is our best overall for its wide selection of real estate courses, different learning formats, a plethora of course add-ons, and direct access to experienced local instructors. Whether you’re taking the license exam the first time, renewing your license, or planning to upgrade to a broker level, Freedom Trail Realty offers comprehensive courses with scheduling flexibility.

We recommend Freedom Trail Realty for aspiring salespersons and brokers looking to complete the 40 hours of prelicensing education at their own pace. You can choose between livestream classes or a combination of self-paced and livestream instruction. With the school’s flexible scheduling, you can take live classes without committing to a specific schedule. Each plan also provides 24/7 access to on-demand courses, where students can complete half of the 40-hour course anytime.

Prelicensing courses contain supplemental materials to reinforce learning and improve information retention. These include e-books, audiobooks, study guides, and digital flashcards. Agents are also given a full year to access the courses, so they don’t need to rush their learning process.

Another great feature of all the course plans offered by Freedom Trail Realty is its job board and job recruiting. Prelicensure students can look for job openings in Massachusetts (MA) and even opt in to job recruiting, so they can be contacted by brokerage firms hiring new agents. Once you graduate from any licensing class, you can join the school’s growing alumni group and network.

Freedom Trail Realty School Reviews

Freedom Trail Realty received excellent reviews for its rich and high-quality course content. Agents also love its knowledgeable teachers who integrate real-life experiences into their instruction. Some recommend the school for its scheduling flexibility and variety of online learning formats.

While some agents mentioned passing the exam on the first try, a few complained of “overly complex” test prep and boring online content, which gave them a hard time retaining information. If you’re looking for a prelicensing course that is fully delivered in livestream format, you might want to check Real Estate Express and Metropolitan School of Real Estate. Since Freedom Trail Realty also doesn’t offer individual exam prep courses, we recommend The CE Shop’s intuitive Exam Prep Edge.

Freedom Trail Realty School Pricing

Freedom Trail Realty’s pricing includes tiered packages and individual courses. All prelicensing and broker licensing course plans contain alumni group access and networking, live chat support outside of class, test preparation classes, 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, digital flashcards, how-to study guide, and study planner.

• Starter plan: $229 includes everything above, plus 25 hours of livestreaming access
• Starter Live plan: $289 includes everything in the Starter plan, plus 40 hours of livestreaming access and a free bonus on-demand course
• Exam Edge plan: $359 includes everything in the Starter Live plan, plus 80 hours of livestreaming access, pass or don’t pay guarantee, archived live class recordings, unlimited practice tests, and free bonus on-demand course
• Realty Pro plan: $499 includes everything in the Exam Edge plan, plus 120 hours of livestreaming access, pass or don’t pay guarantee, unlimited practice tests, archived live class recordings, three online tutoring sessions, and two free bonus courses

Broker Licensing: Starting at $299

All plans include a full 40-hour curriculum, unlimited access to on-demand videos and learning materials like e-books, audiobooks, digital flashcards, practice questions, and a how-to study guide and planner.

• Broker Starter plan: $299 includes everything above, plus 25 hours of livestreaming access
• Broker Pro plan: $369 includes everything in Broker Starter plan, plus 80 hours of livestreaming access, pass or don’t pay guarantee, archived live class recording, unlimited practice tests, and two free bonus broker courses.

Continued Education: Starting at $10

All CE courses include e-books and unlimited on-demand access.

• 12-hour MA CE package: $39
• Individual courses: $10

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The CE Shop: Best for Self-paced Education for Every Stage of Your Career

We recommend The CE Shop for aspiring agents and brokers in Massachusetts looking for customizable self-paced real estate education. The CE Shop offers complete 40 hours of prelicensing and broker licensing, as well as 12 hours of CE courses. On top of these, the school also provides national and MA state exam prep courses for agents getting ready for the exam.

With The CE Shop’s custom LEAP platform, students can access interactive course content anytime on the go or in the comfort of their homes. This platform is designed with streamlined navigation to categorize each topic into smaller unit lessons, improving the overall learning experience. Prelicensing course packages also include live interaction with instructors as mandated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This allows students to ask questions and get feedback in real time.

Another unique feature is The CE Shop’s Exam Prep Edge. Through intuitive dashboards that gauge competency in real time, students can immediately identify the areas they’ve mastered and the topics they need to focus more on. In case you fail the exam, the pass guarantee program allows you to get a refund of the prelicensing costs.

Licensed agents can also find free Agent Essentials on The CE Shop’s website. You can browse through informative blogs, an agent encyclopedia, e-books, podcasts, and videos about real estate topics. These professional resources provide valuable insights to help you become successful in real estate.

The CE Shop Reviews

Agents love The CE Shop for its high-quality content and easy-to-navigate platform. Because of self-paced learning, agents can study at their convenience and easily pick up where they left off. The CE Shop also offers all the required real estate courses in Massachusetts, enabling agents to satisfactorily complete their education in one school. Others also recommend the school’s interactive exam prep courses, which boosted their confidence in taking the exam.

However, some agents were not satisfied with The CE Shop because of the course expiration and additional fees they needed to pay to extend their course access. Additionally, some found its text-based content boring. If you learn better with 100% livestream instruction, we recommend local schools like Metropolitan School of Real Estate and Online Real Estate Academy.

The CE Shop Pricing

The CE Shop offers courses in tiered packages for all its real estate education. It also provides individual courses for continuing education.

Prelicensing: Starting at $269

You can complete the required 40 hours of prelicensing coursework on The CE Shop. All packages include business e-books, career resources, downloadable materials, digital flashcards, real estate glossary, and study schedule.

• 40-hour Course only: $269 includes everything above
• Standard Package: $329 includes everything in the 40-hour course, plus Exam Prep for national and state portions, and pass guarantee
• Value Package: $379 includes everything in the Standard Package plus business building courses
• Premium Package: $439 includes everything in the Value Package plus 12-hour MA CE package (first renewal)

Broker Licensing: $459

• 40-hour MA Broker Prelicensing Standard Package: $459 includes unlimited practice exams, MA Broker Exam Prep Edge, career resources, and math handbook

Continued Education: Starting at $19

You can get the 12 hours of continuing education required to renew your MA license on The CE Shop.

• 12-hour MA CE Package: $99
• Individual courses: $19

Exam Prep: Starting at $75

The CE Shop’s exam prep courses include initial assessment, unlimited practice exams, and interactive dashboards.

• Exam Prep Edge: $75; choose between PSI national portion and MA state portion
• Exam Prep Edge—MA Salesperson National & State Portions: $125

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Real Estate Express: Recommended for Interactive Prelicensing Courses

One of the best accredited online schools nationwide, Real Estate Express is highly recommended for aspiring agents looking for prelicensing courses with interactive features. You can choose to complete the course at your own pace or attend livestream classes in the comfort of your home. Whichever prelicensing course package you choose, you are guaranteed direct instructor support through email or call.

The school’s prelicensing packages also include great features like Instructor Q&A and Live Exam Crammer Series. The Instructor Q&A gives students 40 hours per month of live question-and-answer sessions with licensed experts. Aspiring agents can also attend a series of instructor-led webinars focused on passing the state licensing exam.

Utilizing “Smart Bites” learning methodology, each course topic is broken down into smaller lessons to improve learning retention. Real Estate Express’ 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. If you fail the exam, you can get a refund of the course fees through the Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee.

If you want to upgrade to a broker license, Real Estate Express offers a complete 40-hour self-paced broker licensing with state-approved instructor support. You can also fulfill the required 12-hour continuing education through its partner company, McKissock Learning.

Real Estate Express Reviews

Real Estate Express received excellent reviews for its well-organized courses that agents can complete at their convenience. Agents also found the course content very informative and easy to follow. Others recommend the school’s livestream classes conducted by knowledgeable instructors who made online learning more engaging.

Since Real Estate Express’ self-paced courses are predominantly text-based, some agents were not satisfied with their real estate education. Others also complained of content that had too much “unnecessary” information.

The school also received negative feedback for livestream classes with inflexible schedules, which some agents missed due to work. If you’re looking for live online real estate courses with more scheduling flexibility, we recommend Freedom Trail Realty.

Real Estate Express Pricing

Though the pricing of Real Estate Express’ prelicensing and broker licensing courses is one of the most expensive on this list, it offers various tiered packages with several course add-ons.

Prelicensing: Starting at $99

You can get 40 hours of coursework from all the prelicensing packages. All packages also include state-approved instructor support and real estate e-books.

• The Basics: $399 includes everything mentioned above, available in a self-paced format
• Exam Preparation: $469 includes everything in the Basics package, plus exam prep and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee; available in self-paced format
• Exam Preparation Plus: $544 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Package, plus real estate dictionary, instructor Q&A, and Live Exam Crammer Series; available in a self-paced format
• Ultimate Learning: $619 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Plus package, plus printed course textbook and one-year professional development membership; offered in a self-paced format
• MA Livestream: $619 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Plus package, printed course textbook, scheduled livestream classes
• 90-day Bootcamp: $99 includes downloadable course content, GoldMine Pipeline strategy, over 60 minutes of instructional script coaching from an expert national coach

Broker Licensing: Starting at $429

Real Estate Express offers tiered 40-hour broker licensing course packages in Massachusetts. All packages contain a real estate math e-book, approved instruction, and discussion board.

• Broker Basics: $429 includes everything mentioned above
• Ultimate Learning: $499 includes everything in the Broker Basics package plus printed course textbooks

Continued Education*: Starting at $19.95

You can complete the required 12-hour continuing education through Real Estate Express’ partner company.

• Individual courses: $19.95 to $34.95 based on credit hours
• 12-hour Renewal Package: $99.95
• MA CE Plus Membership: $130 includes all CE courses in Massachusetts, on-demand webinars, how-to videos, job aids, and education specialists

Exam Prep: $99

• Exam Prep: $99 includes final and state exams, progress exams, custom exams, digital flashcards, and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee

*Offered through its partner company, McKissock Learning.

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American Real Estate Academy: Best for Access to Experienced Local Instructors

American Real Estate Express (AREA) is a local education provider that offers direct access to experienced real estate agents in Massachusetts. As the longest-running real estate education provider in the Bay State, the school is home to experienced local instructors who have helped thousands of students launch their salesperson and broker careers. From prelicensing to broker licensing and CE, AREA offers online classes for every stage of your career.

AREA’s online prelicensing course is divided into self-paced and livestream classes. Though the school doesn’t offer individual exam prep courses, the prelicensing course includes full practice exams and topic-specific quizzes totaling more than 400 exam prep questions. Students also have access to full-length on-demand course review videos and other learning materials.

Students enrolled in online classes are only given 90 days to complete the course. If they need more time, the school will extend the course for another 90 days at no charge. AREA also allows agents to make up for live classes that were missed. If you’re interested in more traditional learning, AREA provides in-classroom classes with scheduling flexibility.

For licensed agents planning to open their own firms, you can take AREA’s broker licensing course, which is offered through a combination of self-paced and livestream classes. Its livestream classes are taught on a rotating basis throughout the week and weekends, so you can take them in between your busy schedule. The school also offers individual and 12-hour CE courses that can be taken online or in-classroom.

American Real Estate Academy Reviews

Agents recommend AREA for its knowledgeable teachers, flexible scheduling, and helpful career resources. They also appreciated the combination of in-classroom learning and online training, which allowed them to complete the course on their own schedule. Agents were also satisfied with AREA’s good career preparation and hands-on training, which helped them pass their exams on the first try.

However, some agents found certain parts of the course content “confusing.” Another also complained about street noises that can be heard in some recorded classes, making it difficult to listen to the actual lesson. A few also didn’t like the “very long” online videos they needed to complete.

American Real Estate Academy Pricing

For a local provider, AREA offers very competitive prices that rival the pricing of national providers on this list, although most of their courses are available in bundled packages rather than individual courses.

Prelicensing: Starting at $245

All prelicensing courses contain 40 hours of required coursework, full practice exams, topic quizzes, on-demand review videos, course books, and a course outline. Students also have access to a real estate dictionary for up to two years.

• All Online package: $245, combination of self-paced and livestream classes
• In-person packages: $395 to $425*, choice between weekday and weekend schedules

*In-person package price will change to $425 on May 2, 2022.

Broker Licensing: $375

AREA offers the complete 40-hour broker licensing course, which is delivered in a combination of self-paced and livestream classes.

• Online Broker class: $375 includes textbook, practice exam questions, and free review videos

Continued Education: Starting at $10

You can complete 12 hours of continuing education on AREA through online or in-person classes.

• 2-credit Online CE Course: $10
• 12-credit Online CE Course: $30, each 2-credit course has its own certificate
• Live (in-person) CE Classes: $125 includes 12 hours of CE credits

Exam Prep: $49.95*

• National real estate drill and Qbank: $49.95

*Offered in partnership with RE Campus.

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Metropolitan School of Real Estate: Recommended for Fast-track Prelicensing Courses

Metropolitan School of Real Estate is our top choice for aspiring agents who want to become a real estate agent in Massachusetts as quickly as possible. With fast-track online classes, students can complete the prelicensing course in just six days and be equipped to pass the real estate exam. If you have work during weekdays, the school also offers weekend-only fast track classes as well.

“Slow & steady” prelicensing courses are also available, which students can take during weekends over three months. Since classes are offered live via Zoom, you can take the course from the comfort of your home. Each class contains multiple learning materials, such as course textbooks, downloadable e-books, PDF slide presentations, exam tip worksheets, and up to 12 months of access to class recordings and online review videos. Prelicensure students also get free access to CE video courses for six months.

Licensed agents can complete their continuing education at Metropolitan Real Estate School. You can choose between the full 12-hour suite and individual two- to three-hour modules. These courses are completed by watching high-quality on-demand videos, so you can fulfill your education requirements in between busy schedules.

Prelicensure students also have the opportunity to be hired by a partner real estate brokerage, with optional participation in a career seminar. If students can’t take the test within two years of taking the class, they can repeat classes at half price. Agents also have the opportunity to get full tuition reimbursement if they work with the school’s affiliated brokerage.

Metropolitan School of Real Estate Reviews

Agents love Metropolitan School of Real Estate because of its highly experienced and knowledgeable instructors who filled the class with real-world knowledge, visual story-telling, and humor. Despite the live Zoom format, agents remained engaged throughout their classes. They also love that courses are well-designed, boosting their confidence in taking the licensing exam.

Though supplemental materials are provided in each course, the Metropolitan School of Real Estate doesn’t offer self-paced learning. If you prefer to complete the course on your own schedule, we recommend The CE Shop and Real Estate Express.

Metropolitan School of Real Estate also doesn’t offer broker licensing courses. Aspiring brokers need to look into other schools like Freedom Trail Realty, Online Real Estate Academy, and American Real Estate Academy to complete a broker licensing education.

Metropolitan School of Real Estate Pricing

Prelicensing and CE courses at Metropolitan School of Real Estate are offered in affordable packages and individual courses.

Prelicensing: $350

Prelicensing courses are offered live online via Zoom. You can choose between six-day fast-track and three-month weekend-only schedules.

• 40-hour Salesperson Prelicensure Classes: $350 includes textbook, PowerPoint presentations, study tips handout, access to class recordings, and 12-plus hours online bonus videos

Continued Education: Starting at $10

CE courses are offered in self-paced formats. CE modules are divided into 40-minute and 60-minute online videos that you can watch anytime.

• 12-hour Ethics Pack: $50 includes Ethics module for realtors
• Individual courses: $10 to $25 based on course topics

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Online Real Estate Academy: Most Affordable Online Real Estate Education in MA

If you’re looking for high-quality but affordable online real estate courses, we recommend Online Real Estate Academy. This school provides robust courses for the entire life cycle of your real estate career at more competitive prices than those offered by other schools. The school also provides supplemental resources, including e-books, online practice questions, exam prep online study guide, and unlimited access to class reviews until you pass the exam.

Prelicensure classes are offered in a self-paced format, so students can juggle between work and school without compromising their education. Each course package includes unlimited access to on-demand streaming lessons and a video library. You can also contact your instructor and ask questions in real time. If you purchase premium prelicensing courses, you can receive 12 to 24 hours of continuing education, career counseling, and 1:1 tutoring sessions with the school founder.

The Online Real Estate Academy also offers a 40-hour broker course for agents who want to bring their careers to the next level. The broker licensing course is self-paced and includes unlimited access to on-demand streaming lessons. Additionally, students enrolled in the broker class get access to 12 hours of CE courses for license renewal and 20-minute consultation with the school founder.

Online Real Estate Academy is also among the few schools that provide post-graduation support. Prelicensing students can contact the staff through email and phone even after they graduate as they prepare for the exam. Students also get a membership to the school’s Alumni Facebook Group, so they can connect with other real estate professionals in Massachusetts and stay abreast with the latest industry trends.

Online Real Estate Academy Reviews

Online Real Estate Academy received excellent reviews for its professional and dedicated instructor, who answered their questions immediately and supported them until they passed the exam. Agents also love how courses were taught in an in-depth, informative, and engaging manner. A lot of them stated that they passed their exam on the first try. Students also appreciate the affordable pricing and student support they received even after they finished their courses.

Though the school doesn’t offer individual exam prep courses, prelicensing packages contain an enhanced 104-page exam prep online study guide. However, if you’re looking for exam prep courses with interactive dashboards, we recommend checking out The CE Shop and Real Estate Express.

Online Real Estate Academy Pricing

Online Real Estate Academy offers the most affordable pricing on this list. Each of its packages includes several learning materials, such as e-books, study guide handouts, booklets, Candidate Handbook, and unlimited access to its video library.

Prelicensing: $189

All prelicensing courses include 40-hour coursework, e-books, unlimited access to on-demand streaming lessons, unlimited class review access until you pass, 700 online practice questions, and an enhanced 104-page exam prep online study guide.

• Salesperson Classic: $189 includes everything above
• Salesperson Most Popular: $229 includes everything in the Salesperson Classic package plus a 12-hour CE course and 20-minute career counseling
• Salesperson Complete: $349 includes everything in the Salesperson Most Popular package plus two 1:1 video call tutoring sessions

Broker Licensing: $245

The broker license course contains multiple supplemental add-ons, including e-books, on-demand streaming lessons, practice questions, exam prep online study guide, and 1:1 consultation for brokers opening their agency. On top of these, you get 12 hours of CE courses.

• 40-hour Broker Class: $245

Continued Education: $30

• 12-hour CE: $30 offered self-paced online, includes audios and videos

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How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Schools in Massachusetts

Completing 40 hours of agent and broker prelicensing courses and 12 hours of continuing education online gives you autonomy over your time and more customized learning experience. With a wide selection of real estate courses in Massachusetts, top online schools provide customer and instructor support, as well as supplemental materials to help you succeed in real estate.

After evaluating several national and local education providers, we found Freedom Trail Realty School to be the best overall for its variety of course features, scheduling flexibility, custom class platform, 24/7 on-demand video library, and direct access to experienced instructors. The licensing courses also include job listings and broker recruiting features to help you jump-start your real estate career.

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The following are the criteria we used to evaluate multiple online real estate schools in Massachusetts: