6 Best Online Real Estate Schools in Arkansas for 2022
This article is part of a larger series on How to Become a Real Estate Agent.
To become a licensed real estate agent in Arkansas, you must complete 60 hours of prelicensing education. Further to this, you need additional 18 hours of post-licensing education and seven credit hours of continuing education (CE) to maintain your license. If you want to upgrade to broker status, you’ll need 60 hours of education. To find the perfect provider for your education needs, we compared multiple online real estate schools in Arkansas for course offerings, learning style options, price, and schedule flexibility.
After our comparison, here are the six best online real estate schools in Arkansas:
- National School of Real Estate: Best overall online school in Arkansas, supporting real estate education for the life cycle of an agent
- Real Estate Express: Most recommended for aspiring agents looking for affordable, flexible, and interactive prelicensing education
- McKissock Learning: Top choice for licensed agents looking for affordable self-paced online continuing education (CE)
- Kaplan: Most recommended for aspiring agents looking for interactive test engines and for experienced licensees planning to open their own brokerage firms
- Lindsey School of RE: Best for agents who want direct access to experienced local real estate experts for all stages of education
- The CE Shop: Ideal for aspiring and licensed real estate salespersons looking for customizable self-paced online learning for every stage of their career
Best Online Schools in Arkansas At A Glance
School | Education Provided & Starting Price | Learning Formats | Pass Guarantee | Customer Support |
---|---|---|---|---|
Prelicensing: $375 Post-licensing: $225 Broker licensing: $525 CE: $75 Exam Prep: $75 |
| ✕ | Phone, email | |
Prelicensing: $99 CE: $14.95 Exam Prep: $99 |
| ✔ | Phone, email | |
Prelicensing: $99 CE: $14.95 Exam Prep: $99 |
| ✔ | Phone, email | |
Prelicensing: $369 CE: $15 Exam Prep: $99 |
| ✕ | Phone, email, chat | |
Prelicensing: $100 Post-licensing: $150 Broker licensing: $495 CE: $70 Exam Prep: $75 |
| ✕ | Phone, email | |
Prelicensing: $369 Post-licensing: $199 CE: $15 Exam Prep: $75 |
| ✔ | Phone, email, chat | |
Things you need to know before enrolling for your Arkansas 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 Arkansas to help you get started.
National School of Real Estate: Best Overall Online Real Estate School in Arkansas
What We Like
- Courses designed around the instructor's expertise
- Direct access to local experts with decades of real estate experience
- Comprehensive courses for all stages of your career
What's Missing
- Course format variety
- Pass guarantee
- Limited information about course terms, conditions, and policies on its website
Additional Features
- In-person classroom classes available
- Convenient scheduling options between weekday or weekend classes
- Access to all books and materials
- CE reactivation bundles for inactive licenses
- Free one-day review at the end of the prelicensing course
- Assistance in filing all the required paperwork and fingerprinting
- Private education offering off-site courses for small to medium class sizes
- Customer review rating of 4.9 out of 5
- Approved by the Arkansas Real Estate Commission (AREC)
Among all the schools that we evaluated, the National School of Real Estate (NSRE) is the best overall for online real estate education in Arkansas. It provides robust live stream courses for every stage of your real estate education, flexible class schedules, access to local experts, and assistance in filing all required paperwork.
We recommend NSRE for students who need real-time interaction with local experts, especially during the prelicensing stage. Its live stream classes encourage student participation and engagement for better learning retention. Students also experience hands-on practice through various learning tools and materials, giving them a better chance to pass the exam and meet the requirements for license renewal.
You can also choose to schedule your classes either on weekdays or weekends. With these convenient scheduling options, you can complete your prelicensing education in as little as two months. If you decide to join an in-person class, you can even get free coffee.
For experienced licensees planning to open their own firm, enroll in NSRE’s broker licensing and post-licensing courses. The school gives you the option to attend either live stream or in-person classes during weekdays. You can also contact them for more flexible schedules.
NSRE also assists agents in filing all the paperwork and fingerprinting required for their prelicensing, post-licensing, and continuing education. This added convenience further boosted its ranking of online real estate schools in Arkansas.
National School of Real Estate Reviews
Agents who enrolled at NSRE love the school’s expert instructors who share a wealth of up-to-date and relevant information. They appreciate the fun learning and training experience that helped most of them pass their real estate exams. Because of the school’s supportive instructors, some real estate agents chose to complete their real estate education at NSRE through continuing education.
Agents also like the school’s scheduling options that can accommodate their availability. However, NSRE does not offer its own self-paced online courses. If you need more flexible online learning, you can check their partner school, The CE Shop, for self-paced online prelicensing, post-licensing, and continuing education courses.
National School of Real Estate Pricing
NSRE offers competitive prices for all the AREC-approved courses you need at every stage of your career.
Prelicensing: Starting at $375
- Agent prelicense: $375
- Self-paced online: $369*
Broker Licensing: $525
- Prelicense broker: $525
Post-licensing: Starting at $225
- Agent post-license: $225 weekday and weekend class schedules
- Broker post-license: $375 weekday class schedules
Continued Education: Starting at $75
NSRE offers CE courses for renewal of existing licenses or reactivation of inactive licenses.
- Continuing education (seven-hour weekday class): $75
- CE reactivation bundles: $75 to $375 based on credit hours
Exam Prep: $75*
- Prelicensing course includes free one-day review, covering the main points in the 60-hour course and basic test-taking tips
- Self-paced: $75 to $125, based on exam topic coverage
*Offered through its affiliate partner, The CE Shop.
Real Estate Express: Best for Interactive & Flexible Prelicensing Education
What We Like
- Interactive course features
- Direct instructor access Pass or Don’t
- Pay Guarantee
What's Missing
- Post-licensing and broker licensing courses
- Variety in course formats
- Longer access to courses
Additional Features
- Instructor Q&A
- Live Exam Crammer Series
- 90-Day Bootcamp for aspiring agents
- Supplementary learning tools and resources
- Professional Development Membership included in premium package
- Course access for six months
- One-week refund policy
- Customer review rating of 4.20 out of 5
- Accredited by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC), and AREC
Real Estate Express offers prelicensing course packages that you can complete at your own pace. On top of self-paced courses, aspiring agents can also experience interactive learning through Instructor Q&A and Live Exam Crammer Series. The Instructor Q&A provides access to more than 40 hours per month of live question and answer sessions with real estate experts. You can also attend its Live Exam Crammer Series, which includes six 1-hour webinars designed to prepare aspiring agents for the state licensing exam.
If you want to accelerate your real estate career, enroll in Real Estate Express’ 90-day boot camp. This course is designed to develop important real estate skills, such as listing presentations, lead generation, marketing, and branding. When you purchase this course, you’ll get access to downloadable course materials, GoldMine Pipeline strategy for lead generation, and 60-minute instructional script coaching from an expert national coach.
Real Estate Express Reviews
Agents are mostly satisfied with Real Estate Express for the convenient and user-friendly course formats they can complete on their own schedule. They also appreciate their instructors’ immediate feedback.
Since Real Estate Express’ self-paced learning is mostly text-based, a few agents found the courses “boring.” Some also complained of outdated content that did not match the questions during their prelicensing exam. If you learn better with live instruction, you may consider courses from NSRE and Lindsey School of Real Estate instead.
Real Estate Express Pricing
The course rates at Real Estate Express are among the most competitive on this list. The school also offers bundled packages for easy course selection.
Prelicensing: Starting at $99
All of Real Estate Express’ prelicensing packages include 60 hours of coursework, state-approved instructor support, and three (3) real estate eBooks.
- The Basics Package: $329
- Exam Preparation Package: $388 includes everything in The Basic package plus exam prep and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee
- Exam Preparation Plus Package: $455 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Package, plus real estate dictionary, Instructor Q&A, and Live Exam Crammer Series
- Ultimate Learning Package: $544 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Plus, plus printed course textbook and 1-year professional development membership
- 90-Day Bootcamp: $99 includes instruction from an expert national coach
Continued Education: Starting at $14.95*
- AR McKissock CE PLUS Membership: $96
- Individual courses: Ranging from $14.95 to $44.95 based on credit hours
Exam Prep: $99
The exam prep includes progress exams, two national and three state final exams, custom exams, digital flashcards, and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee.
*Offered through its partner company, McKissock Learning.
McKissock Learning: Best for Affordable Self-paced Continuing Education
What We Like
- AR CE Plus Membership package
- Self-paced learning format
- Access to multiple professional development tools
What's Missing
- Live stream courses
- Direct instructor access
- Post-licensing and broker licensing courses
Additional Features
- Available on all devices
- Chapter printing
- 10-day refund policy
- Individual courses and packages
- State- and board-approved courses
- Easy learning platform navigation
- Course access for six months
- Membership access for one year
- Student support via phone, chat, and email
- Customer review rating of 4.5 out of 5
- Accredited by ARELLO, IDECC, and AREC
If you’re looking to maintain your license, McKissock Learning offers one of the most competitively priced self-paced CE packages on this list. For a flat fee of $96 annually, gain unlimited access to seven hours of continuing education required by AREC every 12 months. You’ll also have access to multiple learning resources and professional development tools.
On top of McKissock Learning’s CE courses, its membership package includes Pro Series on-demand webinars that discuss relevant industry topics, expert advice, and insider tips. You can take advantage of more than 500 professional development resources to gain industry expertise and real-world knowledge. This package also gives access to coaching tools, Education Sellers toolkit, videos, and training to improve your skills in multiple areas like sales, negotiation, marketing, and technology.
McKissock Learning also offers individual CE courses in Arkansas, giving you the option to customize your continuing education based on your interests, budget, and schedule. The school does not currently offer Arkansas prelicensing and post-licensing courses. If you’re preparing for your real estate exam, you may check the courses offered by its sister company, Real Estate Express.
McKissock Learning Reviews
Agents express satisfaction over McKissock Learning’s easy-to-use platform and updated content that they can access anytime. The school also received excellent reviews for its informative courses and printable chapters.
A few negative reviews stated agents were getting too overwhelmed with the number of videos and information they needed to complete in a short period of time. If you prefer having direct guidance from instructors, we recommend checking NSRE, Kaplan, and Lindsey School of Real Estate.
McKissock Learning Pricing
As a national provider, McKissock Learning’s competitive pricing along with customizable CE courses will meet your continuing education needs and interest.
Prelicensing: Starting at $99*
All prelicensing packages include 60 hours of coursework, state-approved instructor support, and three (3) real estate eBooks.
- The Basics Package: $329
- Exam Preparation Package: $388 includes everything in The Basic package plus exam prep and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee
- Exam Preparation Plus Package: $455 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Package, plus real estate dictionary, Instructor Q&A, and Live Exam Crammer Series
- Ultimate Learning Package: $544 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Plus, plus printed course textbook and 1-year professional development membership
- 90-Day Bootcamp: $99 includes instruction from an expert national coach
Continued Education: Starting at $14.95
- AR CE Plus Membership: $96 includes one-year access to all the CE courses in Arkansas, pro-series webinars, real estate coaching tools, educating sellers toolkit, and over 500 professional development resources
- Individual courses: Ranging from $14.95 to $44.95 based on credit hours
Exam Prep: $99*
*Offered through its partner company, Real Estate Express.
Kaplan: Best for Interactive Test Engines & Professional Development Courses
What We Like
- Self-paced learning
- Professional development courses
- Interactive Study Group and test engines
What's Missing
- Affordable price options
- Post-licensing and broker prelicensing courses
- Longer access for courses
Additional Features
- Available on all devices
- Direct access to instructors via email
- Interactive Study Group
- Study tools for real estate student exam prep
- Course access for six months
- 30-day refund policy
- Customer review rating of 4.2 out of 5
- Accredited by ARELLO, IDECC, and AREC
Kaplan provides the most interactive test engines and professional development courses you need to become a successful agent in Arkansas. Though its prelicensing packages can be pricey, you can get access to the industry’s most effective online test engines, such as the National Pearson VUE Drill and Practice QBank and Arkansas Drill and Practice QBank. You can even customize quizzes according to topics and subtopics to simulate multiple test environments and help improve your exam score.
Another great course feature of Kaplan is its Interactive Study Group, covering the national licensing content in live webinars. You can directly interact with expert instructors and other students to discuss interesting topics or raise questions about your learning materials.
Aside from the required education courses, Kaplan also offers robust professional development courses. Its live Real Estate Accelerator course enables you to fast-track your professional development and start earning commissions faster.
If you’re planning to establish your own brokerage firm, enroll in Kaplan’s Business Brokerage Training. This on-demand 30-hour course aims to equip brokers with an in-depth understanding of the industry and skills to evaluate, list, and market a brokerage business.
Kaplan Reviews
Kaplan received excellent reviews for its expert instructors and comprehensive courses that agents can complete anytime, anywhere. Though the school only provides self-paced learning in Arkansas, students can easily access highly knowledgeable teachers through live webinars and interactive study groups.
A few expressed dissatisfaction over some outdated content and technical glitches. Others also did not like the long wait time at Kaplan’s customer service phone queue. Compared to the websites of other schools on this list, Kaplan’s website could also be confusing to navigate, especially for first-time site visitors.
While Kaplan provides direct instructor support and live webinars, its course rates can be pricey. It also only allows six-month course access, which can be frustrating to busy agents. If you’re looking for affordable self-paced education with longer course expiration, The CE Shop and McKissock Learning allow 12-month access to their courses.
Kaplan Pricing
Kaplan’s real estate education is offered in packages or individual courses. While its prelicensing package rates can be high, they come with learning tools that will fully prepare aspiring agents for the exam.
Prelicensing: Starting at $369
Kaplan’s prelicensing education includes 60 hours of coursework and access to interactive study groups.
- Arkansas Real Estate Principles (course only): $369 includes everything mentioned above
- Arkansas Real Estate Principles with Master Exam Prep Package: $449 includes everything mentioned above, plus interactive test engines—National Pearson VUE Drill & Practice QBank and Arkansas Real Estate Drill & Practice QBank
- Career Launcher Package: $649 includes everything in the Master Exam Prep Package, plus Real Estate Accelerator course
Continued Education: Starting at $15
- Individual CE Course (self-paced or OnDemand options): $15 to $49 based on credit hours
- CE courses available for salespersons and brokers
Exam Prep: $99
- Complete Arkansas Real Estate Drill and Practice Bank: $99 includes topics and subtopics covered in the national and state portions, as well as Performance Tracker
Lindsey School of Real Estate: Best Access to Local Arkansas Real Estate Experts
What We Like
- Robust courses for every stage of your career
- Self-paced and live stream options for prelicensing courses
- Direct access to experienced local real estate instructors
What's Missing
- Flexible schedules for live stream classes
- Out of class make-up work for missed classes
- Attendance is required for live stream classes
Additional Features
- In-person classroom options available
- Textbooks and printed learning materials provided for live stream classes
- 100% refund for cancellations 10 days before or within 72 hours from the start date
- Private classes for a minimum number of students
- Customer review rating of 5 out of 5
- Accredited by AREC
If you’re looking for experienced real estate instructors in Arkansas, Lindsey School of Real Estate is a great option to provide you with comprehensive education you need at every stage of your career. This school is home to instructors with 10+ years of industry experience in Arkansas. Several of them are executive brokers and earned the Graduate, Realtor Institute (GRI) designation, assuring you of high-quality education directly from local experts.
Since Lindsey School of Real Estate is affiliated with a real estate firm in Arkansas, Lindsey & Associates, you have the opportunity to grow your network and establish relationships with other real estate professionals. In addition, when you enroll in its program, you can easily contact your instructors at any time via email.
Lindsey School of Real Estate offers prelicensing courses in either self-paced or live Zoom formats. Whether you want to complete the course at your own pace or join engaging discussions, you’ll have access to reading assignments, classroom lectures, and interactive exercises that will prepare you for the state exam. The school also provides textbooks and printed learning materials for students enrolled in live courses.
Lindsey School of Real Estate Reviews
Lindsey School of Real Estate has received excellent reviews for its knowledgeable instructors, outstanding course materials, and interactive learning environment. Its professional instructors also helped agents to keep their focus, especially those taking their exams for the first time.
If you plan to attend the school’s live classes, you need to comply with their attendance requirement to receive your Certificate of Completion. Lindsey School of Real Estate doesn’t provide out-of-class make-up work to replace missed classes, which could be frustrating for licensees juggling work and school. If you need more flexibility in terms of class format and schedules, we recommend checking other accredited online schools, such as Real Estate Express, Kaplan, and The CE Shop.
Lindsey School of Real Estate Pricing
Lindsey School of Real Estate offers all the courses you need—from prelicensing to post-licensing, broker licensing, and continuing education.
Prelicensing: Starting at $100
You can purchase the individual 60-hour course or a professional prelicensing package offered in self-paced, live Zoom, and in-classroom options.
- Individual Course (60-hour online course): $395
- Professional Track: $450 includes 60-hours of education and QBank exam prep
- 15-hour Basic Principles & Law Review: $100
Broker Licensing: $495
Lindsey School of Real Estate offers the broker prelicensing course via Zoom live or in-person classroom. This course includes 45 hours of AREC-approved content and 15 hours of exam prep.
- 60-Hour Broker Prelicense Course: $495
Post-licensing: Starting at $150
AR post-licensing courses for salespersons and brokers are offered via Zoom and in-classroom.
- 18-hour Post-license education series: $150
- 30-Hour Broker Post-license: $295
Continued Education: $70
- Seven-hour CE: $70 available for salespersons and brokers either through Zoom live or in-person classroom
Exam Prep: $75
- QBank (Exam Prep): $75
The CE Shop: Best for Customizable Self-paced Real Estate Salesperson Education
What We Like
- Affordable prices
- Customizable self-paced learning
- Streamlined website navigation
What's Missing
- Live stream classes
- Direct access to instructor
- Broker licensing and post-licensing courses
Additional Features
- Available on all devices
- Agent Essentials (includes extra resources)
- Agent Concierge Program
- Military Discount Program
- Five-day free trial for prelicensing courses
- Pass guarantee
- 30-day refund policy
- Customer support available seven days a week
- Prelicensing courses expire in six months
- Post-licensing and CE courses expire after 12 months
- Customer review rating of 4.5 out of 5
- Accredited by ARELLO, IDECC, and AREC
If you’re looking for customizable self-paced courses for every stage of a real estate salesperson’s career, The CE Shop is among the best options on this list. When you purchase any of its prelicensing education, you’re provided with a plethora of learning resources, such as ebooks, downloadable resources, learning materials, and a study schedule. On top of that, you also get access to free Agent Essentials, which include blogs, agent encyclopedia, ebooks, podcasts, and videos that cover a wide range of real estate topics.
The CE Shop’s custom LEAP platform provides interactive content and streamlined navigation, which students can access anytime. Its course content is delivered through short in-depth lessons, using a mix of text, images, and videos so you could stay engaged and learn the subject matter in detail. The practice exercises further reinforce learning to prepare students for the real estate exam.
If you’re planning to get your license for the first time, The CE Shop has a pass guarantee where you get a refund of the initial licensing exam cost in case you aren’t successful. The CE Shop also offers a five-day free trial to give you first-hand experience of what is included in the 60-hour Arkansas prelicensing course. Additionally, if you’re not satisfied with how the course is delivered, you can get your money back within 30 days from purchase.
The CE Shop Reviews
The CE Shop earned excellent reviews due to its up-to-date content and easy-to-navigate platform, allowing agents to easily pick up where they left off. Students also recommend the school’s easy-to-follow exam preps, prelicensing education, and continuing education courses.
Most of the complaints were about course expiration and system issues. The CE Shop also doesn’t offer live stream classes and direct access to instructors, which can be challenging for students who need immediate feedback during the prelicensing and exam stages. If you need live interaction with instructors, prelicensing courses at Real estate e, NSRE, and Lindsey School of Real Estate are great options.
The CE Shop Pricing
The CE Shop offers various courses for aspiring and licensed salespersons in Arkansas. While its self-paced education doesn’t give you direct access to instructors, you can contact the customer service seven days a week via chat, phone, email, and your learning dashboard.
Prelicensing: Starting at $369
All prelicensing packages include 60-hour coursework, business ebooks written by experts, career resources, downloadable materials, digital flashcards, real estate glossary, and a study schedule.
- Courses Only: $369 includes above only
- Standard Package: $439 includes exam prep edge (national and state) and pass guarantee
- Value Package: $469 includes everything in the Standard Package, plus business building courses
- Premium Package: $589 includes everything in the Value Package, plus an 18-hour Arkansas salesperson post-licensing
Post-licensing: $199
- Salesperson Post-licensing: $199 includes 18 mandatory hours
Continued Education: Starting at $15
- Individual courses: $15 to $45 based on credit hours
- CE available for salespersons and brokers
Exam Prep: Starting at $75
- Exam Prep Edge—Pearson VUE National Portion: $75
- Exam Prep Edge—AR Salesperson State Portion: $75
- Exam Prep Edge—AR Salesperson National & State Portions: $125
How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Schools in Arkansas
We evaluated multiple education providers to determine Arkansas’ six best online real estate schools. We compared these schools based on their pricing, course features, customer reviews, expert score, and help and support. These factors are critical in choosing an online school that best fits your learning style and career needs.
After our comparison, we found that National School for Real Estate is the best overall online real estate school in Arkansas because of its robust courses for every stage of real estate education, flexible class schedules, and access to local experts. All its courses are AREC-approved, thoroughly preparing you for the state real estate exam. It also provides post-licensing and continuing education courses for salespersons and brokers who need to maintain, reactivate, or upgrade their license in Arkansas.
To understand how we evaluated each school, refer to the following criteria used to determine the best options for online Arkansas real estate schools:
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 first-hand 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.