To become a real estate agent in New Jersey, you’ll need to complete a 75-hour prelicensing course to meet the state’s requirements for sitting the state licensure exam. If you’re ready to kick-start a new career this year, we’ll share the best New Jersey real estate schools to set you up for success.
With more than 100 licensed schools listed on the New Jersey Real Estate Commission’s website, you might be wondering which one to choose. We’ve narrowed it down to the five best New Jersey real estate schools based on pricing, course offerings, and more to help you pinpoint the New Jersey real estate school that’s right for you.
5 Best New Jersey Real Estate Schools for 2023
| Our Top Picks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall: Colibri Real Estate | ||
| Best Instructor Support: Garden State Real Estate Academy | ||
| Best No-frills School: Alliance School of Real Estate | ||
| Best for Flexibility: Center for Real Estate Education | ||
| Best for Exam Prep: New Jersey Real Estate Institute |
New Jersey prelicensing package prices as of December 2022
New Jersey Real Estate Governing Body:
New Jersey Real Estate Commission (REC)
Prelicensing Requirements:
75 Hours
Continuing Education Requirements:
12 Hours WithinTwo Years
Choosing a New Jersey Real Estate School: Helpful Info
To launch your real estate career in New Jersey, you’ll need to complete a 75-hour prelicensing course, but your education doesn’t end there. Your professional development will continue throughout your career. Here are a few of the types of courses offered by New Jersey real estate schools to help you get and stay licensed.
Prelicensing Courses
To apply to sit the license exam with the New Jersey Real Estate Commission, you’ll need to show proof of having completed a 75-hour prelicensing course.
NOTE: The New Jersey 75-hour prelicense course is normally in-person only. Due to COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, licensed schools in New Jersey are temporarily able to provide prelicense courses online. Online classes are formatted as scheduled, livestream classes.
Exam Prep
Besides the topics you’ll cover in class, you’ll want to leave your course feeling confident about taking your license exam. Sometimes, it’s not enough to review the course material solo. Our top pick for exam prep is the New Jersey Real Estate Institute, which offers additional study materials so you know what to expect on exam day.
Continuing Education
Once you get your New Jersey real estate license, your first couple of years as a real estate agent can pass by quickly. That’s why you’ll want to pick a real estate school you trust to satisfy your continuing education (CE) requirements.
In New Jersey, you’ll need to complete 12 hours of CE every two years to maintain your real estate license. We recommend Colibri Real Estate for continuing education to finish your coursework quickly and conveniently.
Now that you understand the importance of choosing the right New Jersey real estate school—one that’s capable of carrying you through the various stages of your career—let’s take a closer look at our top picks and learn why they made our list of favorites.
Best Overall NJ Real Estate School: Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate Offers:
- Prelicensing Courses
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education Courses
- Broker Prelicensing Course
Colibri Real Estate sits at the top of our list of the best New Jersey real estate schools. For more than two decades, Colibri Real Estate has been preparing prospective real estate agents for their license exams and careers.
Operating in all 50 states, the company offers comprehensive online real estate education in convenient, self-paced, and easy-to-use livestream and online formats to fit your schedule. You’ll find study materials, support options, and exam prep all in one place.
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Colibri Real Estate Pricing
Colibri Real Estate currently only offers one course package in New Jersey.
- Livestream Package ($499): Includes a set schedule of online classes with a live instructor to attend from the comfort of home. Choose between weekdays, evenings, and part-time classes. Course materials include e-books, a real estate dictionary, exam prep, interactive learning videos, instructor Q&A, the Live Exam Crammer Series, and one year of professional development.
(Colibri Real Estate New Jersey prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Readers of The Close can save 25% on any Colibri Real Estate prelicensing course in New Jersey. Use promo code TheClose25 at checkout.
BEST FEATURE: We have to call out Colibri Real Estate’s abundant package features. The 40 hours of live Q&A support available go above and beyond the email support provided by most other schools.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: If your workweek is jam-packed and you’re a weekend warrior, Colibri Real Estate’s lack of weekend livestream options could be a deal-breaker. We wish they had weekend livestream classes for those with family and work commitments during the week.
BOTTOM LINE: Colibri Real Estate’s prelicensing course is one of the most comprehensive packages on the market. Thorough exam prep usually costs extra, so including it in their prelicensing package adds significant value.
Best NJ Real Estate School for Instructor Support: Garden State Real Estate Academy
Garden State Academy Offers:
- Prelicensing Courses
- Exam Prep
Garden State Real Estate Academy (GSRE) is one of the best options for instructor support. If you’re most worried about the challenging course material, GSRE Academy focuses on making sure you feel confident about the material during class time. With lots of great reviews about their instructors, it’s clear GSRE has been satisfying candidates since 2005.
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Garden State Real Estate Academy Pricing
Garden State Real Estate Academy offers two prelicensing packages in New Jersey.
- Livestream Package ($389): Choose from daytime or evening classes held over Zoom, including the textbook and instructor support.
- Garden State Real Estate Academy In-person Class Package ($389): Choose from daytime or evening classes and switch between in-person and online classes for a blended approach to fit your schedule.
(Garden State Real Estate Academy prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURES: With a focus on instructor support, extra exam prep and live Q&A, it’s clear that GSRE is making individualized attention the differentiator here.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Because GSRE Academy usually teaches in-person, their online interface doesn’t have as many options. Like most real estate schools in New Jersey, they don’t have an at-your-own-pace option.
BOTTOM LINE: When you sign up for your prelicensing course with Garden State Real Estate Academy, you’ll have access to both livestream and in-person classes. Small class sizes mean you’ll get more attention on the tougher course material you may need help with. If you’re looking for a solid understanding of the course content and a dedicated instructor, GSRE Academy is the way to go.
Can You Be a Part-time Real Estate Agent? (+ Free Guide & Videos)
Best No-frills NJ Real Estate School: Alliance School of Real Estate
The Alliance School of Real Estate has straightforward prelicensing courses offered online via livestream. Their student testimonials praise their knowledgeable instructors, who have over 20 years of broker experience. What’s more, they offer some tips and advice for your real estate career after you’ve finished the course.
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Alliance School of Real Estate Pricing
Alliance School of Real Estate currently only offers one package for their prelicensing course.
- Livestream Package ($399): This package offers the 75-hour prelicensing course via Zoom with all your course materials included.
(Alliance School of Real Estate prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURES: We love that they offer access to a Facebook support group. Also, Alliance School of Real Estate provides a free retake of the course if you don’t pass.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Without a self-paced online option, you’ll have to work your schedule around the livestream course options. Alliance School of Real Estate also isn’t for you if you prefer in-person classes and don’t want to fuss with online learning.
BOTTOM LINE: Alliance School of Real Estate is a good value if you’re not looking for all the bells and whistles. Their prelicensing course is the most affordable package on our list. Their live classes are streamed via Zoom, and their courses still offer some extra tools.
Best NJ Real Estate School for Flexibility: Center for Real Estate Education
The Center for Real Estate Education is one of the largest real estate schools in New Jersey. It offers prelicensing courses and continuing education, as well as seminars and coaching. With so many instructors, classes are always in session, which makes finding a class easy. Their flexible scheduling means that you have more than just weekday and evening options.
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Center for Real Estate Education Pricing
Center for Real Estate Education offers several packages to complete your prelicensing course.
- Essentials Package ($399): Includes the 75-hour prelicensing course via livestream or in person, with study aids.
- Power Study Package ($499): Includes practice exams, interactive study groups, and access to a community Facebook group.
- Ultimate Career Package: ($699): Includes additional career training and a property management certificate course.
(Center for Real Estate Education prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURES: You still can’t beat the flexible schedule this school offers. You can take weekday and evening livestream classes or classes on Saturdays and Sundays. And you can mix and match the classes that fit your schedule, so you can dip into all of the weekday, evening, and weekend classes however you like.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: While the company offers the most flexibility between in-person and livestream class options, they could sweeten the deal by including the textbook in the price. For now, you’ll have to purchase the textbook separately.
BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking to get your license in New York or Pennsylvania, the Center for Real Estate Education has you covered. You can choose their packages that prepare for the NJ, NY, and PA real estate licenses if you’re already licensed.
Best NJ Real Estate School for Exam Prep: New Jersey Real Estate Institute
The New Jersey Real Estate Institute offers flexible course options. Instructors are expert real estate salespeople and brokers with decades of experience. The school’s director is also their principal instructor, and he puts the focus on making sure you pass the license exam. What the New Jersey Real Estate Institute lacks in extra tools, it makes up for in class schedule and a 90% exam pass rate.
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New Jersey Real Estate Institute Pricing
New Jersey Real Estate Institute offers only one prelicensing package.
- Prelicense Course ($445): Includes the 75-hour course in a small-class setting with all course materials, your textbook, practice exams, and live instructor Q&A sessions included.
(New Jersey Real Estate Institute prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: New Jersey Real Estate Institute’s 10-person class size means you get more time with an instructor to ensure you understand the course material. We also like that your materials and exam prep are included. NJ Real Estate Institute also offers flexible classes, so you can choose the rate at which you’d like to finish the course.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: New Jersey Real Estate Institute began offering their prelicensing course online beginning in April 2020, so don’t expect a slick user experience. If you’re tech-savvy and expect a seamless user experience when switching between your tablet, phone, and computer, then their simple layout may not impress you.
BOTTOM LINE: New Jersey Real Estate Institute focuses on making sure you pass your real estate license exam the first time.
New Jersey Real Estate Schools FAQs
How much does real estate school cost in New Jersey?
New Jersey real estate schools charge between $250 and $500 to complete your prelicensing requirements. You’ll need to take a 75-hour prelicensing course before you can apply for your New Jersey real estate license.
The cost will depend on the kind of school package you choose. In general, the cost is higher with extra features like exam prep, instructor support, or career resources.
How long does it take to get my New Jersey real estate license?
On average, it takes three to six months to get your New Jersey real estate license. This will vary depending on how long it takes to complete your prelicense course and prepare for the license exam. You can complete prelicense courses in as quickly as two weeks if you go full time.
What is the pass rate for the New Jersey real estate license exam?
Sixty-three percent of candidates will pass the license exam on their first try.
How difficult are real estate courses in New Jersey?
You’ll need to learn a variety of real estate topics and gain a solid understanding of the principles behind real estate. That being said, you have plenty of options for real estate schools with extra support like instructor Q&A, study groups, and practice exams. In the end, you’ll simply need to commit time to attending your classes and reviewing the material.
How many Realtors are there in New Jersey?
According to the National Association of Realtors’ October 2022 data, there are 63,030 Realtors in New Jersey. This is a very slight increase from the previous month, and about a 2.26% increase from October 2021.
How much do real estate agents make in New Jersey?
It all depends on the number of deals and the commission splits, but according to Indeed.com, the average real estate agent in New Jersey made $90,568 in 2022, which is on par with the national average. Agents with ten or more years of experience should make about $17,000 more a year.
What’s the average home price in New Jersey?
According to Zillow, home values in New Jersey rose 11% in 2022 to reach $471,650. But this does vary quite a bit; Short Hills has a much higher value median of $1,888,743.
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Bringing It All Together
Now that you’ve learned about our top picks among New Jersey real estate schools, we hope you feel confident in choosing the New Jersey real estate school that’s right for you, your timeline, lifestyle, and learning style. Have advice, thoughts, or questions? Leave us a comment below!
