If you’re looking for the best Indiana real estate schools to help kickstart a new career in real estate this year, you’re in the right place. We’ve reviewed the options and picked the five best schools for their quality of instruction, extra features, cost, ease of use, and more.
To start your career in real estate in Indiana, you will need to complete a 90-hour prelicensing course and pass the Indiana real estate license exam. Indiana is a vibrant state, with Indianapolis being one of the top housing markets expected to grow in 2023. With so many opportunities for new real estate agents, let’s dive into your first step and find the Indiana real estate school that’s right for you.
5 Best Indiana Real Estate Schools for 2023
| Our Top 5 Picks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best All-in-One School: The CE Shop | ||
| Best Course Design: Colibri Real Estate | ||
| Best for Students on a Budget: McColly Real Estate | ||
| Best for Taking Your Time: PDH Real Estate Academy | ||
| Best for Students in a Rush: Tucker School of Real Estate |
(Indiana prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Indiana Real Estate Governing Body:
Indiana Real Estate Commission
Prelicensing Requirements:
90 Hours
Post-licensing Requirements:
30 Hours Within the First Two Years
Continuing Education Requirements:
12 Hours Every Year
Finding an Indiana Real Estate School
We’ve collected some important information for you as you start looking into a real estate career in Indiana. Below, you’ll find the type of education offered by the schools on our list to guide you along each step of your career.
It’s important to note that real estate agents in Indiana are called brokers, whereas most states call a new salesperson a real estate agent. When you receive your real estate license, you’ll be considered a real estate broker, and you’ll work under a broker in charge or managing broker.
Let’s take a look at the types of courses offered by Indiana real estate schools and the education requirements for the various stages of your new career.
Prelicensing Courses
Your real estate journey in Indiana starts with a 90-hour prelicensing course. Every school varies in how they present their lessons, and you’ll have to pick the format that works best for you. Many real estate schools offer prelicensing courses 100% online, making getting your license from home convenient.
Exam Preparation
Your prelicensing courses equip you with the principles you’ll need for your career, but the license exam is the threshold to get started. Standardized testing formats can make some people nervous, which is a big reason why real estate schools offer exam preparation. The CE Shop, our pick for best overall school, offers such tools as part of its prelicensing packages.
Post-licensing Courses
In Indiana, you must complete 30 hours of post-licensing coursework within the first two years of getting your license. To get a head start on this, check out The CE Shop or McColly Real Estate, which offer comprehensive post-licensing courses.
Continuing Education
As a working real estate broker in Indiana, you’ll have a renewal cycle of three years where you’ll need to complete continuing education (CE) requirements. In Indiana, you need to complete 12 hours of continuing education courses every year after you’ve completed your post-licensing courses. Every school on our list offers a variety of CE courses to make this process as easy as it can be.
Now that you know the kind of ongoing education that’s required throughout your career as an Indiana real estate broker, we can dive into choosing the Indiana real estate school that’s right for you.
Best Overall Indiana Real Estate School: The CE Shop
The CE Shop offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
The CE Shop has been in the real estate education sphere for many years. They specialize in online self-paced learning and focus on designing online material that reaches every learner. The CE Shop offers continuing education in all 50 states and prelicensing courses in 34 states.
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Try 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 a free trial of their courses, so you can sign up and take a tour of their platform. They offer four packages for your prelicensing course.
- Courses Only ($519): This basic package is far from basic; it still includes e-books, digital flashcards, and a real estate glossary to help you study.
- Standard Package ($579): You’ll get everything from the courses-only package as well as the Exam Prep Edge materials. They’ll also reimburse your exam fee if you don’t pass your license exam the first time.
- Value Package ($619): On top of the previous features, you’ll get business-building courses to hit the ground running after you get your license.
- Premium Package ($839): In addition to all the above features, this includes your 30-hour post-licensing course.
(Indiana prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Readers of The Close can SAVE 35% on The CE Shop prelicensing course in Indiana. Use promo code TheClose35 at checkout.
BEST FEATURE: We have to call out The CE Shop’s free trial as our favorite feature. No other school on our list offers you the opportunity to peek at their materials before you buy. We also love that The CE Shop provides courses for every stage of your career and makes it convenient by offering your post-licensing hours in their premium package.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: The CE Shop’s courses aren’t the most affordable, though they often go on sale. At least their packages are comprehensive, so you’re getting a lot of out your investment.
BOTTOM LINE: Choose The CE Shop if you’re looking for a top-tier Indiana real estate school to stick with throughout all your real estate education needs.
Best Indiana Real Estate School for Course Design: Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
Colibri Real Estate has been teaching prospective real estate students for 25 years. They were one of the early adopters of the online learning platform, so they’ve had decades to tweak it and keep it as innovative as possible.
Colibri Real Estate understands how different every learner is, so they offer a variety of packages with various features. Their platform is well-organized and incredibly easy to use, making it a perfect fit for mobile and tablet users too.
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Colibri Real Estate Pricing
Colibri Real Estate offers four prelicensing packages with varying features.
- The Basics ($554): If you’re only looking to get your hands on the course, this package is for you. You’ll still receive access to a state-approved instructor for support and access to three e-books.
- Exam Preparation ($615): Along with everything from the above package, you’ll also get access to exam prep materials and their Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee.
- Exam Preparation Plus ($681): On top of the features above, you’ll get access to instructor Q&A sessions, a real estate dictionary, and the Live Exam Crammer series.
- Ultimate Learning Package ($802): This package includes all the features above and a printed copy of the course textbook for easy learning, as well as a one-year membership to a professional development program.
(Indiana prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Readers of The Close can SAVE 25% on any Colibri Real Estate prelicensing course in Indiana. Use promo code TheClose25 at checkout.
BEST FEATURE: We love how Colibri Real Estate’s online platform and courses are designed. You can easily find course material, use study resources, and contact your instructor whenever you need them. The material is organized into manageable chunks to help you get the most out of it.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: It’s hard to find something wrong with Colibri Real Estate’s courses, but if we had to find a fault, we do wish their prices were more affordable.
BOTTOM LINE: Choose Colibri Real Estate if you want an online, self-paced course with all the features that make learning online easy.
Best Indiana Real Estate School for Students on a Budget: McColly Real Estate
McColly Real Estate offers:
- Prelicensing
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
- Managing Broker Prelicensing
McColly Real Estate has been in operation since 1974 and teaches real estate in Indiana and Illinois. They offer both in-person and online self-paced learning packages, and they’re the only Indiana real estate school on our list that offers in-person classes outside of Indianapolis. You can take their in-person classes in Crown Point, Highland, or Valparaiso.
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McColly Real Estate Pricing
McColly Real Estate offers three prelicensing packages for Indiana.
- In-person Indiana Real Estate License ($449): Choose from morning, evening, or the one-month accelerated morning classes. This package includes a copy of your textbook.
- Online Indiana Basic Package ($534): This self-paced online package includes your prelicensing student workbook, instructional videos, practice homework, and downloadable resources.
- Online Indiana Premium Package ($633): You’ll get everything from the above package. You’ll also get their Review Crammer package, which includes hundreds of practice questions and a review of key concepts.
(Indiana prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We’re happy to see an in-person class option that doesn’t break the bank. Typically, in-person classes tend to cost more than their online counterparts, so this gives students who want in-class learning a break.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: McColly Real Estate’s affordable pricing doesn’t quite extend to their online packages, placing them around the average cost of packages with fewer features than Colibri Real Estate or The CE Shop.
BOTTOM LINE: If in-person classes are a priority for you, you won’t be disappointed with McColly Real Estate.
Can You Be a Part-time Real Estate Agent? (+ Free Guide & Videos)
Best Indiana Real Estate School for Students Needing More Time: PDH Real Estate Academy
PDH Real Estate Academy offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
PDH Real Estate Academy is a growing real estate school that prides itself on no-nonsense, quality instruction that will help you get your real estate license. Many of their instructors have more than 20 years of experience in real estate, brokerage, and property law. They offer online self-paced courses and continuing education in Indiana.
PDH Real Estate Academy offers a video preview of their online course so you can take a quick peek at the format of their lessons. You can expect to learn the material through videos of their instructors guiding you through each concept.
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PDH Real Estate Academy Pricing
PDH Real Estate Academy offers two packages for their prelicensing course.
- Basic Prelicense ($480): You’ll get access to instructor support, e-books, and lifetime access to their career resources.
- Premium Prelicense with Exam Prep ($540): This package includes the above features and exam prep materials such as practice quizzes and a simulated final exam. This level also features an exam pass guarantee.
(Indiana prelicensing and interactive package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We certainly love that PDH Real Estate Academy offers lifetime access to its learning materials. Most real estate schools offer something more like six months when it comes to platform and materials access. Better yet, PDH prides itself on keeping its career resources up to date, so you have the most current information at your fingertips.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: You won’t get quite as many extra features with PDH Real Estate Academy’s packages, although they include some of the important items, such as the pass guarantee and exam prep.
BOTTOM LINE: If you’re in no rush to complete your prelicensing course and want to take your time reviewing the course, PDH Real Estate Academy is a good option for you.
Best Indiana Real Estate School for Students in a Hurry: Tucker School of Real Estate
Tucker School of Real Estate offers:
- Prelicensing
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
Tucker School of Real Estate is one of Indianapolis’s largest real estate schools. They are a great local option, with many of their instructors having received their education at the Indiana University School of Business. They pride themselves on knowing the local market well.
You can take the 90-hour prelicensing course at Tucker School of Real Estate online or in person. Their campus is conveniently located in the heart of Indianapolis, and their instructors are committed to making sure you don’t leave class without feeling certain about the material.
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Tucker School of Real Estate Pricing
Tucker School of Real Estate offers two different options for the 90-hour prelicensing course. You can choose to take your course at your own pace online or in person.
- Live 90-Hour Broker Prelicensing Course ($599): In-person classes run weekdays on half days or evenings. Or choose the 15-day accelerated course that runs full-time Monday to Friday.
- Online 90-Hour Broker Prelicensing Course ($599): Choose this option if you prefer to work at your own pace. You’ll get access to videos, quizzes, and interactive material to help you get through the course.
(Indiana prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: Our favorite feature is the 15-day accelerated in-person course option. It’s perfect for someone who wants to efficiently power through the prelicensing material. By heading to class full time, you’ll have access to your instructor, who designs the course by starting with the essential concepts.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Because Tucker School of Real Estate offers in-person and self-paced course options, it would be nice to see them add livestream options in the future. Sometimes, students crave the accountability of in-class learning but can’t make it to Indianapolis.
BOTTOM LINE: Tucker School of Real Estate is a great local option if you’re in the Indianapolis area and want to get your course done quickly.
Finding an Indiana Real Estate Schools FAQs
Have more questions? We can help! Scroll down to find answers to the most commonly asked questions about finding an Indiana real estate school. If we haven’t answered your question, let us know in the comment section below. We love hearing from you!
How do I know if I'm eligible to get my real estate license in Indiana?
You’re eligible to get your real estate license in Indiana if you are 18 years of age or older and hold a high school diploma or GED.
How do I get a real estate license in Indiana?
The process of getting your real estate license in Indiana is straightforward. First, complete your 90-hour prelicensing course at one of several Indiana real estate schools approved by the state, such as the ones on our list. Apply for your license exam through the Indiana Real Estate Commission when you’re done. Study for the exam, and when you pass, you can apply for your Indiana real estate broker license. Once you receive your license, you will work under a managing broker in order to start selling. Learn details of how to get your license in Indiana here.
How much does it cost to get a real estate license in Indiana?
It costs between $560 and $715 to get your Indiana real estate license. Your prelicensing course is the most expensive part of the licensing process. You’ll save money if you keep your package simple, but you may save even more if you choose an Indian real estate course that includes features like exam prep, so you don’t find yourself retaking the license exam. You’ll also have to pay a few fees along the way, such as the cost of the license application ($60) and the license exam fee ($53 per attempt).
How long does it take to get a real estate license in Indiana?
It takes most people between four and six months to get their Indiana real estate license. It takes time to arrange the prelicensing course to fit your schedule and to study so you feel prepared for the license exam. Taking your prelicensing course and prepping for the exam take the longest, but you could feasibly complete that process in two months. We’d recommend taking the time you need to get to a point where you feel confident about the material and taking the exam.
How many Realtors are there in Indiana?
According to the National Association of Realtors’ November 2022 data, there are 20,691 Realtors in Indiana. This is the same number as the previous month, and a 3.37% increase from this time last year.
How much do real estate agents make in Indiana?
It all depends on the number of deals and the commission splits, but according to Indeed.com, the average real estate agent in Indiana made $84,523 in 2022, which is about 10% lower than the national average. Agents with ten or more years of experience should make about $15,500 more a year.
What’s the average home price in Indiana?
According to Zillow, home values in Indiana have risen 13.3% in 2022, reaching $227,679. In towns like Zionsville, the home values are almost double that, settling in at $598,461.
Real Estate Broker vs. Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis
Bringing It All Together
We hope our research into the best Indiana real estate schools will help you narrow your search for one that suits your needs, learning style and goals. At The Close, we’re committed to sharing actionable strategies for every phase of your career. Have additional thoughts or questions? Leave us a comment below!
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