7 Best Online Real Estate Schools in Minnesota for 2022

The best Minnesota real estate schools help agents complete the required 90 hours of prelicensing, 30 hours of broker licensing, and 30 hours of continuing education. We analyzed several schools in the North Star State based on course availability, affordability, customer satisfaction, and student support. These education providers offer flexible online real estate classes so you can satisfy the state requirements from the comfort of your homes.

Here are the seven best online real estate schools every Minnesotan agent should check out:

• Minnesota Realty School: Best overall online real estate education for new agents in Minnesota
• Kaplan: Ideal for real estate salespersons and brokers looking for comprehensive education for every stage of their career
• Real Estate Express: Top choice for aspiring agents looking for self-paced and interactive prelicensing education
• McKissock Learning: Recommended for agents looking for complete MN CE courses with professional development tools
• The CE Shop: Best for agents looking for customizable prelicensing and continuing education
• 360Training: Recommended for active agents looking for individual continuing education (CE) courses in Minnesota
• ContinuingEd Express: Recommended for agents looking for budget-friendly salesperson and broker licensing courses

Best Online Schools in Minnesota at a Glance

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Minnesota Realty School: Best Overall Real Estate Education for Salespersons in Minnesota

Minnesota Realty School is our best overall choice for new salespeople because of its affordable real estate classes, variety of learning formats, and experienced instructors. Whether you’re looking for prelicensing or continuing education in Minnesota, you can take these courses in several class formats that suit your learning style—live online, self-paced, or a mixture of both. The school also offers in-person classes, plus complimentary tea, coffee, or cocoa for those who prefer traditional learning.

Being the only local real estate school on this list, Minnesota Realty School has the unique advantage of housing experienced local instructors. Each instructor not only teaches theoretical knowledge, but also shares real-world examples. Students can also directly contact their instructors for any questions or advice even after they’ve finished the course.

Prelicensing courses include workbooks and textbooks that are updated regularly to keep pace with the constant changes in Minnesota’s laws and forms. The school also utilizes forms and statutes from the Minnesota Association of Realtors and the Minnesota Revisor of Legislative Code. These learning materials can be used long after classes have ended, especially in the first few years of your career.

Another noteworthy feature of Minnesota Realty School is its retake and refund policies. As part of its “pass promise,” prelicensing students can attend previously completed courses for review as many times as they like at no charge for up to one year. If you wish to get a refund, the school will refund your tuition within 90 days of the initial payment. No refunds are issued for completed courses.

Minnesota Realty School Reviews

Minnesota Realty School received 5-star reviews because of its knowledgeable instructors and well-laid out curriculum. Agents praise the school for keeping real estate education fun, interesting, and interactive.

Others also recommend its prelicensing courses, which prepared them to pass the state and national exams. The only course that’s missing at Minnesota Realty School is broker licensing education. If you plan to open your own firm, you can check Kaplan’s or ContinuingEd Express’ broker prelicensing programs.

Minnesota Realty School Pricing

Though it doesn’t have bundled course packages, Minnesota Realty School offers affordable individual courses that count toward the required clock hours for salesperson education in Minnesota.

Prelicensing: Starting at $200

To satisfy the prelicensing education requirement, you need to complete three courses with 30 hours of coursework each. The full 90-hour prelicensing course comes with free exam prep.

• Prelicensing: $279 for each of the three 30-hour courses, includes all workbooks and textbooks ($837 total for 90 total hours)
• Wisconsin Reciprocal License Course: $200 (for MN residents)

Continued Education: Starting at $9

Minnesota Realty School provides CE courses in various learning formats: live webinar, in-classroom, prerecorded videos, and self-paced.

• Individual courses: $15.95 to $205.95 based on credit hours
• Self-paced CE courses: $9 to $109 based on credit hours*

Exam Prep: $26.25

• Exam Prep Assistance: $26.25 for an audio book course

*Offered through its affiliate partner, The CE Shop.

Visit Minnesota Realty School

Kaplan: Best for Comprehensive Courses for Every Stage of Your Career

We recommend Kaplan for agents looking for 100% online real estate classes in Minnesota. Whether you’re looking for prelicensing or continuing education, you can find comprehensive courses at Kaplan for every stage of your career. Kaplan is also one of the few schools on this list that offer broker licensing education in the North Star State. Overall, Kaplan is ideal for licensees who want to fulfill all of their education requirements in one place.

If you don’t mind the high rates, Kaplan is a great national provider with diverse course options, extensive career support, and multiple online learning formats. You can take on-demand courses to access prerecorded lecture videos when your schedule allows. If you need real-time interaction with your instructors and classmates, you can opt for livestream classes. Agents who prefer a mixture of both text-based online and livestream classes can take hybrid packages, which combine self-paced and livestream classes.

Another standout feature at Kaplan is its Interactive Study Group, which covers all state and national licensing content in weekly live webinars. Kaplan also offers Career Mentor Connect, a unique feature that connects agents with industry experts to help them succeed in real estate. Through these features, agents can interact with industry experts, ask questions, and exchange ideas with classmates. These features also provide career-focused tips, tools, and processes so you are prepared for your real estate role.

Kaplan Reviews

Agents recommend Kaplan because of its excellent teachers, comprehensive content, and variety of course formats. Most are satisfied with the school’s highly professional teachers, who are responsive to their questions. This helped agents pass their real estate exam on the first attempt.

However, some were dissatisfied with some outdated content, long wait times in the customer service phone queue, and technical issues. Kaplan’s website could also be confusing to navigate, especially for first-time site visitors. Further, pricing at Kaplan is more expensive than other educational providers in Minnesota. If you need more affordable salesperson training, you may check out Real Estate Express, McKissock Learning, and The CE Shop. You can also check out ContinuingEd Express for more affordable broker licensing.

Kaplan Pricing

Kaplan has the most expensive pricing on this list. However, individual courses and packages include several add-ons like access to interactive study groups and career mentors.

Prelicensing: Starting at $145

As mentioned, Kaplan offers prelicensing education in various learning formats. These include live online, on-demand, and hybrid formats.

• Individual courses: $145 to $299 depending on course topic; some courses include access to Interactive Study Group, Career Mentor Live Online Connect, and textbooks; available in live online and on-demand formats
• 30-hour Salesperson Course 1: $309 to $369 includes exam prep, textbooks, access to Interactive Study Group, and Career Mentor Connect; available in live online and on-demand formats
• MN Complete Prelicense Package: $729 to $899 includes 90 hours of coursework plus everything in the Salesperson Course 1 package; available in live online and on-demand formats
• Career Launcher Package: $929 to $1,099 includes everything in the Complete Prelicense Package plus the 8-hour Real Estate Accelerator course
• Hybrid Package: $789 includes everything in the Complete Prelicense Package; one course is delivered live online and two courses in on-demand formats

Broker Licensing: $289

Kaplan is one of the few schools on this list that offer broker prelicensing to help aspiring brokers satisfy the education requirements mandated by the MN Commerce Department.

• 30-hour MN Prelicensing Broker Course: $289 includes broker prelicense exam prep, textbooks, and workbooks; available in on-demand format

Continued Education: Starting at $19

CE courses at Kaplan are offered in various formats: on-demand, livestream, and self-paced online.

• Individual courses: $19 to $229 based on credit hours
• CE-Advantage Packages: $99 to $159 includes 15 credit hours, which you can either customize or are prebuilt for you; available in online video or a combination of online video and livestream classes
• Dually Approved MN and WI CE Package: $149 includes 18 credit hours
• Business Brokerage Training: $499 approved for 26.25 credit hours; available in on-demand format with textbook support

Exam Prep: Starts at $99

Kaplan offers several exam prep packages for aspiring salespersons and brokers. These courses also include videos, workbooks, and practice QBanks.

• MN-only Exam Prep: $99 delivered in self-paced format
• National-only Exam Prep: $129 delivered in self-paced format
• MN Real Estate Exam Prep: $199 includes both national and state portions; available in online video and live online options

Visit Kaplan

Real Estate Express: Top Choice for Self-paced & Interactive Prelicensing Education

If you’re looking for affordable self-paced prelicensing education with several interactive features, we recommend the Real Estate Express. Its prelicensing courses include interactive features and direct instructor support to help students prepare for the exam. One of the best accredited real estate schools, Real Estate Express also offers real estate classes in various learning formats at competitive prices. If you fail the licensing exam, you can get a refund of the prelicensing costs through the Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee program.

Self-paced courses contain several interactive elements to keep students engaged throughout their learning process. One feature is the Instructor Q&A, providing access to over 40 hours per month of live sessions with instructors. The Live Exam Crammer Series is another feature available to students as soon as they complete the course. This is a series of one-hour, instructor-led webinars focused on passing the state licensing exam. If you need real-time interaction, Real Estate Express also offers a livestream prelicensing course.

The school is popular for its “Smart Bites” learning methodology, which breaks down topics into smaller, more digestible lessons for better learning retention. The school also offers an exclusive 90-day boot camp for $99 to those who want to fast-track their real estate career. Agents can learn several professional skills through this course, including listing presentations, real estate sales, lead conversion, presentations, marketing, and social media.

Broker licensing and CE courses in Minnesota are currently not available on Real Estate Express. However, agents can check the continuing education offered by its partner company, McKissock Learning.

Real Estate Express Reviews

Real Estate Express received excellent reviews for its self-paced education, which allowed more scheduling flexibility. Agents also love the school’s virtual support, immediate instructor feedback, and helpful study guides and quizzes, which helped them pass the state licensing exam.

However, some agents found the text-based courses challenging. Because self-paced courses are text-based, some found the amount of video, pictures, and texts overwhelming. If you’re looking for a mixture of online and livestream instruction, we recommend Kaplan’s hybrid courses. You can also check Minnesota Realty School if you prefer live online or in-person classes.

Real Estate Express Pricing

Real Estate Express offers one of the most affordable prelicensing education on this list. The school provides tiered packages and individual courses at competitive rates.

Prelicensing: Starting at $219

You can purchase individual courses and course packages to complete the required prelicensing hours. All course packages include 90 hours of coursework, state-approved instructor support, and real estate textbooks. Course packages are offered in self-paced and livestream options.

• Individual courses: $219 includes 30 hours of coursework
• Basics Package: $641 includes everything mentioned above
• Exam Preparation Package: $704 includes everything in the Basics Package plus exam prep and Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee
• Exam Preparation Plus: $776 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Package plus a real estate dictionary, Instructor Q&A, and Live Exam Crammer Series
• Ultimate Learning Package: $871 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Plus Package plus a printed course textbook and one-year professional development membership
• MN Livestream Package: $871 includes everything mentioned plus free online proctoring, printed course textbooks, exam prep, and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee

Continued Education: Starting at $19.95*

All CE packages are customizable and are offered through its partner company, McKissock Learning.

• Individual courses: $19.95 to $39.95 based on credit hours
• Annual Packages: $109.95 includes 15 credit hours
• MN CE Plus Membership: $146 includes access to all CE courses in Minnesota, on-demand webinar library, how-to videos, job aids, and a knowledgeable education specialist

Exam Prep: $99

Real Estate Express’ exam prep covers the national and state portions of the Minnesota licensing exam.

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

*Offered through its partner company, McKissock Learning

Visit Real Estate Express

McKissock Learning: Best for Continuing Education With Career Advancement Resources

We recommend McKissock Learning for active salespersons and brokers looking for affordable self-paced continuing education in Minnesota with professional development tools. A unique feature offered by McKissock Learning is its CE membership packages, which provide several career resources on top of unlimited access to all MN CE courses. These professional tools range from on-demand webinars to how-to videos, downloadable job aids, and access to education specialists.

Aside from the membership packages, McKissock Learning also provides bundled CE course packages for salespersons and brokers in Minnesota. These packages are customizable based on the topics you’re interested in. If you need more flexibility, you can purchase individual courses instead so you can fulfill the required 30 credit hours to renew your license every two-year cycle.

Although self-paced courses don’t include direct access to instructors, students can receive assistance from education specialists by contacting them through the learning dashboard. They can also contact the school’s customer support, which is available seven days a week.

McKissock Learning Reviews

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

However, some agents had a difficult time completing their courses because of the text-based content, as well as “lengthy” and confusing topic questions. For agents who prefer live interaction with instructors, you can opt for McKissock Learning’s livestream classes. We also recommend checking out livestream CE courses at Minnesota Realty School and Kaplan.

McKissock Learning Pricing

McKissock Learning’s pricing is one of the most affordable on this list. Agents can choose from a wide selection of individual courses and bundled packages.

Prelicensing: Starting at $219*

Prelicensing course packages include 90 hours of coursework, state-approved instructor support, and real estate textbooks. Course packages are offered in self-paced and livestream options.

• Individual courses: $219 includes 30 hours of coursework
• Basics Package: $641 includes everything mentioned above
• Exam Preparation Package: $704 includes everything in the Basics Package plus exam prep and Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee
• Exam Preparation Plus: $776 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Package plus a real estate dictionary, Instructor Q&A, and Live Exam Crammer Series
• Ultimate Learning Package: $871 includes everything in the Exam Preparation Plus Package plus a printed course textbook and one-year professional development membership
• MN Livestream Package: $871 includes everything in the Basics Package plus free online proctoring, printed course textbooks, exam prep, and Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee

Continued Education: Starting at $19.95

All CE packages are customizable. While most individual courses are self-paced, some are offered in livestream format.

• Individual courses: $19.95 to $39.95 based on credit hours
• Annual packages: $109.95 includes 15 credit hours
• MN CE Plus Membership: $146 includes access to all CE courses in Minnesota, on-demand webinar library, how-to videos, job aids, and a knowledgeable education specialist

Exam Prep: $99*

The exam prep covers the national and state portions of the Minnesota licensing exam.

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

*Offered through its partner company, Real Estate Express.

Visit McKissock Learning

The CE Shop: Ideal for Affordable & Customizable Real Estate Education

Another national education provider, The CE Shop is ideal for aspiring agents looking for affordable and customizable online real estate education in Minnesota. Whether you’re looking for prelicensing or continuing education, The CE Shop offers budget-friendly course packages and individual courses. Courses are self-paced, so you can access your education anytime, anywhere. If you’re a non-resident who wants to become a licensed real estate agent in Minnesota, The CE Shop also offers reciprocal licensing education.

Although courses are self-paced, The CE Shop’s intuitive learning dashboards enable learners to stay engaged. Its custom LEAP learning platform provides streamlined navigation, so students can easily follow their lessons. Additionally, topics are broken down into individual lessons to promote in-depth learning. The Exam Prep Edge also provides an interactive virtual test platform that simulates the actual exam environment. Students can take unlimited practice tests and customize them to improve their chances of passing the exam.

Like Kaplan and Real Estate Express, The CE Shop also offers a pass guarantee. Prelicensing and exam prep students can ask for a refund in case a retake is required. If you want to stay abreast with the latest news and best practices in real estate, you can find free career resources on The CE Shop’s Agent Essentials page. Agents can browse through a plethora of informative blogs, agent encyclopedias, e-books, podcasts, and videos that cover real estate news and trends.

The CE Shop Reviews

The CE Shop received excellent reviews for its self-paced learning format, high-quality content, and easy-to-navigate platform. Prelicensure students also recommend The CE Shop’s interactive exam prep courses, which helped them pass the real estate licensing exam.

However, some students found its text-based lessons less engaging. The CE Shop also doesn’t provide direct access to teachers. If you prefer real-time interaction with a local instructor, we recommend taking livestream prelicensing courses at the Minnesota Realty School or Real Estate Express.

The CE Shop Pricing

The CE Shop offers affordable prices for its prelicensing, CE, and exam prep courses. Its pricing includes tiered packages and individual courses.

Prelicensing: Starting at $200

You can purchase bundled packages or individual courses to complete the 90 hours of prelicensing mandated by the state.

• WI to MN Reciprocal Course: $200 includes 13 hours of prelicensing coursework
• Individual courses: $279 includes 30 hours of prelicensing coursework
• Courses Only: $679 includes 90 hours of coursework plus business e-books, career and downloadable resources, digital flashcards, a real estate glossary, and a study schedule
• Standard Package: $739 includes everything in the Courses Only package plus exam prep edge, and pass guarantee
• Value Package: $779 includes everything in the Standard package plus business building courses
• Premium package: $849 includes everything in the Value package plus 15-hour MN CE package

Continued Education: Starting at $9

The CE Shop has the most affordable CE courses on this list. You can take the 15-hour CE package annually or individual courses to complete the required 30 credit hours every two-year cycle.

• Individual courses: $9 to $35 based on credit hours
• MN CE Package: $109 includes 15 credit hours

Exam Prep: Starting at $75

• Exam Prep Edge: $75 choice between national and state portions
• Exam Prep Edge: $125 includes both national and state portions

Visit The CE Shop

360Training: Recommended for Individual, Self-paced Continuing Education

We recommend 360Training for active salespersons and brokers looking for simple-to-follow individual CE courses, accessible anytime, anywhere for one full year. For as low as $25, licensees can take general and elective courses required by the state for license renewal. 360Training also offers CE courses that fulfill Minnesota’s Fair Housing and Agency Law requirements. With its individual course offering, active licensees can build their own renewal package based on their topics of interest and number of CE hours needed.

Aside from CE courses, 360Training also provides a number of real estate resources that can guide new agents as they start their careers. You can explore blogs, guides, and downloadable PDFs on the Agent Campus Real Estate Education page. If you want to broaden your horizon, discover several business resources to improve your knowledge about key business skills, human resources, ethics, and compliance.

Another unique feature of 360Training is its Real Estate Training for Businesses. This program enables brokerage firms to help their agents get the real estate training they need to grow their careers and be compliant with Minnesota’s education requirements. Through this program, agencies can assign CE courses to their agents, track individual progress, and generate executive-level reports to ensure that agents receive consistent education that they can complete at their own pace.

360Training Reviews

360Training received positive feedback for its step-by-step training that made the learning experience more manageable, especially for agents with full-time jobs. Others recommend its CE courses, which agents can easily access online and complete at their own pace.

However, some mentioned that courses could get boring because of the long texts and videos they need to read and watch. 360Training also has a limited selection of real estate courses. If you need robust courses for every stage of your career, we recommend Kaplan.

360Training Pricing

Although 360Training is a national provider, the school offers limited course selection in Minnesota compared to other schools on this list. Its pricing includes individual CE courses instead of bundled packages.

Continued Education:

• Individual courses: $25 to $40 based on credit hours

Visit 360Training

ContinuingEd Express: Best for Budget-friendly Salesperson & Broker Licensing Education

If you’re looking for budget-friendly prelicensing education in Minnesota, we recommend ContinuingEd Express. It provides the complete 90-hour salesperson and 30-hour broker licensing courses at very affordable rates, preparing you for the state licensing exams. You can also find real estate courses for every stage of your career—whether you’re looking for reciprocal licensing, exam prep, continuing education, or GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute) courses.

While no textbooks are provided, ContinuingEd Express offers several online learning tools to help agents remember key principles. These include e-flashcards, downloadable and printable section summaries, diagrams and illustrations, practice quizzes, and video commentary from instructors. Furthermore, agents have the opportunity to communicate with their instructors through the “Messages” tab of their student accounts.

ContinuingEd Express also provides free training courses for new and experienced agents. You can learn topics like how to succeed in real estate, overcoming career roadblocks, and finding buyer and seller clients. On top of these, agents can find free study guides on the website to provide encouragement and helpful resources as you fulfill your education requirements. If you subscribe to the school’s e-newsletter, you can receive real estate career tips and exclusive subscriber discounts.

ContinuingEd Express Reviews

Agents recommend ContinuingEd Express because of its informative content and ease of access. Modules were also well organized and easy to follow, which made education simpler. Agents love the school’s responsive website and easy-to-navigate learning platform. These made it easier for agents to contact their instructors and the school’s customer support. Others even used ContinuingEd Express exclusively for all their real estate education needs.

However, since courses are text-based, some agents found it challenging to sit for hours to read all the content and complete the modules. If you prefer self-paced learning with lots of interactive features, we recommend prelicensing and CE courses at Real Estate Express and McKissock Learning.

ContinuingEd Express Pricing

ContinuingEd Express offers the most affordable prelicensing courses on this list. Courses are 100% self-paced. The school also provides CE courses at competitive rates.

Prelicensing: Starting at $160

As mentioned, ContinuingEd Express offers the most affordable salesperson prelicensing courses on this list.

• WI to MN Reciprocity course: $160
• MN Individual Prelicense Courses: $210 for each of the three 30-hour courses
• MN Salesperson License Bundle: $579, discounted price for five courses including three prelicensing courses, license exam prep, and Prelicense Course 1-Flashcards

Broker Licensing: $235

Compared to Kaplan, ContinuingEd Express provides a more affordable broker licensing education in Minnesota.

• MN Broker Prelicense Course: $235

Continued Education: Starting at $16.95

• Individual courses: $16.95 to $34.95 based on credit hours and course topics

Exam Prep: Starting at $9

ContinuingEd Express offers exam prep courses for salespersons, brokers, and reciprocal licensees in Minnesota.

• MN Prelicense Course 1-Flashcards: $9
• MN Exam Prep: $15

Visit ContinuingEd Express

How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Schools in Minnesota

The best real estate schools in the North Star State offer robust online courses with engaging features, scheduling flexibility, and affordable pricing. These schools also provide the much-needed customer support and expertise to help you successfully become a licensed real estate agent.

After a thorough evaluation, Minnesota Realty School emerged as the best overall for its variety in course formats, affordable pricing, and access to experienced local instructors. Whatever your learning style may be, you can choose from livestream, prerecorded video, and self-paced course formats. If you prefer traditional learning, Minnesota Realty School provides in-person classes, with complimentary cocoa, coffee, and tea.

Minnesota Realty School

Here are the criteria we used to evaluate the best real estate schools in Minnesota: