Sales
Real Estate Brokers
- Median pay
- $73,220
- Outlook
- Little or no change
High school diploma
- Negotiation
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
ProgramsBusiness, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Real Estate
CIP52.15
144 colleges offer Real Estate. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 144
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $82,246
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $19,970
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 144
- Associate's
- 99
- Bachelor's
- 66
- Master's
- 44
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 2
- Doctoral
- 2
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 31
What it covers
About Real Estate
A program that prepares individuals to develop, buy, sell, appraise, and manage real estate. Includes instruction in land use development policy, real estate law, real estate marketing procedures, agency management, brokerage, property inspection and appraisal, real estate investing, leased and rental properties, commercial real estate, and property management.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 52.15.
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 144 | $46,2064 yrs after · 9 colleges | $11,87511 colleges |
| Associate's | 99 | $43,4114 yrs after · 1 college | $20,0741 college |
| Bachelor's | 66 | $82,2464 yrs after · 24 colleges | $19,97024 colleges |
| Master's | 44 | $147,7704 yrs after · 15 colleges | $47,3149 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 2 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 31 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Real Estate graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofit · 31 graduates
$131,911
debt $27,000
- 2
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 70 graduates
$130,716
debt $13,598
- 3
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI · Public · 173 graduates
$120,483
debt $15,000
- 4
Fort Worth, TX · Private nonprofit · 110 graduates
$103,547
debt $21,225
- 5
Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · 37 graduates
$99,583
debt $23,374
- 6
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · Public · 87 graduates
$95,576
debt $19,573
- 7
Columbus, OH · Public · 76 graduates
$91,213
debt $19,500
- 8
Syracuse, NY · Private nonprofit · 43 graduates
$90,764
debt $20,500
- 9
Denver, CO · Private nonprofit · 34 graduates
$87,026
debt not reported
- 10
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · Public · 66 graduates
$84,558
debt $20,367
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Real Estate by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Management
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
- Median pay
- $69,990
- Outlook
- As fast as average
High school diploma
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Active Listening
Business and finance
Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
- Median pay
- $67,960
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
Business and finance
Appraisers of Personal and Business Property
- Median pay
- $67,960
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Sales
Real Estate Sales Agents
- Median pay
- $52,830
- Outlook
- Slower than average
High school diploma
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Negotiation
More in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Business Administration, Management and Operations1,495 colleges
- Accounting and Related Services1,096 colleges
- Marketing820 colleges
- Finance and Financial Management Services730 colleges
- Business Operations Support and Assistant Services669 colleges
- Business/Commerce, General523 colleges
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations520 colleges
- International Business426 colleges
Questions about Real Estate
How many colleges offer Real Estate?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Real Estate at these degree levels: certificate (144 colleges), associate's (99 colleges), bachelor's (66 colleges), master's (44 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (2 colleges), doctoral (2 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (31 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Real Estate graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Real Estate earn $82,246 a year four years after finishing, across 24 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Real Estate graduates earn the most?
Villanova University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Real Estate: $131,911 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.