We get it. You’re ready to help clients in Raleigh, Wilmington, Charlotte, Asheville and beyond find their dream homes, and you don’t have unlimited time to sift through all the approved real estate schools in North Carolina.
Finding the right real estate school in North Carolina means you can pursue your new career with peace of mind. You want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your investment, and with so many schools, it can be hard to choose.
Don’t worry! We’re here to help. We’ve curated a list of the best North Carolina real estate schools to suit your unique needs. Whether it’s online or in person, we made sure to examine all the options so that you can make your choice with confidence.
5 Best Real Estate Schools in North Carolina for 2023
| Our Top Picks | Pricing From | Promo Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Best School for Extra Features: The CE Shop | $755 | TheClose30 - 30% off |
| Best School for Mobile: Aceable Agent | $529 | Click our Aceable Agent link - Save 25% |
| Best Online-Livestream Hybrid: Kaplan | $449 | KAPRE5 - 5% off |
| Best for Class Options: Superior School of Real Estate | $529 | |
| Best for In-person Classes: Carolina School of Real Estate | $450 |
(North Carolina prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
North Carolina Real Estate Governing Board:
North Carolina Real Estate Commission
Prelicensing Requirements:
75 Hours
Post-licensing Requirements:
90 Hours Within the First 18 Months
Continuing Education Requirements:
8 Hours Every 12 Months
North Carolina Real Estate Licensing – Helpful Info
Every state uses its own real estate terminology, which can get a little confusing. While other states may use the term salesperson or agent, the state of North Carolina refers to newly licensed professionals as provisional brokers.
📌 Pro Tip
In North Carolina, newly licensed real estate salespeople are referred to as brokers, not agents.
More specifically, there are three types of real estate professionals in North Carolina: provisional brokers, full brokers, and brokers in charge.
When you first get licensed in North Carolina, your license is under provisional status. It means that you work under the supervision of a broker in charge. To remove the provisional status, you need to complete a 90-hour post-licensing course. Once you’re done, you’ll get full broker status in NC.
North Carolina Real Estate Schools – Helpful Info
Your real estate career in North Carolina begins with a 75-hour prelicensing course, which you’ll need to complete in order to take your real estate license exam.
All the schools on our list provide prelicensing packages with additional perks and options, but your real estate education doesn’t end there. Read on to learn about the types of programs North Carolina real estate schools offer to agents throughout their career. After that, we’ll review our recommendations for the best North Carolina real estate schools for 2023 and beyond.
Prelicensing Courses
Your 75-hour prelicensing course covers everything you need to know to pass the North Carolina real estate license exam.
The North Carolina Real Estate Commission requires you to take a proctored final exam once you’ve finished your course, which is separate from the state’s license exam. Often, you’ll be able to take this course exam from the comfort of home with the use of a virtual online proctor. Kaplan offers a virtual classroom proctor as part of its prelicensing packages to make the process as easy as possible.
Exam Preparation
Your prelicense course will ensure you have a solid understanding of some of the real estate concepts you’ll need for a successful career. But you may want to prepare a little more come test-taking time, which is where exam prep comes in.
You can find exam prep packages sold individually and as part of prelicensing course packages. They usually include practice tests as well as tools like flashcards, a study schedule, or videos that highlight core concepts. We like The CE Shop’s Exam Prep Edge because it assesses the areas you still need to review and adapts your study program accordingly.
Continuing Education Courses
Once you receive your North Carolina real estate license, you’ll officially be a provisional broker. Within your first 18 months, you’ll need to complete three post-licensing courses. The courses are 30 hours each, so you’ll be looking at post-licensing requirements of 90 hours total. Most of the schools on our list have you covered here. Some even offer post-licensing courses as part of the prelicensing package.
Best North Carolina Real Estate School for Extra Features: The CE Shop
The CE Shop is an excellent option for self-paced, online real estate learning. They boast a whopping 95% student satisfaction rate, meaning almost everyone gave The CE Shop a 5-star review and would recommend it to others.
Their packages include extra features such as free online proctoring for your prelicense exam, and their Premium package includes your post-licensing hours. Plus, The CE Shop is so confident you’ll be prepared for your real estate license exam that if you fail, they’ll reimburse you for the cost of the exam fee.
The CE Shop Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
The CE Shop Pros | The CE Shop Cons |
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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 only has one package for their prelicensing course for prospective North Carolina brokers.
- Value Package ($755): This loaded package comes with your prelicensing course, free online proctoring for your course exam, Exam Prep Edge to help you study, and even a pass guarantee. Plus you’ll get business-building courses specifically designed to help new agents.
(North Carolina prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: By far the best feature in The CE Shop’s package is all the little extras. You tend to see items like exam prep or a pass guarantee in upgraded packages, which makes The CE Shop’s Value package a total steal.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Unfortunately, The CE Shop’s package pricing is a little steep. Luckily, their offerings go on sale often, so it’s worth it to keep checking out their site.
BOTTOM LINE: Choose The CE Shop if you want to cover all your bases and get extra features to help you ace the license exam and begin your career.
Readers of The Close can SAVE 30% on any prelicensing course from The CE Shop. Use promo code TheClose30 at checkout.
Best North Carolina Real Estate School for Instructor Support: Aceable Agent
Aceable Agent is another popular online real estate school that offers a variety of real estate programs across the country. They only offer prelicensing courses in North Carolina, but what they lack in class offerings they make up for in design and extra features.
Aceable Agent’s online platform is easy to use and works seamlessly across all of your mobile devices so you can stop and start learning wherever you are. Plus, their content is expertly crafted and thoroughly organized so you can get through your course as efficiently as possible.
Aceable Agent Offers:
- Prelicensing
Aceable Agent Pros | Aceable Agent Cons |
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Aceable Agent Pricing
Aceable Agent offers three online self-paced prelicensing packages in North Carolina.
- Basic Package ($529): Enjoy your prelicensing course, Lite Exam Prep with over 300 practice questions, and instructor support via email.
- Deluxe Package ($699): This package includes all the features of the Basic Package, as well as a real estate e-book and Deluxe Exam Prep, including 1,500 practice questions, flashcards, and 75 more video lessons.
- Premium Package ($799): You’ll get all the perks of the Deluxe Package, plus one-on-one tutoring, access to their webinar archive for hundreds of hours of videos, and access to a live webinar five times a week and live Q&A sessions for more interactive support.
(North Carolina prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We can’t get enough of Aceable Agent’s many options for student support to help you get through the material and address any challenges. They’re the only online real estate school on our list that offers private tutoring, and the access to live webinars and Q&A sessions offer some of the perks of a classroom setting from home.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: We’re disappointed that students can’t continue learning with Aceable Agent after they finish their prelicensing course. Currently, Aceable Agent offers only offers post-licensing in Texas and continuing education in three other states.
BOTTOM LINE: Aceable Agent is a great choice for online self-study for mobile users and anyone looking for extra support to work through the course material.
Exclusive offer for readers of The Close. Click on any Aceable Agent link and SAVE 5% at checkout.
Can You Be a Part-time Real Estate Agent? (+ Free Guide & Videos)
Best North Carolina Real Estate School for Online-Livestream Hybrid: Kaplan
Kaplan and its parent company have been leading education and test prep for more than 80 years in the U.S. They are serious about quality courses and learning resources. Kaplan’s highest praise goes to its instructors, who are real estate experts and educators with decades of experience.
Kaplan may not have the flashiest online layout, but they provide thorough instruction and comprehensive support. Their exam prep is top-notch too, with both self-paced and live exam prep options and pre-test review sessions.
Kaplan Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
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Kaplan Pricing
Kaplan separates its packages into self-paced and live online packages, and every package increases in price by $100.
- Online Broker Package ($449): This online self-paced option includes your course, exam prep, access to a live interactive study group, as well as free virtual exam proctoring.
- Live Online Broker Package ($549): This package includes everything from the above package, but has scheduled livestream classes and includes a physical copy of the textbook.
- Online Broker Career Launcher Package ($649): You’ll get access to all the features of the Online Broker package, plus their Career Accelerator Package to help launch your career with webinars, an eight-hour boot camp, and even eight weeks of personal coaching.
- Live Online Broker Career Launcher Package ($749): This plan follows the above plan but you get scheduled livestream classes plus a copy of the textbook.
(North Carolina prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: Kaplan’s best feature is definitely the variety in self-paced and livestream learning formats. We don’t all learn best when we have only ourselves to rely on for motivation, and livestream classes are still a convenient alternative to commuting to a classroom.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Kaplan may not be for you if you gravitate toward sleek, state-of-the-art online platforms. Kaplan’s interface isn’t anything exciting, but its material is organized in an easy-to-use way, and the content is thoroughly and expertly designed.
BOTTOM LINE: Kaplan is for you if you’re looking for a reputable school and you don’t care if an online platform is flashy, or you like the idea of taking a scheduled class from the comfort of home.
Readers of The Close can SAVE 5% on any Kaplan prelicensing course in North Carolina. Use promo code KAPRE5 at checkout. Click here to get started.
Best North Carolina Real Estate School for Class Options: Superior School of Real Estate
Superior School of Real Estate has been providing real estate education since 2005. Their most significant advantage is the variety of classes they offer. They provide in-person, online self-paced, and virtual livestream classes.
Since they were early adopters of the online learning model, their setup is efficient and easy to use. Their content is well-organized, and they offer a variety of instruction methods to meet your learning style.
Superior School of Real Estate Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
Superior School of Real Estate Pros | Superior School of Real Estate Cons |
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Superior Real Estate School Pricing
Superior Real Estate School offers the prelicensing course in three formats: online, livestream, and in-person, all at the same price.
- Online Package ($529): This package is formatted as a read-only course, so you’ll have access to your textbook and quizzes throughout, plus free online virtual proctoring for your exam.
- Livestream Package ($529): This package has options for scheduled virtual classes during the week or evenings, and includes your textbook.
- In-person Classroom Package ($529): Classes are held in-person on weekdays and weeknights.
(North Carolina prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: Superior School of Real Estate offers their in-person course across North Carolina in six locations, making it accessible for students who want the classroom experience. With seven expert instructors on their roster, there’s bound to be a class that speaks to you.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Superior School of Real Estate’s online self-paced course is in a read-only format. That means you won’t get videos or audio lectures to accompany the textbook you’ll need to work through. For a more interactive self-paced experience, consider The CE Shop’s prelicensing packages.
BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking for a school with a variety of in-person locations and course format options, give Superior Real Estate School a try.
Best North Carolina Real Estate School for In-person Classes: Carolina School of Real Estate
Carolina School of Real Estate is the place to go for in-person classroom instruction. Their focus is simple: thorough instruction of content in an interactive classroom setting. That way, you get the opportunity to ask questions in the moment on topics you need help with.
Their instructors are experts with more than 60 years of combined experience in real estate. Courses run at one of their three Winston-Salem locations or their Greensboro location.
Carolina School of Real Estate Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep (partnered with The CE Shop)
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
North Carolina Real Estate Institute Pros | North Carolina Real Estate Institute Cons |
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Carolina Real Estate School Pricing
Carolina Real Estate School offers a scheduled course option in-person or online via Zoom.
- Zoom or In-person ($450): Whether you join the class in-person or via Zoom, you’ll have access to the scheduled classes for your course and your materials and textbook.
(North Carolina prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: Carolina Real Estate School is an excellent choice if online learning isn’t for you and you prefer a classroom setting. Sign up if you are at your best with a scheduled class and instructors you can talk to. Typically, in-person courses cost more than online self-paced programs, but Carolina Real Estate stays competitive and affordable.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Though you’ll be getting quality instruction in person, you won’t be leaving with a pile of career resources. This course is meant to get you through the material with a solid understanding, and you won’t have access to features like coaching, e-books, or career courses.
BOTTOM LINE: If you’re most comfortable in a classroom learning from an in-person instructor, Carolina Real Estate School is for you. You’ll get the benefit of being able to ask questions in real time with an instructor who can tailor the content to class needs.
North Carolina Real Estate Schools FAQs
Though you have all the details on our top picks of North Carolina real estate schools, you may still have questions. Check out the answers to our most frequently asked questions, and don’t forget to comment below—we love to hear from you!
Do I have to take the prelicensing course to get my real estate license in North Carolina?
If you have a degree in real estate, you can skip the 75-hour prelicensing course. In order to skip the prelicensing course, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree or higher in real estate, brokerage, real estate finance, real estate development, or a law degree. Your degree must be from an accredited college or university.
How long does it take to get my North Carolina real estate license?
If you are a qualified applicant with your prelicense course completed, the process to apply and receive your real estate license is as little as 10 days. The overall time fr start to finish will vary depending on how long you take to complete your prelicense course and whether you pass the license exam the first time.
Does North Carolina have post-licensing requirements?
In order to become a full-status broker, newly licensed provisional brokers in North Carolina have to complete a 90-hour post-license course.
Can I get my North Carolina real estate license online?
You can complete all of the licensing steps online as long as you choose an online school for your prelicense course. You will have to complete a proctored exam when you’re done with your prelicense course, but you can do that at home or at a location of your choice. Likewise, your background check and license exam can be completed online.
How many Realtors are there in North Carolina?
According to the National Association of Realtors’ October 2022 data, there are 55,264 Realtors in North Carolina. This is a very slight decrease from the previous month, and about a half a percent increase from October 2021.
How much do real estate agents make in North Carolina?
It all depends on the number of deals and the commission splits, but according to Indeed.com, the average real estate agent in North Carolina made $95,616 in 2022, which is right on par with the national average.
What’s the average home price in North Carolina?
According to Zillow, home values in North Carolina rose almost 20% in 2022, reaching $329,551. Prices in big metro areas, like Raleigh, are higher, averaging $447,961.
Real Estate Broker vs Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis
Bringing It All Together
We wish you the best in your real estate career and hope you can choose your North Carolina real estate school with more confidence after reading our top picks. Have advice, thoughts, or questions? Leave us a comment below!
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