Everything’s bigger in Texas—including your earning potential as a real estate agent. And since the first step to getting your real estate license in Texas is to take a 180-hour prelicensing course, let us help you kick-start your new career by pinpointing the best real estate school to fit your lifestyle and learning needs.
We made sure to dig into every detail of the top online real estate schools in Texas so you don’t have to. We reviewed their online platforms, mobile user experience, class schedules, pass rates, affordability, and more. So let’s get you started on the path to launching your real estate career!
How We Selected the Best Real Estate Schools in Texas
Finishing a 180-hour prelicensing course is no easy feat. It will definitely preoccupy you for some time, and that’s why we’ve curated this list of the best real estate schools in Texas. In terms of our methodology at The Close, our team of licensed real estate professionals, writers, and editors have come up with a process that involves evaluating each school’s course options, pricing, mobile interface, website usability, pass rates, student satisfaction, professional development offerings, and more.
5 Best Real Estate Schools in Texas for 2023
| Our Top 5 Picks | Pricing From | Promo Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall: Colibri Real Estate | $549 | TheClose25 - Save 25% |
| Best for Mobile: Aceable Agent | $499 | Click our Aceable Agent link - Save 25% |
| Best for Career Advice: Kaplan | $389 | KAPRE5 - Save 5% |
| Best for Exam Prep: The CE Shop | $665 | TheClose35 - Save 35% |
| Best for Versatility: Champions School of Real Estate | $1,110 |
(Texas prelicensing package prices as of March 2023)
Real Estate Schools in Texas: Helpful Info
Texas Real Estate Governing Body:
Texas Real Estate Commission
Prelicensing Requirements:
180 Hours
Post-licensing Requirements:
90 Hours Within 2 Years
Continuing Education Requirements:
18 Hours Every 2 Years
You’ll need the help of a quality Texas real estate school to become a real estate agent in the Lone Star State. Here’s more information about the types of classes offered by real estate schools in Texas. If you’re still not clear on the process of becoming a Texas real estate agent, check out our step-by-step guide.
Prelicensing Courses
Your career as a real estate agent in Texas begins with your 180-hour prelicensing course, which is required by Texas’ real estate commission. You’ll have a variety of course formats to choose from, including online self-paced, scheduled online livestream classes, and in-person classes.
Online self-paced classes will allow the greatest flexibility to accommodate your schedule. Meanwhile, scheduled livestream and classroom courses provide structure. Our top pick for best overall school, Colibri Real Estate, offers packages for both self-paced and livestream options so you can choose what’s best for you.
Exam Preparation Courses
How long has it been since you’ve had to take an important exam? For any test anxiety, consider investing in exam prep materials. Most of the schools’ packages here in our list include useful tools such as flashcards to help you study, practice questions, and simulated exams or videos that target important concepts.
Our top pick of school for exam prep is The CE Shop because its Exam Prep Edge package uses adaptive features to tailor practice questions to your needs.
Post-licensing Courses
Once licensed, you’ll have two years to complete the 90-hour post-licensing Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) coursework plus eight hours of Texas Real Estate Commission Legal Updates.
Maybe you’re not ready to consider post-licensing issues yet but it’s helpful to have this in mind as you choose your prelicensing course provider. After all, if you enjoyed the features your real estate school offered in your prelicensing courses, chances are you’ll appreciate their post-licensing offerings too.
Continuing Education Courses
Every two years after your first renewal, you’ll be required to complete 18 hours of continuing education (CE) courses to renew your license. Eight hours of this must cover the Texas Real Estate Commission Legal Updates, and the other 10 hours are electives.
Now that you understand the types of Texas real estate classes you need to get and stay licensed, let’s dive into the best real estate schools in Texas.
Best Overall Real Estate School in Texas: Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam prep
- Post-licensing
- Managing broker prelicensing
- Continuing education
Colibri Real Estate is a powerhouse in online Texas real estate education. They offer online real estate classes nationwide, making them one of the most widespread providers out there. Their courses are affordable and expertly designed.
The company’s online platform is sleek, well-organized, and easy to navigate. You should have no problem finding what you need to work through the course. Plus, if you find yourself in need of extra help, you can reach out to one of their instructors for clarification.
Colibri Real Estate Pros | Colibri Real Estate Cons |
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Colibri Real Estate Pricing
Colibri Real Estate offers four online self-paced prelicensing packages and one livestream course option.
- The Basics ($549): This package includes your prelicensing course, instructor support, and e-books.
- Exam Preparation ($649): Includes all the benefits of The Basics package plus a Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee and exam prep featuring practice questions so you can ace the license exam.
- Exam Preparation Plus ($749): You’ll receive everything from the previous package, a Live Exam Crammer Webinar, and live Q&A sessions with expert instructors.
- Ultimate Learning ($859): This feature-packed option includes everything in the above package and a one-year membership to the company’s professional development program with real estate education provider McKissock.
- Texas Livestream Evenings ($945): Ideal if you prefer a live scheduled class online to keep you on track, this includes the same features as the Ultimate Learning package and visual learning videos, but it’s all scheduled during Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
(Colibri Real Estate Texas prelicensing package prices as of March 2023)
Readers of The Close can SAVE 25% on any Colibri Real Estate prelicensing course in Texas. Use promo code TheClose25 at checkout. Click here to get started.
BEST FEATURE: Colibri Real Estate is best known for its Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee (offered in every tier except for Basic). If you fail to pass the exam on your first try, the company will reimburse the cost of either your prelicensing package or your exam prep. Sounds good, right?
ROOM TO IMPROVE: The school’s overall pass rate is 56%. If you’re worried that the lack of human interaction will cause your mind to wander, opt for their livestreaming classes instead of their self-paced online packages. However, we feel like adding weekends to their livestream class schedule would attract more students.
BOTTOM LINE: You’ll receive expertly designed instruction that holds your attention when you choose one of Colibri Real Estate’s affordable packages.
Best Real Estate School in Texas for Mobile Learning: Aceable Agent
Aceable Agent offers:
- Prelicensing
- Post-licensing
- Continuing education
Aceable Agent is our pick for anyone who wants to take Texas real estate courses from their mobile device. The company was one of the first real estate schools to develop an app, so they’ve designed their platform with mobile compatibility in mind.
Students can seamlessly jump back and forth between devices when they purchase a package with Aceable Agent. We also like their Broker-Agent Matching Program, which helps you connect with a real estate broker in your area.
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Aceable Agent Pricing
Aceable Agent offers three prelicensing packages for aspiring Texas real estate agents.
- Basic ($449): With this straightforward course, you’ll enjoy your prelicensing course with access to instructor support via email and “lite” exam prep and practice exam questions.
- Deluxe ($579): You’ll get everything in the previous package, plus access to 75 videos, 70 audio lessons, and more exam prep materials.
- Premium ($749): Enjoy everything in the previous package, plus an hour of private tutoring with a real estate pro, live webinars five times a week, and live Q&A sessions to tackle your questions.
(Aceable Agent prelicensing package prices as of March 2023)
Exclusive offer for readers of The Close: Click our Aceable Agent link and SAVE 25% on their prelicensing course package.
BEST FEATURE: We love how easy it is to navigate Aceable Agent’s courses on a smartphone as most students are balancing real estate courses with a job, family, or other commitments. With Aceable Agent, you’ll be able to zip through your courses on your lunch break.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: While you can complete Aceable Agent’s prelicensing course from anywhere, we feel they don’t provide enough exam prep materials and practice tests for their students. For the best Texas real estate exam prep materials, look at the offerings from The CE Shop on this list.
BOTTOM LINE: With an overall pass rate of 73%, it should be a no-brainer to choose Aceable Agent’s clear, attractive platform for easy mobile use on the go.
Best Real Estate School in Texas for Career Advice: Kaplan
Kaplan offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam prep
- Post-licensing
- Managing broker prelicensing
- Continuing education
Kaplan offers a wide variety of instructional options, including home study, on-demand, and live online options. Besides offering prelicensing programs, Kaplan also offers SAE and CE packages.
Since Kaplan has been around for a long time, you can rest easy knowing that you’ll receive a quality educational experience, what with its overall pass rate of 60%. They also happen to offer the cheapest basic option of all the schools on our list.
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Kaplan Real Estate Pricing
Kaplan offers six prelicensing courses in Texas that vary by format. They offer text-based home study, online self-paced learning, and scheduled livestream packages for you to choose from.
- Home Study Solution ($389): Includes access to text-based lessons, a PDF textbook, online quizzes, exam prep, virtual exam proctoring, and access to interactive study groups.
- Career Launcher Home Study Package ($589): You’ll get everything from the home study package, plus the Real Estate Accelerator eight-hour course and personal coaching designed to help new agents.
- OnDemand Solution ($449): You’ll receive access to videos of instructors teaching the course material, a PDF textbook, online learning activities, quizzes, exam prep, instructor support, and access to interactive study groups.
- Career Launcher OnDemand Solution ($649): You’ll get everything from the OnDemand package, plus the Real Estate Accelerator eight-hour course and eight weeks of coaching.
- Live Online Solution ($889): Your classes will be taught live online by licensed instructors. You’ll be able to ask questions and interact with teachers and students in real time, and still get exam prep and access to study groups.
- Career Launcher Live Online Solution ($1,089): You’ll get everything from the Live Online package, plus the Real Estate Accelerator eight-hour course, and eight weeks of coaching.
(Kaplan Real Estate prelicensing package prices as of March 2023)
The Close readers can SAVE 5% on any Kaplan prelicensing courses using promo code KAPRE5.
BEST FEATURE: We have to give props to the career launcher package additions. Kaplan wants to help you get started in your career, and the eight-hour course teaches you real-world skills you’d use consistently as an agent.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: We appreciate that Kaplan offers a variety of learning options for their real estate classes in Texas. However, you can’t easily switch to another instructional format. If you want to switch between live online and on-demand courses, opt for Champions School of Real Estate.
BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking for a well-respected name in testing prep and education with a variety of packages, we recommend Kaplan. Upgrade your package to include the Career Launcher Program—you won’t be disappointed.
Can You Be a Part-time Real Estate Agent? (+ Free Guide & Videos)
Best Real Estate School in Texas for Exam Prep: The CE Shop
The CE Shop offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam prep
- Post-licensing
- Managing broker prelicensing
- Continuing education
The CE Shop makes our list by providing top-notch education options across the span of your real estate career. In Texas, The CE Shop boasts a 68% overall license exam pass rate, one of the highest across real estate schools in the state. Plus, their 96% student satisfaction rate means most students give The CE Shop 5 stars and would recommend it to others.
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Check out The CE Shop’s FREE 5-DAY TRIAL! The CE Shop is the only school on our list that lets you test-drive their courses and features before you buy. Visit their website today!
The CE Shop Pricing
The CE Shop offers three online self-paced prelicensing coursework packages in Texas.
- Standard Package ($665): Far from standard, this package comes with your prelicensing course, online exam proctoring, a pass guarantee, and Exam Prep Edge to ensure you’re prepared for the license exam.
- Value Package ($705): On top of everything from the Standard Package, you’ll get business-building courses designed by real estate experts to help new agents succeed from the ground up.
- Premium Package ($1,085): This ultimate package gives you everything in previous packages, as well as your 90-hour post-licensing course so you can hit the ground running for your first renewal.
(The CE Shop prelicensing package prices as of March 2023)
SAVE 35% with The CE Shop. Use promo code TheClose35 at checkout.
BEST FEATURE: We have two favorite features of The CE Shop: their free trial and their value-packed standard package. The CE Shop is the only school on our list that lets you test-drive your prelicense course with a free trial. And they’re the only school on our list that packs so many features in their most basic package.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: While The CE Shop offers access to instructor support by email, you won’t find other interactive features such as webinars, study groups, or live Q&A sessions.
BOTTOM LINE: Try The CE Shop if you’re interested in a Texas real estate school with a long-standing reputation for excellence and value.
Best Real Estate School in Texas for Versatility: Champions School of Real Estate
Champions School of Real Estate offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam prep
- Post-licensing
- Continuing education
Champions School of Real Estate offers lots of versatility and many course format options for its real estate programs. The company’s knowledgeable instructors’ priority is to ensure students leave their courses confident about what they’ve learned.
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Champions School of Real Estate Pricing
Champions School of Real Estate has four prelicensing options. They label their classes differently than the other best online real estate schools in Texas. Their two six-course licensing packages include the 180 hours of prelicensing education required by the Texas Real Estate Commission.
- 6-course Licensing Program ($1,110): Includes 180 hours of required prelicensing courses, an exam prep course, and a printed copy of a real estate textbook.
- 6-course Licensing Program and Business Etiquette ($1,255): You’ll receive all the benefits of the previous course as well as a business prep course that teaches dining etiquette, cultural mannerisms, personality profiling, organizational skills, dressing for success, and public speaking.
- 9-course Licensing and Renewal Program ($1,685): Includes all the courses and test prep you need to get your Texas real estate license and renew your license the first time.
- 11-course Licensing and Renewal Program + Success Tools ($1,944): Includes everything from the previous course as well as the Business Etiquette class, access to the 30 Days to Success coaching videos, and a book called “Successful Tendencies of Real Estate Champions.”
(Champions School of Real Estate prelicensing package prices as of March 2023)
BEST FEATURE: Our favorite feature of this online Texas real estate school is that you can choose from four course delivery methods or try them all. No other school on our list offers this kind of versatility. Course delivery methods include:
- Blended classroom: A mix of on-campus classroom instruction and home study with textbooks. You can take in-person classes in Austin, Dallas North, Fort Worth, Houston, New Braunfels, or San Antonio.
- Virtual classroom: A combo of instructor-led livestream classes and home study.
- Online-interactive: A recent addition to their course delivery methods, this option includes video, modules, and exercises that you can access from any device with an internet connection.
- Online-correspondence: A self-paced learning approach using PDF or hardcopy textbooks. You will need to get online to take the quizzes and exam.
- Champions Advantage: This option allows you to mix up the delivery methods and locations for every course in the package.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Versatility comes at a cost. The Champions programs are quite a bit more expensive than any other online real estate school in Texas that made our list. Also, we’d love to see this school improve its pass rate, which is currently 55%.
BOTTOM LINE: Champions School of Real Estate’s website has a ton of information to digest, especially for those new to the business world.
Real Estate School in Texas FAQs
Got questions? We’ve got answers! Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about getting your license at a real estate school in Texas. If you have a question, let us know in the comment section below!
How much does it cost to get a real estate license in Texas?
It costs about $900 to get a real estate license in Texas. This buyer’s guide teaches you everything there is to know about online real estate schools in Texas; you’ll encounter additional costs apart from those for prelicensing classes. You’ll also need to pay to take the exam in addition to a license fee and fingerprinting fee. Get the details on these additional costs in our article on how to get licensed in Texas.
How long does it take to become a real estate agent in Texas?
It takes four to five months to earn a real estate license in Texas. The prelicensing requirements in Texas involve 180 class hours spread across six different courses. If you devote 40 hours a week to real estate classes, you’ll spend more than a month finishing the coursework.
Once you have submitted your application to the state licensing department, you can use their Application Tracker tool to see how you’re progressing in the approval process.
How much do real estate agents make in Texas?
Not only does working as a real estate agent offer a flexible schedule, but the average real estate agent in Texas made $89,417 a year, according to Indeed. Remember, this is based solely on commissions—you’ll have no salary or hourly wage.
How difficult is the Texas real estate exam?
The Texas real estate exam isn’t a walk in the park, so you’ll need to dedicate time and effort to prepare yourself. According to the Texas Real Estate Commission, almost 60% of test-takers pass the exam on the first try.
To help you feel confident walking into your license exam, consider investing in an exam prep package. The CE Shop’s Exam Prep Edge uses adaptive features that will tailor its questions to the areas you need to study.
How many Realtors are there in Texas?
According to the National Association of Realtors’ February 2023 data, there are 148,609 Realtors in Texas. This is a very slight increase from the previous month, and a 1.5% increase from February 2022. Texas has the third-largest population of Realtors in the country, behind Florida and California.
What’s the average home price in Texas?
Texas home values are up almost 7% from last year, settling right in at $289,255, according to Zillow’s February 2023 data. Dallas’ values are slightly higher, at $300,733. Houston’s are slightly lower, at $258,055, but are still up over 7% from last year.
Real Estate Broker vs Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis
Bringing It All Together
In addition to helping you choose the best real estate school in Texas to meet your needs, we want to help you thrive in our industry and your new career! Have a question or thoughts on becoming an agent in Texas? Leave a comment below!
