Do you need a college degree to become a real estate broker?
No, a college degree is not required. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for brokers and sales agents, and states instead require broker candidates to show experience as a licensed sales agent (most require at least 2 years) plus additional formal training. In some states, a bachelor's degree can substitute for part of the experience or training; in California, for example, a four-year degree with a real estate major or minor replaces the experience requirement.
No, a college degree is not required to become a real estate broker in California. Applicants must complete eight statutorily required college-level courses (each a minimum of 45 hours) and satisfy an experience requirement through one of three paths: two years of full-time licensed salesperson experience within the last five years, two years of equivalent unlicensed experience, or a four-year degree with a major or minor in real estate. A four-year degree in real estate substitutes for the experience requirement but does not replace the eight-course education requirement. Members of the California State Bar are exempt from the course requirement but must still demonstrate two years of qualifying experience.
Sources: CA DRE — Broker Requirements.
No, Delaware does not require a college degree to become a real estate broker. The minimum educational requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent. Broker applicants must complete a 99-hour Delaware broker pre-licensing course and have been actively licensed as a salesperson or broker for 5 continuous years, with 3 years of active practice in real estate.
Sources: Delaware DPR — Salesperson Licensure.
No, a college degree is not required to become a real estate broker in Georgia. Applicants must hold a high school diploma or equivalent, be at least 21 years old, and complete a 60-hour broker pre-license course from a Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC)-approved school. Broker applicants must also show proof of having held a real estate license in active status for at least 3 of the 5 years immediately preceding the application.
Sources: Atlanta REALTORS® — Broker Pre-License; GA Admin Code — GREC Rules 520-1 (Licensure and Brokerage).
No, a college degree is not required. All Maine real estate license applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of application and hold a high school diploma or equivalent. This minimum applies to every license tier: Sales Agent, Associate Broker, and Broker/Designated Broker.
Sources: Maine RE Commission — Individual Licenses (Reciprocal Licensing Section).
No, Montana does not require a college degree to become a real estate broker. Applicants must have graduated from an accredited high school or equivalent, per MCA 37-51-302. A college degree can earn education points toward the 30-point experience requirement, such as 5 points for a Bachelor's degree in Real Estate or Business Management or a Law Degree, but the degree itself is optional.
Sources: MT DLI BSD — Broker Checklist.
No, a college degree is not required to become a real estate broker in New Hampshire. The minimum educational requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent. Broker applicants must complete 60 hours of approved broker pre-licensing education before taking the broker examination, and must have prior experience as a licensed salesperson with completed real estate transactions.
Sources: NH OPLC — RE Commission Teacher/Broker Courses.
No college degree is required to become a real estate broker in New York. The Department of State requires applicants to be at least 20 years old, have at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson (or three years in the general real estate field, or a combination), complete 152 hours of approved qualifying education, and pass the state broker exam. A bachelor's degree with a concentration in real estate may qualify an applicant for a waiver of the 152-hour qualifying course requirement, but a degree is not a prerequisite for licensure.
Sources: NY DOS — Become a RE Broker; NY DOS — Real Estate Salesperson FAQ.
North Carolina does not require a college degree, a high school diploma, or a GED to qualify for a real estate broker license. The state's qualification requirements are: be at least 18 years old, be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien with lawful presence, have a Social Security Number, complete a 75-hour Broker Prelicensing Course, pass the two-part license examination, and satisfy the Commission's character requirement. Individual education providers may set their own enrollment prerequisites, but the state does not impose an education level beyond the prelicensing course.
Sources: NCREC — General Brochure (Real Estate Licensing in North Carolina, March 2024).
No college degree is required to become a real estate broker in North Dakota. The North Dakota Real Estate Commission (NDREC) requires broker applicants to be at least 18 years old, complete a 60-hour broker pre-licensure course, and have been actively engaged full-time as a licensed salesperson for at least 2 years, or have substantially equivalent experience as determined by the commission. No real estate license may have been revoked in any state within 2 years before application. A high school diploma or equivalent is also not listed among the NDREC broker licensing standards.
Sources: NDREC — How to Apply.
A four-year college degree is not required to become an Ohio real estate broker. The pre-licensing education must come from a postsecondary institution that awards at least a two-year (associate) degree, and the four broker-specific courses (Financial Management, Human Resources/Personnel Management, Applied Business Economics, and Business Law) are college-level courses. Broker applicants must also hold an active Ohio salesperson license for at least 2 of the last 5 years and document 20 real estate transactions.
Sources: Ohio REPL — Broker License Requirements.
No, a college degree is not required to become a real estate broker in Pennsylvania. Broker candidates must be at least 21 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent, plus 240 hours (16 credits) of professional real estate education. A Juris Doctor degree, a bachelor's degree in real estate, or a bachelor's degree with coursework equivalent to a real estate major satisfies the education requirement, so candidates with those degrees do not need to complete the standard pre-licensing coursework.
Sources: PA DOS — Real Estate Commission Licensure Guide.
Rhode Island does not require a college degree to become a real estate broker. The requirements are 90 hours of approved classroom or live-broadcast pre-licensing education, two years of full-time experience as a licensed salesperson validated by the employing broker, and passing the National and State broker examinations with Pearson VUE. The 45-hour salesperson pre-licensing course does not count toward the 90-hour broker requirement, and the DBR will not accept individual certificates adding up to 90; a single 90-hour certificate must be issued by one school.
Sources: RI Realtors — Broker Licensing; RI DBR — RE Salesperson Application.
No. South Dakota does not require a college degree or a high school diploma for real estate licensure. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen or South Dakota resident, and meet the statutory requirements under SDCL chapter 36-21A. The formal education requirement is a 116-hour pre-licensing course from a commission-approved provider, not a degree.
Sources: SD DLR — RE License Types & Requirements.
A college degree is not required to become a real estate broker in Texas, but a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university satisfies up to 300 hours of the 630-hour related education requirement. Broker applicants must complete 270 classroom hours of qualifying real estate courses plus 630 additional classroom hours of related qualifying or approved CE courses, including a 6-hour Broker Responsibility Course. Candidates without a degree can fulfill the 630-hour requirement through additional qualifying education courses, approved CE courses, or accredited college coursework in subjects such as accounting, business management, finance, law, and marketing.
Sources: TREC — Individual Broker Licensing; TRERC — Getting a Texas Real Estate License; TREC Fee Schedule Effective December 15, 2025.
No, a college degree is not required to become a real estate broker in Virginia. Broker applicants must be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or equivalent. The education requirement is 180 hours of Board-approved broker pre-licensing courses, not a degree program. Broker applicants must also have been actively engaged as a salesperson for 36 of the 48 months preceding application and pass the state and national portions of the broker exam.
Sources: RA Realtors VA — License Requirements; VA DPOR — Real Estate Board.
No, a college degree is not required to become a real estate broker in West Virginia. Broker applicants must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent, have been licensed as a salesperson for a minimum of 2 years, and complete 180 clock-hours of Commission-approved pre-licensing education. Those 180 clock-hours are equivalent to 12 college credit hours, but no college enrollment or degree is necessary.
Sources: WV REC — Salesperson Licensing; WVREC — Broker Licensing Info.