6 Best Online Real Estate Schools in South Dakota
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This article is part of a larger series on How to Become a Real Estate Agent.
The top South Dakota online real estate schools provide a variety of course formats that cater to different learning styles, topics that address exam content, and engaging course materials. They also offer a range of valuable study tools and resources, as well as access to real estate experts and instructors. With over 116 hours of required South Dakota prelicensing, 60 hours of post-licensing, and 24 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years, it’s vital to find high-quality online education that contributes to your success.
To help you decide, we compiled the six best online real estate schools in South Dakota:
- Professional Real Estate Education (PRO-Ed): Best for agents with diverse learning styles who will benefit from a variety of course format options
- McKissock Learning: Ideal South Dakota real estate school for CE course topics with career resources and tools
- Cooke Real Estate School: Best for aspiring real estate salespeople who need extensive study tools and resources
- The CE Shop: Great choice for current agents wanting a self-paced and interactive online course with a variety of CE and post-licensing topics
- Global Real Estate School: Best prelicensing course with self-paced online education as well as weekly support and a wide variety of resources for exam and career preparation
- Realty Center School of Real Estate: Best for future real estate salespeople wanting an in-person classroom experience
Best Online Schools in South Dakota at a Glance
Online Real Estate Schools | Education Provided & Starting Price | Learning Formats | Pass Guarantee | Customer Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Prelicensing: $1,195 Broker licensing: $290 CE: $50 |
| ✕ | Phone, email, and online form |
 | Post-licensing: $239.95 CE: $29.95 |
| ✓ | Phone, email, and online form |
 | Prelicensing: $699 Post-licensing: $139 Broker licensing: $139 CE: $299 Exam prep: $99 |
| ✕ | Phone, email |
 | Post-licensing: $35 CE: $35 Exam prep: $75 |
| ✓ | Phone, email, live chat, support page |
Visit The CE Shop - Use Promo Code: FSB30 for 30% off | ||||
 | Prelicensing: $1,499 Exam prep: $149 |
| ✕ | Phone, email |
 | Prelicensing: $1,000 |
| ✕ | Phone, online form |
Things you need to know before enrolling for your South Dakota 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 South Dakota to help you get started.
Professional Real Estate Education (PRO-ED): Largest Selection of Course Format Options for Diverse Learners
What We Like
- Most course format options
- Prelicensing course provides self-paced and live instruction
- Instructor access
What's Missing
- No post-licensing courses
- Limited range of scheduling options
Additional Features
- Blended courses with both self-paced, online, and live instruction
- Study aids include study guides and practice tests
- One location in South Dakota
- Customer review rating of 5 out of 5
- Accredited by the South Dakota Real Estate Commission (SDREC)
Professional Real Estate Education (PRO-ED) is a South Dakota-based real estate school that provides blended courses with self-paced and live instruction. Its 116-hour prelicensing course includes online instruction, live courses in a classroom or online, and home study. The same format options are available for its continuing education courses as well, making PRO-ED the best choice for current and aspiring South Dakota real estate brokers who want the largest variety of course format options.
PRO-ED also provides broker prelicensing courses for South Dakota salespeople wanting to become a real estate broker. Prelicensing courses for agents and brokers include study aids, like multiple practice tests, a video series, and handouts. All of the study aids are offered to every student, and you are able to easily contact an instructor for more in-depth answers to questions or help with the material.
PRO-ED Reviews
PRO-ED is the only online real estate school in South Dakota with a customer review rating of 5 out of 5. Students who reviewed the program left extremely positive feedback, saying that instructors are engaging, knowledgeable, and included interactive activities. Students love the combination of self-paced and classroom instruction and felt that they were well-prepared for their real estate careers. For another option with even more career resources, check out Global Real Estate School.
PRO-ED Pricing
Although PRO-ED doesn’t provide a large number of course packages with pricing options, all of the courses provided include extensive support through an instructor and study aids. The pricing structure is simple, with one option for agent prelicensing, broker prelicensing, and a selection of individual continuing education courses.
Prelicensing: $1,195
- 116-hour Prelicensing Course: $1,195
Broker Prelicensing: $290
- 15-hour Responsible Broker Courses: $290
Continuing Education: Starting at $50
- Individual Continued Education Courses: $50 to $65
McKissock Learning: Best Continuing Education Platform With Career Tools
What We Like
- CE plus membership with extensive tools and resources
- Wide range of course topics
- Satisfaction guarantee on all courses
What's Missing
- No prelicensing courses
- No instructor access
- No live instruction
Additional Features
- Self-paced online courses
- Over 30 approved CE course topics
- NAR-approved topics
- Customizable continuing education course packages
- Easy-to-use online platform
- Customer review rating of 4.5 out of 5
- Accredited by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC), and SDREC
McKissock Learning is an online accredited real estate school that provides a large number of CE course topics for brokers. It is the only online real estate school in South Dakota that offers a yearly CE Plus membership, which includes access to all of your state’s CE course topics, large webinar library, how-to videos, job aids, service discounts, and professional development resources. It is a great choice for active salespeople who want additional tools and resources to help them build a successful business.
For members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), there are additional benefits of McKissock’s CE packages. Both the broker associate and responsible broker CE packages include the required NAR Ethics course, so agents and brokers can complete two sets of requirements within one package. In addition, McKissock uniquely allows students to exchange the course topics within a package. You can save money by buying a complete package, but still choose which topics are most relevant to your needs.
McKissock Learning Reviews
The majority of McKissock Learning’s students say that the online courses are easy to navigate, include helpful and well-organized information, and ultimately helped them grow their careers. Satisfied students generally chose McKissock Learning in order to complete the South Dakota renewal requirements at their own pace.
However, a small number of reviewers weren’t prepared for the courses to expire after six months. Although all online real estate classes have an expiration date, The CE Shop provides 12 months of course access with optional extensions.
To learn more about this school, visit our McKissock Learning review.
McKissock Learning Pricing
McKissock Learning provides one course package for associate brokers, another for responsible brokers, and the CE Plus Membership for all South Dakota real estate professionals. Prelicensing options are available through its partner Colibri Real Estate.
Continuing Education: Starting at $29.95
- 24-hour Continued Education Renewal Package: $199.95
- Individual Continuing Education Courses: $29.95 to $44
- South Dakota CE Plus Membership: $260
Post-licensing: $239.95
- 30-hour Post-licensing Package Cycle 1: $239.95
- 30-hour Post-licensing Package Cycle 2: $239.95
Cooke Real Estate School: Best Course Packages With Valuable Study Tools & Resources
What We Like
- Extensive study tools and resources
- Variety of course and packaging options
- Affordable course prices
What's Missing
- Non-refundable courses
- Individual resources only available for purchase
- No variety in course format options
Additional Features
- Prelicensing courses include exam prep program and tools
- Instructor access by email
- Free shipping on all the materials
- Courses include session quizzes and practice exams
- Engaging and easy-to-use online platform
- Customer review rating of 4.7 out of 5
- Accredited by the SDREC
Cooke Real Estate School offers online real estate classes in South Dakota that include an extensive amount of study tools and resources. With any prelicensing course, you receive flashcards, textbooks, an additional exam prep program, and weekly interactive study groups with the instructor. These tools will help aspiring and current realtors to study for their real estate exams and grow their businesses.
Outside of required courses, there is also a range of professional development courses to help you become successful in real estate. These include topics like real estate finance, real estate investment, sales and marketing, and commercial real estate. These courses allow you to grow a deeper understanding of real estate foundations or develop a specialty or niche. Plus, there’s a full online book store with a wide range of topics, from real estate math to real estate home inspection—providing yet another way to get additional support.
Cooke Real Estate School Reviews
Although there aren’t a large number of online reviews, students of Cooke Real Estate School were extremely happy with their experience and education. Reviewers noted the variety of training materials and felt well-prepared for their real estate exam. For a real estate school with far more customer reviews, try McKissock Learning. Those who learn better through multiple course format options should consider PRO-ED.
Cooke Real Estate School Pricing
Cooke Real Estate School provides the highest number of real estate education courses and packages to choose from. All prelicensing courses include the required coursework, but there are four packages to choose from with additional tools and resources. Overall, Cooke Real Estate provides some of the most affordable package options for aspiring real estate agents as well as affordable tools to support current professionals.
Prelicensing: Starting at $699
All packages include 116 hours of required coursework, textbooks, and a weekly interactive study group.
- Bronze Package: $699, includes only the above
- Silver Package: $799, includes everything in the Bronze package plus additional textbooks and PSI exam prep online course
- Gold Package: $879, includes everything in Silver package plus additional textbooks and flashcards
- Platinum Package: $949, includes everything in Gold package plus Sales and Marketing textbook and course
Broker Prelicensing: $139
- 15-hour Brokerage Management: $139
Continued Education: $299
- 40-hour Broker Update Bronze Package: $299
- Course package is approved for CE or broker licensing credit
Exam Prep: Starting at $99
- South Dakota State License Law Exam Prep: $99
- Guide to Passing the PSI Exam: $189
Professional Development: Starting at $135
- Essentials of Real Estate Investment Bronze Package: $135
- Essentials of Real Estate Investment Silver Package: $165
- Essentials of Real Estate Finance: $135
- Real Estate Sales and Marketing 101: $135
- Commercial Real Estate Course: $135
Visit Cooke Real Estate School
The CE Shop: Best for Self-paced, Interactive Post-licensing & CE Courses
What We Like
- Interactive online courses
- Affordable prices
- 96% student satisfaction rate
What's Missing
- No prelicensing courses
- No live instruction
- No on-demand video or webinars
Additional Features
- Wide range of CE course topics
- 12 months of course access, with extensions available
- Refunds within 30 days
- Additional free resources
- Customer review rating of 4.8 out of 5
- Accredited by ARELLO and SREC
What's Missing
- Wide range of CE course topics
- 12 months of course access, with extensions available
- Refunds within 30 days
- Additional free resources
- Customer review rating of 4.8 out of 5
- Accredited by ARELLO and SREC
The CE Shop is a nationally recognized course provider with online real estate classes in South Dakota for exam prep, post-licensing, and continuing education. All courses are delivered within its innovative, engaging learning platform, which includes interactive content, videos, tailored feedback, and progress trackers. In addition, the CE Shop provides more individual post-licensing courses than any other real estate school.
For many South Dakota real estate professionals, one of the best features of the CE Shop is its extended length of course access. Almost every other online real estate school gives students six months to complete their education, but the CE Shop provides 12 months and extension options. Plus, the CE Shop provides the NAR-required Ethics course individually and includes it in its CE package, making this a particularly good choice for realtors.
The CE Shop Reviews
The CE Shop is one of the only real estate schools in South Dakota to have more than 3,000 online reviews, with almost all of them including positive feedback. Students reported that the platform was extremely easy to use and kept their attention, and the material was detailed and thorough.
Many customers noted that they continued to use the CE Shop to renew their real estate license for many years. However, the lack of live instruction isn’t right for every learner, so look into Realty Center School of Real Estate or PRO-ED for alternative options.
Read through our review of The CE Shop to see if it’s the right real estate school for you.
The CE Shop Pricing
The CE Shop provides a simple pricing structure, with a single course package available for post-licensing and continuing education. Individual courses are also available at varied prices, giving agents and brokers plenty of choices to complete their requirements. The CE Shop also provides a nationally recognized exam prep course for aspiring agents to prepare for the real estate exam.
Post-licensing: Starting at $35
- 30-hour South Dakota Post-licensing Package: $249
- Individual courses: Available from $35 to $169 depending on credit hours
- Available for salespersons and brokers
Continued Education: Starting at $35
- 24-hour Continuing Education Package: $199
- Individual CE Courses: $35 to $155
- Available for salespersons and brokers
Exam Prep: $75
- National Exam Prep Edge: $75
Global Real Estate School: Best for Its Interactive Online Courses With Support
What We Like
- Self-paced and live instruction
- Extensive resources and live support
- Online courses include video and interactive content
What's Missing
- No post-licensing courses
- More expensive than other options
Additional Features
- Prelicensing course includes an exam prep and flashcards
- Practice exams
- YouTube channel with additional resources for agents
- Career preparation with marketing tools and technology training
- Weekly livestreams for all students
- Customer review rating of 4.9 out of 5
- Accredited by the SDREC
Global Real Estate School is an accredited real estate school formed by John Mayfield, an accomplished real estate broker, speaker, and author. Due to this background, Global Real Estate’s online real estate classes for South Dakota Realtors include more interactivity and support through weekly webinars, livestreams, flashcards, and books. This type of instruction is helpful for students with all learning styles, but particularly necessary for those who prefer hands-on learning or struggle with staying focused.
The prelicensing package includes additional resources, all of which are available for purchase individually. These include digital flashcards and books like “Real Estate Exam Crash Course,” “Real Estate Math Made Easy,” and 12 months of personal coaching from John Mayfield.
Outside of the included resources, there are a number of books and digital courses for new and struggling real estate agents to enhance their real estate career, including “5 Minutes to Jumpstart Your Real Estate Career,” “Six-Figures to Success,” and “Learn to Shoot Amazing Photographs and Videos.”
Global Real Estate School Reviews
Students of Global Real Estate School have overwhelmingly positive feedback about their experience. They stated that the teachers and the program made the process of becoming a real estate agent enjoyable and strongly equipped them for their careers.
There are no negative online reviews for Global Real Estate at this time, but those looking for similar tools and resources should check out Cooke Real Estate School.
Global Real Estate School Pricing
Global Real Estate School provides two primary offerings for aspiring real estate agents: a prelicensing course and an exam prep course. Although the prelicensing course is priced higher than other options on this list, there are frequent sales that decrease the price significantly.
Prelicensing: $1,499
Global Real Estate School provides 100 hours of online study to cover the National portion of the exam. The remaining 16 hours of live, in-class training will cover the state-specific information and real estate laws in South Dakota.
Exam Prep: $149
Real Estate Exam Coach includes video training, flashcards, 500-plus practice questions, audio podcasts, and live weekly video streaming study sessions.
Visit Global Real Estate School
Realty Center School of Real Estate: Best In-person Prelicensing Course
What We Like
- In-person classroom courses
- Combines self-paced and live classes
- Includes additional resources
What's Missing
- No continuing education
- No post-licensing
- Only one location
Additional Features
- Course includes Modern Real Estate textbook and South Dakota License Law textbook
- Customer review rating of 4.8 out of 5
- Accredited by the SDREC
Realty Center School of Real Estate is a small real estate school in South Dakota with a prelicensing course that combines self-paced online material from Dearborn Real Estate Education as well as live instruction. Students independently study the “Principles and Practice” portion of the course online, then attend the campus to complete prelicensing. This makes the Realty Center School the best and only option on our list for aspiring South Dakota agents to get an in-person experience.
Its blended program provides the opportunity to build in-person relationships, communicate freely with an instructor, and still study on a flexible schedule. This school is a great choice for those who are experimenting with online education for the first time.
Realty Center School of Real Estate Reviews
Although the Realty Center School is extremely small, its online reviews show that it is still an incredible source of real estate education. Students rave about their experience, using descriptors like “tremendous resources,” “easy to stay interested,” and “exceptional training.”
However, if you’d rather prepare for the real estate exam with a more nationally recognized real estate school, try The CE Shop.
Realty Center School of Real Estate Pricing
The Realty Center School of Real Estate provides only one course option, which is the 116-hour South Dakota Prelicensing Course ($1,000). It includes 54 hours of online, self-paced learning, and 62 hours of in-person instruction.
Visit Realty Center School of Real Estate
How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Schools in South Dakota
The Mount Rushmore State attracts millions of visitors every year, is full of rich history, and has a booming rural real estate market with home values rising by more than 20% in the last year. Whether you are a current real estate agent or broker looking to fulfill your license requirements or looking to get your real estate license, the real estate education you receive will play a big part in your success.
After evaluating many South Dakota real estate schools, PRO-ED emerged as the top choice because of its education for every stage of your real estate career. The option to choose from self-paced, in-person instruction, home study, livestream, and blended courses gives students the opportunity to learn in an environment that is best suited for their needs. Plus, the inclusion of study tools like practice tests, handouts, and video series provides real estate professionals with additional tools to succeed.
The additional criteria used to evaluate the best online real estate classes South Dakota 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
