Are you looking for the best real estate classes in Wisconsin to launch your new career and set yourself up for success? We’ve reviewed the top schools for their course design, instructor support, ease of use, affordability, and more.
In Wisconsin, you will need to complete a 72-hour prelicensing course to sit for the state exam and obtain a real estate license. Let us help you choose the right real estate school to fit your unique learning style, goals, and timeline, in order to jump-start your exciting new career.
4 Best Real Estate Classes in Wisconsin
| Our Top 4 Picks | Pricing From | Promo Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall: Colibri Real Estate | $401 | TheClose30 – Save 30% |
| Best School for Career Advice: The CE Shop | $399 | TheClose35 - Save 35% |
| Best Course Design: Kaplan | $349 | KAPRE5 - Save 5% |
| Best School for In-person Classes: Turnkey School of Real Estate | $450 |
(Wisconsin prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Helpful Info About Your Real Estate Classes in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Real Estate Governing Body:
Wisconsin Dept. of Safety & Professional Services
Prelicensing Requirements:
72 Hours
Post-licensing Requirements:
None
Continuing Education Requirements:
18 Hours Every Two Years
Getting your Wisconsin real estate license takes several steps:
- Complete a 72-hour prelicensing course
- Pass the course final exam
- Pass the state exam
- Apply for your license through a sponsoring broker
The schools on our list offer a variety of real estate programs, and we’ve outlined the courses you’ll need to take at various stages of your new career.
Prelicensing
A prelicensing course is the first step to your real estate career, and you can complete the course online or in person. While the goal is to prepare you for the state exam, instructor support and career resources are often included in prelicensing courses.
Consider your learning style and your timeline to help you find the course that’s right for you. Because of its many added features at a low price, Colibri Real Estate is our top choice for an online real estate school.
Exam Preparation
Although your course will cover a lot of material, extra study time can be especially helpful when it comes time to take your licensing exam. Many real estate schools provide specific exam prep packages that are focused on teaching you how to pass your state exam.
Our top pick for course design, Kaplan Real Estate Education, offers exam prep courses that include review questions and a performance tracker to help you focus your study time on areas where you need the most help.
Continuing Education
From the time you get licensed in Wisconsin, you’ll have to complete 18 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years.
Many agents prefer to complete their continuing education online since it is more convenient and less costly. The CE Shop is our top pick for continuing education for its affordable, expertly designed CE courses that cover a variety of topics.
Your real estate education continues beyond getting your license, so it’ll be important to choose a school that aligns with your needs. Let’s dive into our top picks!
Best Overall Real Estate Classes in Wisconsin: Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
Colibri Real Estate makes our top pick of schools because they’ve thought of everything. Their well-designed courses are affordable, while their easy-to-use online platform works seamlessly across devices.
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Colibri Real Estate Pricing
Colibri Real Estate offers four online self-paced prelicensing packages and one livestream course.
- The Basics ($401): This includes the prelicense course, state-approved instructor support, and two real estate e-books.
- Exam Preparation ($480): You’ll receive everything in the Basics package, plus Exam Prep and a Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee.
- Exam Preparation Plus ($562): You’ll enjoy everything from the Exam Prep package, but you’ll also get Live Q&A Sessions with instructors, a real estate dictionary, and the Live Exam Crammer Series to prepare you for the license exam.
- Ultimate Learning Package ($641): You’ll get everything in previous packages, plus a copy of the course textbook, interactive learning videos from Sketchy, and a 1-year professional development membership.
(Colibri Real Estate prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Readers of The Close can SAVE 30% on any Colibri Real Estate prelicensing course in Wisconsin. Use promo code TheClose30 at checkout.
BEST FEATURE: We love Colibri Real Estate’s Live Crammer Series. It usually isn’t until you’re reviewing the whole course that you have questions, and this webinar lets you ask instructors in real time.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Unfortunately, you won’t get Colibri Real Estate’s Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee if you choose to sign up for their livestream classes.
BOTTOM LINE: Colibri Real Estate is a great option for anyone looking to cover all the bases in a prelicensing course.
Best Real Estate Classes in Wisconsin for Career Advice: The CE Shop
The CE Shop Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
The CE in its name stands for continuing education, and The CE Shop has long been providing top-notch continuing education nationwide. So, it’s no wonder they also offer helpful
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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 offers four online self-paced prelicensing course packages.
- Course Only ($399): You’ll get the prelicensing course plus digital flashcards, e-books, a study schedule, and a career advice package.
- Standard Package ($459): You’ll get everything from the above package as well as Exam Prep Edge to prepare you for your license exam and a Pass Guarantee.
- Value Package ($509): Enjoy all of the previous features as well as business-building courses for new agents.
- Premium Package ($659): This top-tier package includes everything from the value package, plus an 18-hour CE course package.
(The CE Shop prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Readers of The Close can SAVE 35% on The CE Shop prelicensing course. Use promo code TheClose35 at checkout.
BEST FEATURE: We love that The CE Shop offers career resources at every package level, including advice on interviewing brokers and finding your niche in real estate.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: The CE Shop’s prices could be a little more competitively priced, seeing as how its competitors are filling their packages with extra features but keeping prices lower.
BOTTOM LINE: The CE Shop is for you if you’re looking for features that will help you start your new career as an agent.
Can You Be a Part-time Real Estate Agent? (+ Free Guide & Videos)
Best Designed Real Estate Classes in Wisconsin: Kaplan
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
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Kaplan has always strived to provide real estate students with a variety of class options. The company ensures its courses are equipped with the most important features, including workbooks to help you study, top-notch exam prep, interactive study groups, and additional career resources.
Kaplan Pricing
Kaplan offers the 72-hour prelicensing course in online and home study formats.
- Home Study Real Estate Principles ($349): You’ll get your course, workbooks sent to you, as well as access to an interactive study group.
- Home Study with Exam Prep ($389): You’ll get everything in the previous home-study course, plus the National Real Estate Exam Prep Course loaded with practice questions.
- Home Study Career Launcher Package ($589): Enjoy everything from the home-study package above as well as the Real Estate Accelerator Course and eight weeks of professional coaching.
- Online Real Estate Principles ($389): You’ll get online access to your course, informative videos, and access to the interactive study group.
- Online with Exam Prep ($429): You’ll receive the features of the above exam prep package, but your class will be available through an online video course instead of via home study.
- Online Career Launcher Package ($629): You’ll receive everything from the Home Study Career Launcher package, but your interactive course material will be available online.
(Kaplan prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: The way Kaplan designs its prelicensing courses is incredibly helpful to potential agents looking to ace the license exam or start their career off on the right footing.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Kaplan’s fully optimized package prices are also higher than the other schools on our list, though their packages offer a lot of features. If you’re looking for something at a lower price, consider the CE Shop’s standard prelicensing course.
BOTTOM LINE: You won’t be disappointed if you choose Kaplan’s quality courses designed by leading experts.
Best School for In-person Classes: Turnkey School of Real Estate
Turkey School of Real Estate School Offers:
- Prelicensing
Turnkey School of Real Estate offers prelicensing courses in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. They create their courses to be straightforward and easy to navigate so that you’re spending time on the most relevant material.
Turnkey School of Real Estate offers the Wisconsin prelicensing course in an online self-paced format, but they made our list for their in-person classes that take two weeks to guide you through the information with expert instructors.
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Turnkey School of Real Estate Pricing
Turnkey School of Real Estate offers online and in-person course options:
- Self-paced Online Prelicensing Course ($325:) You’ll get access to the course as well as videos, printable PDFs, and quizzes to test your understanding.
- In-class/Virtual Prelicensing Course ($450): This eight-session course runs over two weeks in Appleton, WI, and you’ll be guided through the course by an instructor with live support.
(Turnkey School of Real Estate prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We like how quickly you’ll complete your prelicense course if you sign up for Turnkey School of Real Estate’s in-person classes.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: There’s no pass guarantee at Turnkey School of Real Estate, which offers potential students comfort when purchasing a course.
BOTTOM LINE: Turnkey School of Real Estate is for you if you’re looking to complete your course at an accelerated pace and prefer in-person learning.
Real Estate Classes in Wisconsin – FAQs
We’re glad you have more questions! We’ve gathered the most frequently asked questions below. But if we missed something, just let us know in the comment section. We’re always happy to hear from you!
How do I get my real estate license in Wisconsin?
There are three steps to getting your real estate license in Wisconsin:
- Complete a 72-hour prelicensing course
- Apply for and pass the Wisconsin real estate license exam
- Apply for your real estate license through a sponsoring broker
To help you get started, we recommend reviewing our list of best schools in Wisconsin so that you can choose a school that suits you throughout your real estate career.
What if I'm already licensed in another state?
If you’re already licensed in another state, you can check out our state-by-state guide on license reciprocity to help you get started on the process. If you already hold a valid real estate license in another state, you may be exempt from all the state-specific requirements of obtaining a license in Wisconsin. Wisconsin currently has a reciprocal agreement with both Indiana and Illinois.
If you are licensed outside of these states, you’ll apply as an endorsement applicant. You’ll be able to apply for a Wisconsin real estate license if you have completed either 10 semester hour credits at a college or university in real estate education, or completed an approved 13-hour prelicense course. For more information, visit Wisconsin’s Department of Safety and Professional Services website.
Which Wisconsin real estate school is right for me?
We recommend reviewing real estate schools by two benchmarks: format and features.
Your options for course format in Wisconsin are online self-paced courses, livestream courses you can take from home, and live courses in a classroom. Ask yourself if you prefer to learn at your own pace or around others, and how carving out time for a scheduled class might impact your lifestyle.
Next, we recommend reflecting on the area in which you’ll need the most help. If you get test anxiety, look for courses with solid exam prep, like Colibri Real Estate. If you’re most excited by how to start your career, check out The CE Shop, as they offer business-building courses in most of their packages.
How long does it take to become a real estate agent in Wisconsin?
On average, it takes three to four months to get your real estate license in Wisconsin. Most of the time spent getting your license is taken up by your prelicensing course.
With a self-paced online course, you decide when you finish. Often, students take longer to complete an online self-paced course because they also have busy home and work schedules. Scheduled in-person classes at Turnkey School of Real Estate, our top pick for live classes, will have you finished with your course in two weeks.
After you complete your course, you’ll need time to study for and take the license exam. Then, you’re on your way to applying for a license through a sponsoring broker.
How much does it cost to become a real estate agent in Wisconsin?
On average, it costs $500 to $700 to get your real estate license in Wisconsin.
Getting a Wisconsin real estate license has both fixed and variable fees. Administrative expenses, such as license fees, are one-time expenses. The following are the fixed costs involved in getting your real estate license:
- Salesperson license exam: $65 per attempt
- Initial license application: $60
Your prelicensing course is the most expensive part of the licensing process, and the cost depends on the package you choose. We recommend choosing the school that not only fits your budget, but your learning style and schedule.
How many Realtors are there in Wisconsin?
According to the National Association of Realtors’ November 2022 data, there are 17,675 Realtors in Wisconsin. This is a very slight decrease from the previous month, and a 1.42% increase from this time last year.
How much do real estate agents make in Wisconsin?
It all depends on the number of deals and the commission splits, but according to Indeed.com, the average real estate agent in Wisconsin made $84,614 in 2022, which is 12% lower than the national average.
What’s the average home price in Wisconsin?
According to Zillow, home values in Wisconsin are up 10.4% in 2022, reaching $270,017. In Madison, the values are even higher, at $372,611.
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Bringing It All Together
We truly hope we’ve helped your search for the right real estate school in Wisconsin. It won’t be long before you’re enjoying an exciting new real estate career. At The Close, we’re committed to providing actionable advice for every stage of your career. Have additional questions or comments? Leave them below!
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