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, check out the best real estate schools in NJ that will 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 real estate schools in NJ based on pricing, course offerings, and more to help you pinpoint the school that’s right for you.

5 Best New Jersey Real Estate Schools

Our Top Picks
Pricing From
Promo Codes
Best Overall:
Center for Real Estate Education
$399
Best for Online:
Colibri Real Estate
$499
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Best Instructor Support:
Garden State Real Estate Academy
$389
Best on a Budget:
Alliance School of Real Estate
$349
Best for Exam Prep:
New Jersey Real Estate Institute
$445

(New Jersey prelicensing package prices as of July 2023)

Featured Partner

Use Our Code “TheClose30” to Get 30% Off on All Colibri Real Estate Prelicensing Courses.

Colibri Real Estate logo
  • Pre-Licensing & Exam Prep: State-required courses and exam preparation with practice tests and study guides.
  • Continuing Education: Courses to maintain licenses and improve skills in real estate.
  • Flexible Online Learning: Self-paced, interactive online courses with videos and quizzes.
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Quick Facts
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New Jersey Real Estate Governing Body:

New Jersey Real Estate Commission (REC)

schedule

Prelicensing Requirements:

75 Hours

school

Continuing Education Requirements:

12 Hours Within Two Years

If you want to know the types of real estate classes you’ll need to take throughout your real estate career in New Jersey, you may want to skip to the helpful info section of this article. But if you’re ready to enroll, let’s take a closer look at our top picks and learn why they made our list of favorites.

Best Overall Real Estate School in NJ: Center for Real Estate Education

Center for Real Estate Education scorecard
Pros
  • Mix-and-match class options
  • Weekday, weekend, daytime, and evening classes available
Cons
  • Textbook and videos cost extra
The Close Score
4.5
Value:
4.5
Customer service:
3.8
Student experience:
5.0
Features:
5.0
Reputation:
5.0
Online experience:
4.3
out
of
5

Center for Real Estate Education offers:

  • Prelicensing
  • Exam prep
  • Continuing education
  • Broker prelicensing

The Center for Real Estate Education is one of the largest real estate schools in New Jersey. Aside from prelicensing and continuing education courses, the company offers seminars and coaching as well. With so many instructors, classes are always in session, which makes finding a time slot easy. Their flexible scheduling means that you have more than just weekday and evening options.

Also, 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 test prep packages that will prepare you for the NY and PA real estate exam if you’re already licensed in NJ.

Center for Real Estate Education Pricing

The Center for Real Estate Education offers several packages to complete your prelicensing course.

  • Essentials Package ($399): This includes the 75-hour prelicensing course via livestream or in-person, with exam prep classes, instructor access, math study guide, and daily practice test questions.
  • Power Study Package ($499): This includes everything in the Essentials Package, additional practice exams, interactive study groups, and access to a community Facebook group.
  • Ultimate Career Package: ($699): For an additional $200, this package includes everything in the Power Study Package plus career training, and a property management certificate course.

(Center for Real Estate Education prelicensing package prices as of July 2023)

BEST FEATURES: You can’t beat the flexible schedule this school offers. You can take weekday and evening livestream classes or in-person classes on Saturdays and Sundays. And you can mix and match classes to fit your schedule, so you can dip into all of the different class times 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 and course recap study videos in the price. For now, you’ll have to purchase the textbook and videos as add-ons, priced at $75 each.

BOTTOM LINE: You’ll surely find a course package from The Center for Real Estate Education to your liking. All of their courses’ bonus features and professional development courses will set you up for success.

Enroll Now

Best Online Real Estate School in NJ: Colibri Real Estate

Colibri Real Estate scorecard
Pros
  • Lots of schedule options for livestream classes
  • Easy-to-use web interface
Cons
  • Most expensive school on our list
  • Limited course package options
The Close Score
4
Value:
4.5
Customer service:
3.8
Student experience:
5.0
Features:
2.0
Reputation:
5.0
Online experience:
5.0
out
of
5

Colibri Real Estate offers:

  • Prelicensing
  • Exam prep

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, Colibri 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.

Colibri Real Estate Pricing

In New Jersey, Colibri Real Estate currently only offers one course package.

  • Livestream Learning ($499): This includes a set schedule of online classes with a live instructor that you’ll attend from the comfort of home. Choose between weekdays, weekends, full days, evenings, and part-time classes. Course materials include e-books, a real estate dictionary, exam prep, interactive learning videos, instructor and peer engagement, and one year of professional development support.

(Colibri Real Estate New Jersey prelicensing package price as of July 2023)

Readers of The Close can save 30% on any Colibri Real Estate prelicensing course in New Jersey. Use promo code TheClose30 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 online-only schools.

ROOM TO IMPROVE: We’d love it if Colibri could offer more package options to allow students to pick and choose the features that are most important to them. However, since exam prep usually costs extra, including it in their prelicensing package adds significant value.

BOTTOM LINE: Colibri Real Estate’s prelicensing course is one of the most comprehensive packages on the market. If you’re looking for a way to get through your online course materials easily, you’ll likely appreciate Colibri’s web interface.

Enroll Now

Best Real Estate School in NJ for Instructor Support: Garden State Real Estate Academy

Garden State Real Estate Academy scoreboard
Pros
  • Small-class in-person and livestream options
  • Extra instructor support
  • Affordable
Cons
  • No refund once course has begun
  • Classes are only scheduled on weekdays
The Close Score
3.9
Value:
4.0
Customer service:
2.3
Student experience:
5.0
Features:
3.0
Reputation:
5.0
Online experience:
4.5
out
of
5

Garden State Real Estate Academy offers:

  • Prelicensing
  • Exam prep
  • Broker prelicensing

Garden State Real Estate (GSRE) Academy 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 Academy has been satisfying candidates since 2005.

Garden State Real Estate Academy Pricing

Though they both cost the same, Garden State Real Estate Academy offers two prelicensing options in New Jersey.

  • Livestream Package ($389): Choose from daytime or evening classes held over Zoom, including a textbook and instructor support.
  • 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 July 2023)

BEST FEATURES: With a focus on instructor support, extra exam prep, and live Q&A, it’s clear that GSRE Academy is making individualized attention the differentiator here. Aside from being able to choose your preferred schedule, you’ll also be able to pick your preferred instructor from their list.

ROOM TO IMPROVE: Because GSRE Academy traditionally teaches in-person, their online interface doesn’t have as many options. Like all 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.

Related Article
Can You Be a Part-time Real Estate Agent? (+ Free Guide & Videos)
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Best Real Estate School in NJ on a Budget: Alliance School of Real Estate’

Alliance School of Real Estate scorecard
Pros
  • Small-class in-person and livestream options
  • Extra instructor support
  • Affordable
Cons
  • No in-person classes
  • Limited schedule options
The Close Score
3.6
Value:
4.0
Customer service:
3.0
Student experience:
3.0
Features:
2.0
Reputation:
5.0
Online experience:
4.5
out
of
5

Alliance School of Real Estate offers:

  • Prelicensing
  • Exam prep

The Alliance School of Real Estate has straightforward prelicensing courses offered online via livestream. The school boasts that its instructors all have at least 20 years of real estate experience. What’s more, they offer tips and advice for jump-starting your real estate career after you’ve finished the course.

Alliance School of Real Estate Pricing

The Alliance School of Real Estate currently only offers one package for their prelicensing course.

  • Livestream Package ($349): This package offers the 75-hour prelicensing course via Zoom plus practice exams, a textbook, and access to a Facebook support group.

(Alliance School of Real Estate prelicensing package prices as of July 2023)

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 should be your first choice 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 with some extra tools already included.

Enroll Now

Best Real Estate School in NJ for Exam Prep: New Jersey Real Estate Institute

New Jersey Real Estate Institute scoroeboard
Pros
  • Weekday, daytime, and evening livestream classes
  • Mix-and-match class options
Cons
  • No in-person classes
The Close Score
3.8
Value:
3.5
Customer service:
2.3
Student experience:
4.0
Features:
4.0
Reputation:
5.0
Online experience:
4.3
out
of
5

New Jersey Real Estate Institute Offers:

  • Prelicensing
  • Exam prep
  • Continuing education
  • Broker prelicensing

The New Jersey Real Estate Institute (NJREI) offers flexible course options. Instructors are expert real estate salespeople and brokers with decades of experience. The school’s director is also its principal instructor, and he puts the focus on making sure you pass the license exam.

New Jersey Real Estate Institute Pricing

New Jersey Real Estate Institute (NJREI) offers only one prelicensing package.

  • Prelicense Course ($445): NJREI’s offering includes the 75-hour course in a small-class, online setting with course materials, a textbook, practice exams, and live instructor Q&A sessions included.

(NJREI prelicensing package prices as of July 2023)

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 schedule options, 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.

Enroll Now

How We Selected the Best Real Estate Schools in NJ

Our team of licensed real estate professionals, writers, and editors created a weighted rubric that involved vetting New Jersey schools according to cost, course offerings, mobile and web usability, instructor support, and more. At The Close, we always strive for the highest standards in providing you the best school options for your needs. Read more about our methodology here.

Real Estate Schools in NJ: 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.




New Jersey Real Estate Schools FAQs

Still have questions? We have answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about becoming a real estate agent in New Jersey. If there’s something we haven’t covered, please drop your question in the comment section of this article. We’d be happy to help!








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Real Estate Broker vs. Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis

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 NJ real estate school that’s right for you, your timeline, lifestyle, and learning style. Have advice, thoughts, or questions? Leave us a comment below!