Looking to start your real estate career in 2026? We’ve pinpointed the best real estate schools in California for every budget, course format and timeline — with self-paced, on-demand lessons, mobile apps and in-person classroom courses for every learning style.
California requires 135 hours of prelicensing coursework before you can sit for the state’s real estate licensing exam. Our rigorous review of the best real estate schools in California will help set you up for success on the exam. Whether you live in San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles or beyond, these California real estate schools will help you kickstart a new career with confidence.
California School of Real Estate: Best for money-back guarantee
Starting from: $99
The California School of Real Estate has been helping students earn their real estate licenses since 1941. With over 300,000 past students, this real estate school is a leader in California real estate education, boasting a 99% exam pass rate. They even offer a 200% money back guarantee if you do not pass the state exam.
This school is completely online, making it a great option for students wishing to study at their own pace from the comfort of their own homes. It’s also one of the few real estate schools on our list that specializes in California real estate agent and broker exams only, and the instructors are experts in the field.
Pros & Cons
- Exam prep included
- Audio guide included
- Extra charge for shipping & handling of physical textbook ($14)
- No in-person classes
Features
- Course formats: Self-paced, online
- Course access: One year from purchase date
- Refund policy: N/A
- Guarantees: 200% money back guarantee if you do not pass the state exam
- Exam prep: Free PowerPrep exam prep course included
- Student support: Students have access to the head instructor to ask questions
- Final exam: Finals must be taken during the contract period. The exam is “open book, monitored” and requires a 60% grade to pass. Final examinations may be taken anytime after two and a half weeks from the date of receiving course materials.
Pricing
The California School of Real Estate keeps it simple with just one all-inclusive package for students who want to obtain their real estate agent license:
- Sales Agent License ($159 – promo: $99): Includes required pre-licensing courses and PowerPrep online exam prep series with practice exams, study questions, review guides, flashcards and audio guides.
Kaplan: Best for exam prep
Starting from: $399
Kaplan has a long-standing reputation for providing quality exam preparation courses (think: the MCAT & LSAT). All of Kaplan’s real estate courses include readings, quizzes and interactive videos to help with learning retention. Both of Kaplan’s real estate prelicensing courses in California include access to a bank of practice questions for study purposes, making Kaplan our top choice for exam prep.
Interactive study groups connect you with fellow learners. The Live Online Learning Hub provides daily classes led by expert instructors who are ready to guide you every step of the way. Kaplan courses also feature the “Kaplan Commitment to Pass” which ensures that students who did not pass the exam first may continue their studies through Kaplan at no cost and receive a personalized study plan.
Pros & Cons
- Pricier than other real estate schools
- No in-person classes
Features
- Course formats: Self-paced, online
- Course access: Six months from enrollment date
- Refund policy: Refunds available within 30 days if course is not completed
- Guarantees: Commitment to Pass guarantees additional support if you do not pass the exam on your first try
- Exam prep: Access to Kaplan’s online learning hub included in all packages, with practice exams, drills, questions and instructor support
- Student support: Student support available via email or chat
- Final exam: N/A
Pricing
Kaplan offers two packages for students who want to obtain their real estate agent license, both of which include the required 135-hour pre-licensing courses:
- California Exam Prep Package ($399): Includes required pre-licensing courses and live online learning hub with access to expert instructors, practice questions, exam prep courses for laws and for math, online video prep course and real estate terms and definitions audio mp3
- Career Launcher ($749): Includes exam prep package, plus real estate accelerator online video course and live online training, flashcards and supplemental print textbooks and workbooks
OnlineEd: Best for instructor support
Starting from: $129
The only real estate prelicensing school to partner with the California Association of Realtors, OnlineEd provides students with top-notch self-paced courses with thoughtfully curated lessons, videos and practice questions. Follow OnlineEd’s straightforward and easy-to-understand lessons with helpful feedback on review and practice questions. If you’re looking for an alternative to video-only coursework, study on-the-go with OnlineEd’s useful tablet and Kindle-friendly lessons.
The Premium package includes hard copy textbooks for students who learn best by reading and highlighting along the way. All packages provide access to instructor support with an assigned instructor, a helpful and important benefit of choosing OnlineEd.
Pros & Cons
- Recommended by the CA Association of Realtors
- Price match guarantee
- Practice tests not available with Basic package
- No in-person classes
Features
- Course formats: Self-paced, online
- Course access: One year from purchase date
- Refund policy: Get a full refund if you haven’t accessed the course within the first two days of enrolling, minus the cost of shipped textbooks, if any. Get a full refund minus a $40 fee if you haven’t accessed the course, but more than two days have passed since you enrolled. Get a prorated refund based on the number of chapters you completed within 30 days. No refund if you’ve completed more than 50% of the course.
- Guarantees: Price match guarantee: OnlineEd will match a competitor’s lower rate. OnlineEd will also reimburse your state exam fee if you do not pass on the first try (not available with Basic package)
- Exam prep: All packages include access to the File Cabinet, with links to essential forms, government websites and a glossary of real estate terms, plus online audio available
- Student support: Assigned instructor to provide student support
- Final exam: N/A
Pricing
OnlineEd offers three packages that you can choose from for your California real estate pre-licensing education. Each package is approved by the California Department of Real Estate (DRE). Notably, all of these courses can be price-matched to an equivalent course if you find a lower price elsewhere:
- Basic ($129): Includes the required 135-hour course, online audio, instructor support PDF ebook and printable certificate
- Standard ($229): Includes Basic, plus exam pass guarantee and practice tests
- Premium ($424 plus $25 s&h): Includes Standard, plus exam prep textbook, math exam prep book, buyer representation course, seller representation course and additional textbooks
License Solution: Best for student satisfaction
Starting from: $99
License Solution is focused specifically on California education and offers several options for aspiring Cali real estate agents. The classes are self-paced and include interactive elements, as well as video and audio options in higher-tiered packages. To make sure you pass your exams, License Solutions prepares you with engaging materials like a real estate dictionary, chapter quizzes and flashcards in every package. For those who need additional study materials, other packages offer crash course video exam prep tools.
Over 6,000 students each year choose License Solution, and they average five-star reviews on Yelp and Google, making them our top pick for student satisfaction. They also write their own course material, which keeps the content up-to-date for their students.
Pros & Cons
- 100% online courses for easy access
- Frequent sales and discounts
- Exam prep not included in all packages
- No in-person classes
Features
- Course formats: Self-paced, online
- Course access: One year from enrollment; optional one-year extension for an additional $69
- Refund policy: Full refund available within 15 days, as long as no coursework has been completed or final exam taken
- Guarantees: 100% money back guarantee if you do not pass the exam on your first try
- Exam prep: Includes hundreds of practice questions to help students prepare for the exam
- Student support: Support available by phone or email
- Final exam: Score a 70% or better to pass the state exam
Pricing
Students have three packages to choose from when enrolling in License Solution:
- Bronze ($99): Includes required 135-hour pre-licensing courses, live instructor support, real estate dictionary and real estate terms flashcards
- Silver ($149): Includes Bronze, plus 100% money back pass guarantee, narrated audio courses, audio exam prep, exam prep flashcards and interactive exam prep
- Gold ($199): Includes Silver, plus video-enhanced course, video exam prep, video exam prep with crash course, agent development videos and AI instructor
Aceable Agent: Best for high pass rates
Starting from: $159
Aceable Agent is another leader in the real estate prelicensing industry. With an average pass rate of 74% compared to the real estate industry average of 64%, Aceable Agent is our choice for students looking to ace their state exam on the first try.
Their comprehensive prelicensing courses also offer videos, interactive games, infographics, knowledge checks, case studies and other tools to keep you engaged and get you test-ready. Mastery Tracking helps you identify your areas of weakness and focus your study time to ensure you’re well-prepared for the exam.
Pros & Cons
- Unlimited practice tests
- Mastery Tracking to help you track your progress
- Exam prep not included in Basic package
- No in-person classes
Features
- Course formats: Self-paced, online
- Course access: Six months from purchase date
- Refund policy: Refunds within 30 days of purchase, provided the course has not been completed
- Guarantees: 30-day satisfaction guarantee or your money back
- Exam prep: Three months of exam prep included with Deluxe and Premium packages, and Premium package also includes a one-hour 1:1 tutoring session
- Student support: Email or text with instructors directly
- Final exam: N/A
Pricing
Students have three packages to choose from when enrolling in Aceable Agent, all of which include the mandatory 135-hour courses:
- Basic ($159): Includes interactive games and activities, Mastery Tracking system, mobile app, audio narration, instructor support and satisfaction guarantee
- Deluxe ($238): Includes Basic, plus AI instructor, three months of exam prep, practice exam builder and real estate exam prep ebook
- Premium ($287): Includes Deluxe, plus private 1:1 tutoring, live webinars and live Q&A with instructors
Colibri Real Estate: Best for tracking your progress
Starting from: $119
Colibri Real Estate’s advanced dashboard feature tracks your study hours, helps you establish weekly goals and holds you accountable. With easy-to-use features to help you stay organized, you can easily stop and restart lessons, keep track of tasks and make a study schedule. Colibri courses have trained more than 500,000 students, and courses are designed by experienced professionals using videos, practice exams and activities that prepare you for the state licensing exam.
All of Colibri’s top-tier packages, aside from The Basics, include a readiness assessment to help you move forward with confidence or pause for some extra review of the course materials. In areas where you need extra study time, Colibri offers audio review guides to ensure that the material sticks. Colibri is our top pick for tracking your progress as you work through the pre-licensing courses.
Pros & Cons
- Livestream or self-paced options
- Pass or don’t pay guarantee (available with all packages except The Basics)
- Livestream option available only with the most expensive package
- No in-person classes
Features
- Course formats: Self-paced online or livestream
- Course access: Six months from purchase date
- Refund policy: Refunds available within 30 days of purchase or within 24 hours of livestream purchase
- Guarantees: Eligible on packages that include exam prep, Colibri will refund the cost of your course if you score 80% or higher on the simulated exams and don’t pass the state license exam the first time you take it.
- Exam prep: Includes digital flashcards, mock exams, a readiness assessment, audio review guides, live Q&A sessions and six one-hour live webinars with instructors for targeted exam prep.
- Student support: Instructors available by phone or email
- Final exam: Final exams are administered at DRE-approved exam centers throughout the state
Pricing
Students have four packages to choose from when enrolling in Colibri’s California real estate license courses, depending on how much exam prep and study support you’d like:
- The Basics ($119): Includes 135-hour pre-licensing course, live instructor support, real estate study guides and accessible narrated audio
- Exam Preparation ($167): Includes The Basics, plus Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee, simulated exams, readiness tracker and flashcards
- Exam Preparation Plus ($209): Includes Exam Preparation, plus instructor Q&A and exam cram webinar series
- Ultimate Learning ($275): Includes Exam Preparation Plus, as well as printed textbook, career booster pack and livestream option
The CE Shop: Best for budget-friendly education
Starting from: $97
The CE Shop is our top pick for budget-friendly courses. With frequent discounts on their packages, you can enroll for as little as just $97, and you won’t be sacrificing quality, either. The CE Shop features a series of thoughtfully designed, self-paced course packages, student support and a user-friendly online dashboard.
The CE Shop makes learning real estate concepts accessible and engaging. The platform is well-organized, with clear sections and easy navigation. The bite-sized lessons are perfect for busy learners. The CE Shop’s Exam Prep Edge offers effective study tools like quizzes, flashcards, matching games and practice tests to help you retain what you’ve learned.
Pros & Cons
- 96% student satisfaction rate
- Five-day free trial
- No live interaction with instructors
- No in-person classes
Features
- Course formats: Self-paced, online
- Course access: One year from purchase date
- Refund policy: Refunds available within 30 days of purchase, provided you haven’t completed more than 50% of the course
- Guarantees: Cost of the state exam refunded if you do not pass the state exam on the first try
- Exam prep: All packages include digital flashcards, study schedule and real estate glossary to help you pass the exam
- Student support: Customer service available via phone, email or chat
- Final exam: Final exams proctored at exam centers throughout the state of California
Pricing
The CE Shop offers four package options, depending on how much exam prep and study support you’d like. All packages include the required 135-hour courses:
- Courses Only ($97): Includes business e-books written by experts, study schedule, real estate glossary, digital flashcards and career resources
- Standard ($167): Includes Courses Only, plus exam prep ($135 value) and pass guarantee
- Value ($220): Includes Standard, plus Kickstarter professional development ($99 value)
- Premium ($304): Includes Value, plus career companion e-textbook ($79 value) and 45-hour license renewal package ($79 value)