6 Best Online Real Estate Schools in Rhode Island
Gina is a licensed real estate salesperson, experienced trainer, and former high school educator of 1,000+ learners. She writes for Fit Small Business with a focus on real estate content.
Aloun Khountham is a contributor to Fit Small Business. Her real estate experience stems from over five years as a New York City real estate operations executive focused on implementing processes, procedures, and new technology solutions designed to help agents succeed.
This article is part of a larger series on How to Become a Real Estate Agent.
Finding the right real estate school to pursue your Rhode Island real estate education is necessary to begin and continue a successful career. Online real estate schools make it convenient to complete your coursework in a timely manner while using a learning format that contributes to your comprehension and retention. We evaluated Rhode Island real estate schools based on features, pricing, customer reviews, support, and learning formats to determine the best real estate education providers in this state.
Here are the top six online real estate schools Rhode Island has to offer:
- Freedom Trail Realty School: Best overall for mixing and matching on-demand and livestream courses
- Rhode Island School of Real Estate: Recommended for agents who want to pursue a broker’s license and build a team
- McKissock Learning: Ideal for self-paced continuing education (CE) courses for agents seeking license renewal
- The CE Shop: Exam prep course packages perfect for students who want extra practice before exam day
- Westcott School of Real Estate: Best for aspiring agents who want a structured hands-on livestream course
- Lee Institute School of Real Estate: Recommended for agents who need a variety of customer service contact options
Best Online Schools in Rhode Island At A Glance
Online Real Estate Schools | Education Provided & Starting Price | Learning Formats | Pass Guarantee | Customer Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Prelicensing: $229 |
| ✓ | Live chat |
| Prelicensing: $300 Broker licensing: $300 CE: $40 |
| ✓ | Phone and email |
| CE: $179.95 |
| ✓ | Phone and email |
 | Prelicensing: $269 CE: $185 Exam Prep: $75 |
| ✓ | Phone, email, and live chat |
 | Prelicensing: $250 |
| Unknown | Phone and email |
 | Prelicensing: $349 |
| ✓ | Phone, email, and live chat |
Things you need to know before enrolling for your Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island to help you get started.
Freedom Trail Realty School: Best for a Mix of Course Formats
Overall Score:
4.43 / 5
What We Like
- Most affordable prelicensing option
- Full refund guarantee
- Access to course for 1 year
What's Missing
- No email or phone support
- Support limited to business hours
- Exam prep package not available
Additional Features
- Available on all devices
- Self-paced course
- Access to on-demand course 24/7
- Taught by experienced real estate professionals
- Available tutoring sessions for purchase
- Customer review rating of 4.5 out of 5
- Accredited by the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons (MBR)
One of the best features of Freedom Trail Realty School that isn’t offered by any other Rhode Island online real estate education provider is the ability to mix and match livestream courses along with on-demand courses. Agents can pick which learning formats help them retain the information better, and which topics they would prefer to have led by a live experience real estate professional.
Freedom Trail Realty School uniquely provides a reciprocity program, allowing aspiring agents to get a Massachusetts real estate license and also get your Rhode Island license through reciprocity. Anyone looking to become a real estate agent in Rhode Island can take the Massachusetts real estate course and state exam, plus a three-hour Rhode Island lead paint course, to obtain their Rhode Island real estate license.
Students are able to access course materials 24/7 and can take the course at their own pace. Their prelicensing packages offer plenty of add-ons for students who may want extra tutoring or want to access an archive of live class recordings. Freedom Trail Realty School also provides access to the online course for up to one year, the longest amongst other providers.
Freedom Trail Realty School Reviews
Students of Freedom Trail Realty School appreciate the flexibility of the program. They enjoyed their interaction with instructors, and those new to online learning still found value in completing the program online. However, one student was unaware that you had to take at least 20 hours of live classes and couldn’t take the entire course with the on-demand videos.
A few features missing from the program include a specific exam prep course along with Rhode Island continuing education. Students who prefer to take their entire program through individualized learning and need exam prep, should consider the prelicensing course provided by The CE Shop.
Freedom Trail Realty School Pricing
Students are able to select the package that best fits their learning needs based on how much instructor interaction is required and whether they would like to participate in the pass or don’t pay guarantee.
Prelicensing: Starting at $229
All packages contain an e-book, audiobooks, unlimited on-demand access, a select number of livestreaming hours, flashcards, and practice questions.
- Starter Plan: $229 includes 25 hours of live stream access
- Starter Live: $289 allows students to take the entire course via livestream
- Exam Edge: $359 includes unlimited practice tests and the pass or don’t pay guarantee
- Realty Pro: $499 provides access to additional private tutoring
Visit Freedom Trail Realty School
Rhode Island School of Real Estate: Recommended for Broker’s License Education
Overall Score:
4.01 / 5
What We Like
- Only school to offer in-person courses
- Instructors are experienced real estate brokers
- CE course can be completed self-paced
What's Missing
- No separate exam prep course
- Customer service limited to business hours
- Partial refund guarantee
Additional Features
- Course taught on weekends
- In-person study sessions offered periodically
- Live instructor assistance
- Access to course for six (6) months
- Customer review rating of 4.80 out of 5
- Approved by Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (RIDBR)
Rhode Island School of Real Estate is one of the only providers of live in-person prelicensing courses for students who want to become real estate agents. Courses are taught by practicing real estate brokers with vast experience in the real estate industry. Courses are offered on an accelerated schedule to complete the 45 required hours on four consecutive weekends. All books and study materials are included in enrollment. Additional instructor assistance for exam review is provided periodically on weeknights and Saturday mornings.
In addition to providing in-person learning, Rhode Island School of Real Estate is the only school in our top six to provide broker licensing courses. To obtain a broker’s license in Rhode Island, agents must complete 90 hours of real estate courses like Real Estate Brokerage Management, Contract Law, and Code of Ethics. Finally, agents must pass the real estate broker examination to obtain their broker’s license. This will give agents the opportunity to expand their business to build their own brokerage or team.
Rhode Island School of Real Estate Reviews
Rhode Island School of Real Estate was rated very highly amongst its students. Positive reviews mentioned the instructors provided real-world experiences that were informative to students new to real estate. Some reviews mentioned the school-provided career counseling post-exam, which many students took advantage of.
One negative review mentioned that the course scheduling was tough because students enroll and start in whatever course is taught at that time, instead of starting from the beginning chapters. For agents who would prefer a self-paced online experience, Freedom Trail Realty School offer a better learning experience along with live chat support options.
Rhode Island School of Real Estate Pricing
Licensing education packages are offered at one set price, with books and other class materials included.
Prelicensing: $300
Broker Licensing: $300
Continued Education: Starting at $40
- $40 for four continuing education hours
- $60 for six continuing education hours
- $100 for 10 continuing education hours
Visit Rhode Island School of Real Estate
McKissock Learning: Best for Self-paced Continuing Education Courses
Overall Score:
3.68 / 5
What We Like
- On-demand video provided
- Available on all devices
- Phone and email support
What's Missing
- Livestream unavailable
- Prelicensing courses not offered
- No live chat support option
Additional Features
- Instructor assistance available
- Self-paced course format
- Full refund guarantee
- Customer review rating of 4.5 out of 5
- Accredited by the ARELLO and IDECC
Agents who are successful in real estate need to obtain continuing education hours to renew their license every two years. Due to busy schedules, the ability to complete these continuing education courses online is imperative to maintaining deal flow and client relationships. That’s why we’ve named McKissock Learning the best provider for self-paced continuing education.
Enrolling with McKissock Learning provides real estate agents with access to professional development tools, videos, industry discounts, and their on-demand library of classes. Students are able to complete their courses on their desktop, tablet, or mobile devices and have access to customer support via phone or email if needed.
McKissock Learning Reviews
Many positive reviews for McKissock Learning found the continuing education pricing to be affordable and highly recommended. Agents enjoyed the ability to be self-paced and have the opportunity to take other certification courses. One student appreciates the accessibility of information on the learning platform without having to contact support to obtain further information.
One negative review stated they were unaware of the amount of time students have access to course materials, which is limited to six months. However, all online real estate education programs containing continuing education courses are capped at six months. If students would prefer live chat customer service options, then The CE Shop fulfills that requirement
Read our McKissock Learning review to learn more about this provider.
McKissock Learning Pricing
Students are able to purchase individual continuing education classes or can select from three different packages.
Continued Education: Starting at $179.95
- 24-Hour Broker Renewal Package With NAR Ethics: $179.95
- 24-Hour Salesperson Renewal Package With NAR Ethics: $179.95
- RI McKissock CE PLUS Membership: $234 with access to all CE courses plus how-to videos, on-demand videos, job aids, and access to education specialists
The CE Shop: Best for Exam Prep Course Packages
Overall Score:
3.65 / 5
What We Like
- Full refund guarantee
- Self-paced course format
- Direct instructor assistance available
What's Missing
- No livestream courses
- Course access for only six months
- Customer service limited to specific hours
Additional Features
- On-demand video provided
- Available on multiple devices
- Customer review rating of 4.40 out of 5
- Accredited by MBR
The CE Shop is listed as one of the best real estate schools for online learners and the best for exam prep in Rhode Island. It provides a self-paced learning format that allows students to complete their courses at any time along with on-demand videos through their proprietary LEAP platform. Its Exam Prep Edge covers the national portion of the Pearson VUE exam. It contains interactive dashboards to gauge which topics need to be reviewed before taking the state exams, providing real-time feedback and unlimited practice tests.
Obtaining a Rhode Island license with The CE Shop is through reciprocity by taking their Massachusetts prelicensing course. However, it is one of the only Rhode Island real estate schools on our list that provides a separate exam preparation course for students who want extra practice before taking the state exams.
The CE Shop also offers a full refund within 30 days of purchase if you haven’t completed more than 50% of your course, so it’s not contingent on whether you pass the exam or not. Customer service is also available via phone, chat, and email every day.
The CE Shop Reviews
Students of The CE Shop found the course information to be comprehensive and helpful in passing the state exams. They found that although there was a lot of information shared, the course structure ensured the information was retained.
One agent found the course did not prepare them for the state test. The practice test all showed great scores, but their state exam came back significantly lower in score. Although The CE Shop’s Standard and Value prelicensing packages include a pass guarantee, it only refunds the cost of the initial state exam. For a refund policy that refunds the entire cost of the course, consider Freedom Trail Realty School.
The CE Shop Pricing
Prelicensing: Starting at $269
All prelicing packages include e-books written by experts, career resources, online flashcards, and real estate glossary.
- Course only: $269
- Standard package: $329 includes everything in the Course Only package plus exam prep and a pass guarantee
- Value package: $379 includes everything in the Standard package plus their business building courses
Continued Education: $185
- 24-Hr. RI CE Package with Ethics course
Exam Prep: $75
- Exam Prep Edge
Westcott School of Real Estate: Best for Hands-on Livestream Courses
Overall Score:
3.44 / 5
What We Like
- Livestream course format
- Direct instructor assistance available
- Available on multiple devices
What's Missing
- Class access of less than six months
- Classes are not self-paced
- Continuing education unavailable
Additional Features
- Phone and email customer support
- Courses taught by industry leaders
- Textbooks provided with admission
- Customer review rating of 5 out of 5
- Approved by RIDBR
Westcott School of Real Estate is a local Rhode Island-based real estate education provider. It has livestream courses taught by industry professionals, and its prelicensing course is administered twice a year for four-week sessions. Students can finish the required 45 hours in as little as a month. The curriculum is divided into three topics: real estate business, principles and practices, and real estate laws.
The hands-on livestream prelicensing courses provide students with real-world knowledge and how to use the skills taught in class to succeed. Each month, Westcott School of Real Estate incorporates guest speakers who are successful in their respective real estate fields to help answer any questions from students. Students have the opportunity to connect and speak to agents, accountants, mortgage brokers, attorneys, and investors.
Westcott School of Real Estate Reviews
There were very few online reviews for Westcott School of Real Estate. However, we believe the school is a great fit for students who prefer a local education provider compared to a national brand. The school is a sister company of Westcott Properties, a local brokerage covering the states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Florida. Students who may be interested in the opportunity to join the brokerage, should consider going through their education program.
Unlike other online real estate schools, Westcott School of Real Estate does not indicate whether they have a refund policy. It also doesn’t provide on-demand videos or have a self-paced course format since you’re committed to their four-week course timeline. Given their lack in these areas, aspiring real estate agents who would like these features should look at the Rhode Island School of Real Estate.
Westcott School of Real Estate Pricing
The fast-paced livestream prelicensing course is offered at a competitive price point compared to national providers.
Prelicensing: $250
- Students will also incur book fees with the prelicensing course
Visit Westcott School of Real Estate
Lee Institute School of Real Estate: Best for Its Customer Service Options
Overall Score:
3.29 / 5
What We Like
- On-demand videos
- Self-paced course format
- Phone, email, and live chat support
What's Missing
- Budget-friendly prices
- Refund policy
- Continuing education courses
Additional Features
- Instructor assistance available
- Available on multiple devices
- Livestream classes available
- Textbooks and flashcards available for purchase
- Customer review rating of 2.7 out of 5
- Accredited by MBR
The Lee Institute School of Real Estate has been preparing students for careers in real estate for over 60 years and is offering prelicensing education through a 45-hour video course. For students who choose livestream or on-demand courses, the school provides various ways for students to contact customer service for any support needed. It’s one of a few providers to offer support via phone, email, and live chat during business hours. That is why we’ve named it one of the best schools for a variety of customer service contact options.
Students are able to set their own schedule and are provided with 330 PowerPoint slides with outlines accompanying each video along with 80 practice questions. Students have the option of purchasing e-books or textbooks for an additional fee.
If students would prefer a livestream course option, they can consider taking the live virtual courses that Lee Institute School of Real Estate offers for Massachusetts licensing and then obtain their RI license through reciprocity. These courses are instructor-led for more classroom interaction and can be completed in four, five, or eight days.
Lee Institute School of Real Estate Reviews
Many students enjoyed the quick and fast-paced course completion—impressed that they could finish their prelicensing education in just four days. Students found the course entertaining and engaging, and the instructor made the time go by quickly.
However, one agent had difficulties switching their course dates to start at a later date. They found customer service was unable to assist and could not get a return phone call. Some students may enjoy the extremely structured course, but for busier students who want self-paced learning, take a look at Freedom Trail Realty School.
Lee Institute School of Real Estate Pricing
Although the Lee Institute School of Real Estate’s prelicensing course is one of the most expensive on the list, it offers multiple course formats and text and study materials, and students have the option of paying in installments.
Prelicensing: $349
Visit Lee Institute School of Real Estate
How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Schools in Rhode Island
To obtain a real estate license in Rhode Island, students must complete 45 hours of prelicensing coursework in addition to 25 hours of continuing education and 90 hours to upgrade to a broker’s license. There are many online real estate education options available to be a successful real estate agent or broker in the state of Rhode Island. By evaluating the features, customer service, instructor support, pricing, and reviews for each school, it is possible to make a determination of which high-quality school is the best option for you.
We’ve named Freedom Trail Realty School our top option for licensing, with an overall score of 4.43 out of 5. It has a generous refund policy and is one of the most affordable licensing options. It also has one of the longest course access timeframes out of all the schools on our list. Not to mention students can complete their course on their own time with unlimited access to on-demand videos while also sprinkling in livestream courses for instructor access.
Additional criteria we evaluated are:
30%
Pricing
25%
Course Features
20%
Customer Reviews
15%
Expert Score
10%
Help & Support
30% 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.
25% of Overall Score
- Consist 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
- 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
- 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.
*Percentages of overall score
