6 Best Online Real Estate Schools in Texas 2023
This article is part of a larger series on How to Become a Real Estate Agent.
Texas has stringent standards for becoming new agents (180 hours of coursework), broker (270 hours of education), and continuing education (18 hours or 98 hours). The best real estate schools in Texas can help you advance your career, so finding one that fits your needs is essential. To assist you with making the right decision, we compared the best online real estate schools in Texas based on costs, learning formats, student testimonials, and customer support.
- Kaplan: Best for real estate professionals wanting a mix of course formats
- Colibri Real Estate: Top choice for comprehensive online Texas real estate licensing packages with instructor support and learning tools
- Champions School of Real Estate: Recommended for professionals wanting the most access to Texas-based instructors
- Aceable Agent: Ideal for aspiring agents wanting a self-paced prelicensing and exam prep bundle with a pass guarantee
- The CE Shop: Recommended for affordable continuing education (CE) and exam prep courses
- VanEducation Center: Top choice for self-paced courses for aspiring and current agents who need a flexible schedule
Best Online Real Estate Schools in Texas at A Glance
School | Education Provided & Starting Price | Learning Formats | Pass Guarantee | Customer Support |
---|---|---|---|---|
Prelicensing: $105 Post-licensing: $23 Broker licensing: $105 CE: $29 Exam prep: $99 |
| ✕ | Phone, email, and live chat | |
Prelicensing: $627 Post-licensing: $389 Broker licensing: $888 CE: $159 Exam prep: $99 |
| ✓ | Phone, email, and live chat | |
Prelicensing: $165 Post-licensing: $80 Broker licensing: $165 CE: $10 Exam prep: $120 |
| ✕ | Phone and email | |
Prelicensing: $449 Post-licensing: $30 CE: $26 |
| ✓ | Phone and email | |
Prelicensing: $125 Post-licensing: $45 Broker licensing: $125 CE: $9 Exam prep: $79 |
| ✓ (Partial only) | Phone, email, and live chat | |
Prelicensing: $145 Post-licensing: $39 CE: $35 Exam prep: $59 |
| ✕ | Phone, email, and live chat | |
To find out which best real estate school in Texas will best suit your real estate needs and education, take this quick quiz:
Which best real estate school in Texas is right for you?
Things you need to know before enrolling for your Texas real estate license education: Along with education requirements, there is a slew of paperwork to complete before taking Texas real estate courses. Check out our step-by-step guide to becoming a real estate agent in Texas to help you get started.
Kaplan: Best for a Variety of Course Formats
Pros
- Variety of live courses, on-demand videos, and self-paced formats
- Bundled course packages and customizable courses
- Free course demos
Cons
- Expensive pricing
- Allows only up to 6 months of course access
- No in-person class option
Our Expert Opinion on Kaplan
Kaplan is the best online real estate school in Texas primarily because of its range of content formats and customizable course packages. It offers home study, live online, and on-demand video class options. If you feel uncomfortable learning real estate finance at home, hands-on live instruction might be a better option, but you can still complete real estate principles via home study.
In addition, all Kaplan courses provide interactive activities like practice quizzes and real-life scenario exercises, helping you stay engaged. Kaplan is one of the best online real estate schools in Texas for every stage of your real estate career, from getting your real estate license to maintaining CE requirements to becoming a broker. Kaplan’s services could be improved by increasing the students’ course access for up to one year.
Sample Kaplan course (Source: Kaplan)
- Accreditations: Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), and International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC)
- Refund policy: Get a full refund for your course within 30 days of purchase.
- Written and proctored by real estate professionals: All courses are written by real estate professionals and include final exam proctoring.
- Agent resource center: Kaplan provides an agent resource center that includes articles, blog posts, professional development, and boot camp for new agents.
- Available on all devices: Kaplan courses are online and accessible on any device that connects to the internet. With unit summaries and key point reviews, you can study anywhere and anytime.
With thousands of customer reviews and an excellent rating of 4.5 out of 5, Kaplan is loved by students for its interactive study coursework and QBank questions, helping them to pass their exams on their first try. Many students also commended its highly knowledgeable instructors, engaging materials, and updated and informative course content.
However, some students experienced glitches and wanted more than six months of access to the material. Plus, its course prices are higher compared to other competitors. If you’re looking for affordable real estate education with one full year of course access, we recommend Champions School of Real Estate or Aceable Agent.
Read how our experts feel about this real estate school in our Kaplan review.
As a national provider, Kaplan’s expansive online Texas real estate course selection offers tiered options, allowing customers to choose classes based on format preferences, specific learning needs, and additional features. Kaplan provides packages for purchase and individual courses to customize your learning experience.
Education Type | Price Range | Course Details |
---|---|---|
Prelicensing | $105 - $1,089 |
|
Post-licensing | $23 - $409 |
|
Broker Prelicensing | $105 - $889 |
|
CE | $29 - $119 |
|
Exam Prep | $99 - $169 |
|
Visit Kaplan
(Use Promo Code: Kapre5 for 5% off)
Colibri Real Estate: Best for Texas Real Estate Licensing Packages With Support
Pros
- Director instructor assistance
- Pass or Don't Pay guarantee
- Extensive resources and study tools
Cons
- Printed course material is not included in every package
- Only provide six months to complete courses
- No interactive study groups
Our Expert Opinion on Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate is considered the best real estate license school in Texas because of its wide range of package options, features, tools, and resources. Within its four prelicensing package options, it offers instructor support, digital flashcards, real estate e-books, interactive learning videos, and audio exam prep materials. There is also a question and answer session with instructors and a Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee.
In addition, Colibri offers a career hub, providing resources for career enhancement. It contains articles and resources to help you grow as an agent, from real estate market updates to marketing guides. Overall, Colibri real estate is consistently ranked one of the best online real estate schools in the industry because of these extensive resources and its availability of courses for every stage of your career. Colibri could be improved by offering interactive study groups and a mobile app for easy navigation.
Colibri Real Estate platform
- Accreditations: TREC, ARELLO, and IDECC
- Customizable courses: Courses can be purchased as packages or individually customized.
- Comprehensive exam prep: Exam preparation tools with simulations and webinars.
- Career support: Provides many free resources, real estate e-books, and comprehensive courses like the 90-day boot camp program.
- Continuing education courses: Offered through McKissock Learning.
Colibri Real Estate has a rating of 4.1 out of 5 from students. They were pleased with the affordable, high-quality education they received from the online courses, which gave them the knowledge they needed to pass the real estate licensing exam the first time. The platform was also incredibly user-friendly and informative for the students.
In less favorable reviews, one student said that the course materials are outdated and include several errors. In addition, many students preferred class interaction over reading and striving to understand the content independently. Consider taking a livestream course, like Kaplan’s live online instruction course format, if you wish to connect with your instructors in real-time.
Read how our experts feel about this real estate school in our Colibri Real Estate review.
Colibri Real Estate provides package options for those wanting to get their Texas real estate license, prepare for the real estate exam, complete the post-license SEA requirements, and upgrade their license to become a broker. You can also purchase courses individually in every category but remember that package options include many additional tools and features.
Education Type | Price Range | Course Details |
---|---|---|
Prelicensing | $627 - $927 |
|
Post-licensing | $389 - $419 |
|
Broker Prelicensing | $888 |
|
CE* | $159 - $199 |
|
Exam Prep | $99 - $609 |
|
*Offered by affiliate partner, McKissock Learning
Visit Colibri Real Estate
Use Promo Code: FSB25 for 25% off
Champions School of Real Estate: Best for Texas-based Instructor Access
Pros
- Variety of course formats
- Free online sample course
- Virtual study hall with instructor support
Cons
- Lacks budget-friendly pricing
- No live chat and 24/7 customer support
- Refund only within five days of purchase
Our Expert Opinion on Champions School of Real Estate
If you’re looking for a Texas real estate school with multiple in-person locations throughout the state and online classes, Champions School of Real Estate is a clear choice. It offers four unique course format options: blended classroom, virtual classroom, online interactive, and online correspondence. Champions’ course packages also provide additional resources and tools, like textbooks, e-books, and coaching videos.
A standout feature of Champions School of Real Estate is its Virtual Study Hall, which is accessible to all students taking its online real estate courses. In the Study Hall, students can submit questions to a live instructor who can answer questions and give career advice. These offerings make Champions School of Real Estate one of the best online real estate schools in Texas. The school could improve by offering a more extended refund policy or pass guarantee.
Champions School mobile app (Source: Champions School of Real Estate)
- Accreditation: TREC
- Mobile app: Makes courses accessible and user-friendly on any device, plus a flashcard app available for $2.99.
- Customizable courses: Option to blend and customize multiple learning formats within a package.
- Career support: Provides a career fair and career night, real estate designation courses, a directory of interested real estate companies, and business etiquette classes.
- 12 months of course access: The course expires after one year.
Champions School of Real Estate students praised the Texas real estate online classes allowing them to take the course anytime and anywhere. Additionally, many students commended the instructors, engaging lessons, easy-to-follow materials, and knowledge they received, giving it an excellent rating of 4.73 out of 5.
However, some students wished for more interactive content during the class, like videos or automation. Many students also noted that it is more expensive than other online real estate classes in Texas. If budget is your highest priority, consider Aceable Agent or VanEducation Center.
For all courses, students can choose Blended Classroom, Virtual Classroom, Online Interactive, Online Correspondence, or Champion Advantage formats to differentiate and enhance their learning experience.
Education Type | Price Range | Course Details |
---|---|---|
Prelicensing | $165 - $1,944 |
|
Post-licensing | $80 - $575 |
|
Broker Prelicensing | $165 - $1,650 |
|
CE | $10 - $119 |
|
Exam Prep | $120 |
|
Visit Champions School of Real Estate
Aceable Agent: Best for Self-paced Prelicensing & Exam Prep Bundle
Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Direct instructor assistance
- Accessible on any device
Cons
- No broker prelicensing education
- Interactive study groups are not available
- No live chat and 24/7 customer support
Our Expert Opinion on Aceable Agent
Aceable Agent is one of the best real estate schools in Texas for its online prelicensing and exam prep bundle options. All bundle options are online and include instructor support, audio guides, and over 1,000 exam prep questions. The upper-level packages include access to PrepAgent—one of the best Texas real estate exam prep courses—along with live tutoring and webinars. Aceable Agent boasts an overall pass rate of 73.19%, which is 26.49% higher than the minimum pass rate.
Aceable Agent is also a popular real estate school in Texas for its continuing education (CE) courses and electives. It offers the required legal updates and various relevant course topics, including property marketing, financing methods, negotiation, risk reduction, and social media marketing. Aceable Agent could be improved by offering individual exam prep courses or classes for agents wanting to become brokers.
Texas continuing education elective course topics
(Source: Aceable Agent)
- Accreditation: TREC
- Advanced video technology: Aceable Agent’s courses focus on interactive quizzes, videos, and visual content.
- Refund policy: You can get a full refund within 30 days of purchase, as long as you haven’t completed the course.
- Accessible customer support: The student concierge team is easy to contact by text, call, or email and is highly responsive and helpful.
Overall, Aceable Agent has received excellent reviews from customers about their real estate classes, receiving a 4.9 out of 5 rating. Students note that the courses are easy-to-understand and highly informative. Another user also remarked that the CE classes are easy and convenient, allowing them to access the lessons on any device.
Nevertheless, one student was disappointed that he couldn’t retake the level exams. Another unfavorable comment said that the practice test lacked questions comparable to those on the actual exam, which made them feel unprepared. Consider Kaplan if you need up-to-date course material and interactive exercises like practice tests and real-world scenario exercises.
Read how our experts feel about this real estate school in our Aceable Agent review.
Aceable Agent offers three-tiered packages for prelicensing and exam prep, as well as continuing education (CE) and post-licensing courses for new and experienced Texas real estate agents.
Education Type | Price Range | Course Details |
---|---|---|
Prelicensing | $449 - $749 |
|
Post-licensing | $30 - $474 |
|
CE | $26 - $89 |
|
Visit Aceable Agent
25% off no promo code required
The CE Shop: Best for Affordable CE & Exam Prep Courses
Pros
- Provides career assistance
- User-friendly platform
- It has interactive study groups
Cons
- No livestream learning format
- Mobile application is unavailable
- No 1:1 coaching and training
Our Expert Opinion on The CE Shop
The CE Shop offers comprehensive and affordable real estate education for prelicensing, broker licensing, CE, and exam prep for Texas real estate agents and brokers, with a starting price of $9. It has one of the leading industry pass rates for the Texas Salesperson license at 67.64%, which is a 20.87% higher than the minimum pass rate.
The CE Shop’s prelicensing plans include e-books, downloadable and career resources, practice exams, digital flashcards, a glossary, and a study schedule to ensure students pass their exams. Furthermore, The CE Shop provides interaction during online courses through LEAP, its in-house developed online learning solution. Considering that it offers entirely online courses, adding a mobile app would be beneficial for students for greater course accessibility.
The CE Shop’s student dashboard
- Accreditations: ARELLO, IDECC, and TREC
- Refund policy: The CE Shop will issue a refund for any course within 30 days of purchase if the course is less than 50% completed; for Exam Prep Edge, refunds are only available if you haven’t completed the initial assessment yet.
- Agent Essentials resources: Provides resources to support an agent’s business growth, like blogs, e-books, webinars, and podcasts.
- Interactive dashboards: These real-time dashboards gauge students’ proficiency on course topics throughout the program.
- Money-back guarantee: Students who do not pass their exam are entitled to money back for their licensing exam.
The CE Shop receives a 3.6 out of 5 from satisfied students due to the affordable and accessible courses and home study options. Students commented on how the course was simple and comprehensive and detailed the material was. Another student cited Exam Prep Edge, saying it gave them the assurance they needed to ace the test the first time.
Some students encountered technical difficulties while attempting to complete the final exam. They also complained about the limited free trial period and lousy customer service. Think about Colibri Real Estate or Aceable Agent, which has a student concierge on call seven days a week to help you with any issues.
Read how our experts feel about this real estate school in our The CE Shop review.
The CE Shop offers course bundles and individual courses for prelicensing, post-licensing, broker licensing, CE courses, and exam prep. This allows students to customize their education based on their needs.
Education Type | Price Range | Course Details |
---|---|---|
Prelicensing | $125 - $1,185 |
|
Post-licensing | $45 - $455 |
|
Broker Prelicensing | $125 - $1,025 |
|
CE | $9 - $135 |
|
Exam Prep | $79 - $135 |
|
Visit The CE Shop
Use Promo Code: FSB30 for 30% off
VanEducation Center: Best for Self-paced Real Estate Education Packages
Pros
- Five-day free trial
- Variety of customizable course packages
- Recorded proctoring service
Cons
- No livestream learning format
- No broker prelicensing courses
- No pass guarantee
Our Expert Opinion on VanEducation Center
VanEducation Center is an online Texas real estate school offering self-paced courses on any device. There are prelicensing courses to become a real estate agent, exam prep, continuing education, and post-licensing to renew your Texas real estate license. All courses come in various package options, and many packages allow you to customize your topics. For example, the SAE 98-hour post-licensing convenience pack includes mandatory updates and any of the most relevant elective topics.
VanEd also provides a recorded proctoring service (RPS) approved by TREC. This allows you to take your final exam for the prelicensing course anytime and anywhere you have a camera, microphone, and internet connection. VanEducation’s online tools are ideal for self-motivated and aspiring Texas agents who want the most convenient method of completing their coursework without sacrificing the quality of their education. It could improve by providing career assistance and guidance on finding a job after obtaining a license.
Customizable post-licensing course package (Source: VanEducation Center)
- Accreditations: TREC, ARELLO, IDECC, and Real Estate Educators Association (REEA)
- Available on all devices: Online courses are easy to use and access on any device.
- Payment plans: The only school to offer options to pay for the course as you go.
- Variety of continuing education course topics: Choose the most relevant CE course topics within your customizable package.
- Unlimited practice exams: Continue to take practice exams until you feel fully confident for up to one year of course access.
Third-party reviews for VanEducation Center say that the courses are affordable, easy to use, and provide excellent support. One student commented that the test prep summarized every topic, making them feel prepared for the exams. Most reviewers recommend the courses, giving the school a 4.34 out of 5 ratings, and exam prep students said the program helped them ace and pass their exams on the first try.
A few unenthusiastic students stated that they preferred more interactive and engaging material instead of scrolling through the course material. If interactivity is essential to you, Kaplan or Colibri Real Estate would be better choices.
Read how our experts feel about this real estate school in our VanEducation Center review.
VanEducation Center offers a range of packages for every stage of your real estate career, along with customization options.
Education Type | Price Range | Course Details |
---|---|---|
Prelicensing | $145 - $799 |
|
Post-licensing | $39 - $355 |
|
CE | $35 - $99 |
|
Exam Prep | $59 - $79 |
|
How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Schools in Texas
Choosing the best real estate school in Texas for your needs will depend on your real estate career stage, budget, and the resources you need the most. Make sure you also consider your schedule, learning style, and the instructor support you’ll receive with each school. The best real estate schools in Texas offer a variety of learning styles, pricing options, and methods of providing support.
With various course format options, customizable courses and packages, and interactive activities, Kaplan is our choice for the best online school for real estate licenses in Texas. Whether you are on the path to becoming a real estate agent or broker or renewing your real estate license, Kaplan has a course that will help you reach the next step with engaging material.
The criteria we used to evaluate the best online real estate schools in Texas include the following:
25% of Overall Score
Consists 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
Pricing is based on the cost and availability of pre- and post-licensing, continuing education courses, and exam prep for each online institution.
15% of Overall Score
The availability of each level of education for different stages of licensure. This would include pre- and post-licensing, continuing education courses, broker prelicensing, and exam prep.
15% of Overall Score
Extending services past licensure such as coaching and training and career assistance. Also, whether the provider offers pass or refund guarantees for its courses.
10% 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.
10% 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.
5% of Overall Score
We looked into the convenience and attainability of customer service for technical support and instructor assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, you can attend an online Texas real estate school and obtain your Texas real estate license 100% online. You may enroll in an online real estate school to complete 180 hours of coursework. You can also schedule your licensing exam online and take it from home with live proctor monitoring. However, you must be present in person to have your fingerprints taken to get your license and background check.
On average, it takes aspiring agents three to five months to finish their education and obtain a Texas real estate license. However, if you are not overly busy and have the time and motivation to study and attend class nine to twelve hours daily, you can finish your 180 hours of prelicensing coursework in less than 30 days.
In Texas, obtaining a real estate license might cost anywhere from $800 to more than $1,000. In addition to paying an application fee ($185 for a two-year real estate license) and a fingerprinting fee ($38.25), you’ll also need to pay to take the exam, which costs around $42 per attempt.