Learn what you should consider when choosing a real estate school. Discover what some of the top-ranked schools in the country are and what they offer, and find out what degree programs they have in the field.
What Are Characteristics of the Best Real Estate Schools?
While you typically only need a high school diploma and relevant training to become a real estate agent, a degree in the field can make you attractive to prospective employers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some universities offer opportunities ranging from bachelor's to doctoral levels that can open up various career options in professional or scholarly areas like mortgage underwriting, brokerage, research, and teaching.
Many highly ranked real estate schools provide a foundation for studies in the field by grounding them in business administration programs. You may want to look for real estate programs which provide internships or other real-world opportunities to help you gain professional experience and practice. Special centres supporting networking and research activities could be beneficial as well.
<h2 id="section---WhatAreThreeTopSchoolsForRealEstate">What Are Three Top Schools for Real Estate?</h2><h3 id="section---UniversityOfConnecticutInStorrsCT">University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT</h3><p>The University of Connecticut placed in the 151-200 range among the best economics school and 101-150 range among the best business schools in the world, according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2018. As an undergraduate at the school, you can elect to participate in a summer internship with a real estate firm, with oversight provided by the Center for Real Estate and Urban Economic Studies. These degrees are conferred by the school:
</p><ul><li>Bachelor of Science in Real Estate and Urban Economic Studies
</li><li>Master of Business Administration in Financial Analysis and Investments - Real Estate
</li><li>Doctor of Philosophy in Finance, Real Estate Specialization
</li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfFloridaInGainesvilleFL">University of Florida in Gainesville, FL</h3><p>UF was ranked eighth for undergraduate real estate programs by <i>U.S. News & World Report</i> in 2019. The Hough Graduate School of Business and Warrington College of Business Administration support graduate and undergraduate curricula in real estate at the school. As a real estate student at UF, you can be paired with professional mentors as well as alumni mentors. You can also take advantage of the Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies, which promotes activities and interactions between students and professionals in the field as well as related UF programs like urban planning. UF also offers a 4-year combined bachelor's degree/Master of Science in Real Estate (MSRE) program, as well as a dual degree Juris Doctor/MSRE program. The school awards these degrees:
</p><ul><li>Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration - General Studies, Real Estate Minor
</li><li>Master of Science in Real Estate
</li><li>Master of Business Administration in Real Estate
</li><li>Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration - Finance and Real Estate
</li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfGeorgiaInAthensGA">University of Georgia in Athens, GA</h3><p>UGA is ranked at 36th for business administration schools worldwide and placed in the 151-200 range among economics in the 2018 Academic Ranking of World Universities, as well as ranking fifth in undergraduate real estate programs in 2019, per <i>U.S. News & World Report</i>. Its MBA program, which offers a real estate focus, was ranked 44th worldwide by <i>The Economist</i> in 2018. As a student at the university, you could participate in an annual team challenge competition sponsored by the Georgia Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties to present solutions to real-life challenges in real estate. The college also helps place real estate students in internships with firms, as well as participates in the career placement of real estate graduates by sending their compiled resumes to firms on a regular basis. UGA confers the following degrees:
</p><ul><li>Bachelor of Business Administration in Real Estate
</li><li>Master of Business Administration in Real Estate
</li><li>Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration, Real Estate Concentration
</li></ul><h2 id="section---TenTopRealEstateSchools">Ten Top Real Estate Schools</h2><p></p><table border="1"><tr><th>College/University</th><th>Institution Type</th><th>Location</th><th>Estimated Undergrad In-State Tuition*</th></tr>
<tr><td>University of Pennsylvania</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Philadelphia, PA</td><td>$56,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of Wisconsin, Madison</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Madison, WI</td><td>$11,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of California, Berkeley</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Berkeley, CA</td><td>$14,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of Southern California</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Los Angeles, CA</td><td>$56,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>New York University</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>New York, NY</td><td>$52,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of Texas, Austin</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Austin, TX</td><td>$11,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Marquette University</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Milwaukee, WI</td><td>$42,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Florida State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Tallahassee, FL</td><td>$6,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Champaign, IL</td><td>$15,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cornell University</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Ithaca, NY</td><td>$55,000</td></tr>
</table><p><i>*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education</i></p>
