10 Best Online Real Estate Schools in California

Picking a school is the first real decision you make as a future agent, and California gives you a lot of options. This guide ranks the best online real estate schools in California so you can stop comparing tabs and start your 135 hours.

You'll get a straight ranking of 10 schools, what each one is best for, a price-and-format comparison table, and a simple checklist for choosing. No fluff, no fake reviews.

Compare the best online real estate schools in California

Here's the quick side-by-side. Prices are starting points and change often with promotions, so confirm the current number on each school's site before you buy.

Quick answers

How we ranked the best online real estate schools in California

We ranked these schools on price, course format, exam support, and how well they fit California specifically. A real estate pre-license course is the state-approved education that qualifies you to sit for the California salesperson exam, so the right school is the one that gets you exam-ready without wasting your money or your time. We weighted live help and pass support heavily, because that's where most students get stuck. We did not rank schools on ad budgets or brand age alone.

The 10 best online real estate schools in California

Here's the ranked list, with a full breakdown of how each school works and who it's right for. US Realty Training's pricing is current. Competitor prices are starting estimates that shift with promotions, so confirm each on the school's own site.

1. US Realty Training: best overall for California

US Realty Training is the established name in California real estate education, and it's our top pick because no other school matches the full package. It's the rare online school that combines a California-built course, true self-paced flexibility, and live trainer help, all at a fair price.

• How you learn: Self-paced video and reading you can start the minute you enroll, plus trainer-led webinar classes over Zoom when you want guided, real-time instruction and a schedule to keep you on track.
• What's included: All 135 required hours (Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice, and one elective), with add-ons like printed textbooks (+$75), a 16-hour video crash course (+$150), and state exam prep with unlimited practice tests (+$49.99).
• Pricing: Packages start at $75 for the basics, the popular online package runs about $148 to $165 on sale, and full live-online bundles reach roughly $585 to $650.
• Why it beats the rest: Every other school on this list is strong at one thing. USRT is the only one that pairs that one thing with all the others, so you get California-specific content, on-demand video, trainer-led webinars, and exam prep under one roof.
• Best for: New Californians who want a course built for this state and a real trainer to ask when they get stuck. Still deciding if the career fits? Start with our honest take on whether becoming a real estate agent is worth it.

You can finish in as fast as 54 days, the legal minimum in California.

2. The CE Shop

The CE Shop has the most polished self-paced platform of the bunch, and it's the closest any competitor comes to USRT's online experience. It still lands in second place, because a slick interface can't replace a live trainer when you're stuck.

• How you learn: Fully self-paced through a browser platform that tracks your progress and adjusts as you move.
• What's included: The 135 California hours, with tiers that layer in exam prep and study tools, plus continuing education once you're licensed.
• Pricing: Mid-range, often starting around $139 when a promo is running.
• The trade-off: It's self-guided only, so when a hard concept trips you up there's no instructor to walk you through it the way USRT's trainer-led webinars do.
• Best for: Self-starters who want a modern platform and don't want live help. If you do, USRT gives you the platform and the trainer.

3. Colibri Real Estate

Colibri Real Estate, formerly Real Estate Express, sells flexibility through pick-your-level packages. The catch is that you pay extra for the support USRT already builds in.

• How you learn: Self-paced online courses, with higher tiers adding live Q&A sessions and instructor support.
• What's included: The 135 hours plus tier-based extras like the Exam Prep Master tool and a pass-or-don't-pay guarantee on premium packages.
• Pricing: Entry tiers start around $119 and climb fast as you add features.
• The trade-off: The help you want lives in the expensive tiers, so matching what USRT bundles by default pushes Colibri past USRT on price without the California focus.
• Best for: People who like building their own package, even if they spend more to reach what USRT includes from the start.

4. AceableAgent

AceableAgent has the best phone-first app in the category, and that's a real edge for studying on the go. It's a strong second for mobile, not an overall winner.

• How you learn: A modern mobile app and web platform with bite-size lessons, animations, and quizzes you can finish in spare minutes.
• What's included: The 135 California hours and built-in practice questions, with exam-prep upgrades available.
• Pricing: Starts around $199, toward the higher end for a self-paced course.
• The trade-off: The catalog is thin and there's no live instruction, so you pay more than USRT's starting packages for less support. USRT's course runs on your phone too.
• Best for: Commuters who study in short bursts and don't want a live trainer.

5. Kaplan Real Estate Education

Kaplan is the biggest national name in test prep, and that recognition is its main selling point. Name recognition is not the same as the best California training, which is where USRT pulls ahead.

• How you learn: Self-paced online (OnDemand) or scheduled live online classes led by an instructor.
• What's included: The 135 hours, career resources, and exam-prep options, with the live formats costing more.
• Pricing: Higher end, often starting around $199 and rising with live formats and bundles.
• The trade-off: You pay a premium for the logo, and a national focus means less California-specific depth than USRT, which offers the same live, trainer-led teaching for this state at a lower entry price.
• Best for: People who want a familiar national brand, though USRT delivers the California-focused version for less.

6. Allied Real Estate Schools

Allied Real Estate Schools has taught Californians online for decades, but longevity alone doesn't beat USRT's mix of California focus, modern tools, and live trainers.

• How you learn: Self-paced online courses, with optional printed materials for people who like a physical book.
• What's included: The 135 hours built around California law, with exam-prep add-ons.
• Pricing: Mid-range, often starting around $179.
• The trade-off: The platform feels dated and support is thin, so USRT covers the same California ground with a better experience and real trainers.
• Best for: No-frills learners loyal to a legacy California brand.

7. 360training (Agent Campus)

360training, through its Agent Campus brand, is a budget national provider that serves California. It's a fine way to clear the requirement cheaply, but cheap and bare is not the same as USRT's cheap and supported.

• How you learn: Fully self-paced, text-forward online courses you can complete in any browser.
• What's included: The 135 California hours, with optional exam-prep packages you can add.
• Pricing: Affordable, often starting around $99 to $150.
• The trade-off: Light on support and polish, while USRT's packages start at $75 and still give you video, trainers, and exam prep.
• Best for: Self-directed students chasing the lowest national price over the best California fit.

8. RealEstateU

RealEstateU is one of the cheapest legal ways to get your California hours, and low price is its only real claim. USRT starts at $75 too, except you also get support RealEstateU doesn't offer.

• How you learn: Self-paced lessons that lean on audio, so you can listen the way you would to a podcast.
• What's included: The 135 hours and basic study materials, with few add-ons.
• Pricing: Among the lowest, often starting under $100.
• The trade-off: Minimal support and a bare-bones feel leave you on your own, while USRT matches the low entry price with video, trainers, and exam prep.
• Best for: Bargain hunters who care about price over help.

9. Chamberlin Real Estate School

Chamberlin Real Estate School leans hard into exam prep, which helps if passing is your main worry. USRT bakes that same exam prep into a fuller, more modern course.

• How you learn: Self-paced online courses paired with focused exam-prep crash sessions.
• What's included: The 135 hours plus heavy test-prep materials and practice questions.
• Pricing: Mid-range, often starting around $159.
• The trade-off: The platform feels older, and a narrow test focus can't match USRT's mix of full coursework, trainer-led webinars, and unlimited practice exams.
• Best for: Students fixated on the test who don't mind a dated interface.

10. OnlineEd

OnlineEd keeps things plain and cheap, and there's nothing wrong with simple. USRT proves you can have simple and affordable without giving up support.

• How you learn: Straightforward self-paced online courses offered across several states, including California.
• What's included: The 135 California hours, with optional exam-prep upgrades.
• Pricing: Budget-friendly, often starting around $139.
• The trade-off: Basic features and limited support, where USRT delivers a clear path plus trainers and exam prep for a similar price.
• Best for: People who want low-cost coursework and don't need extras.

What do you need from a California real estate school?

You need a California DRE-approved course covering 135 hours of education before you can sit for the state exam. According to the California Department of Real Estate (DRE), those 135 hours break into three courses: Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice, and one approved elective. Any school on this list meets that requirement, so the real question is how you want to learn it. Want the full step-by-step path? See our guide on how to get a real estate license in California.

How much does an online real estate school in California cost?

Online real estate school in California costs about $75 to $650, depending on the package. The low end gets you the required courses with little extra. The high end adds live classes, crash courses, printed textbooks, and exam prep. Remember that the school fee is separate from your state exam and license fees, which you pay the DRE directly. If you want to map out the full cost of getting started, our breakdown of the fees to become a real estate agent lays it out.

Is an online real estate school worth it in California?

Yes, online real estate school is worth it for most California students. It costs less than in-person school, you study on your own schedule, and you can finish in under two months. The honest caveat is that self-paced learning only works if you show up for it, so if you know you need structure, pick a school with live classes or strong support. Online school is not a shortcut around the work, and you still have to pass the same state exam as everyone else.

How do I choose the right one?

Choose the school that matches how you learn and how much support you need. Use this quick checklist:

• Support: Do you want live classes and someone to ask, or are you fine on your own?
• Format: Will you study on a laptop, a phone, or printed books?
• Speed: Do you want the fastest legal path, or a slower, steady pace?
• Budget: What's included in the base price, and what costs extra?
• Exam prep: Does the package help you pass the state test, or only meet the hours?

Answer those five, and your top pick usually picks itself.

The takeaway

The best online real estate school in California is the one that fits your budget, your schedule, and how much help you want, and for most people that's US Realty Training. Start with the school, finish your 135 hours, then focus everything on passing the state exam. Your next step is simple: enroll and start course one this week.

Start your California courses today

Ready to get going? Start your California pre-license courses with US Realty Training and get instant access to course one today.