How to Get Your Real Estate License (+ What You Can Do With It)

Aside from glossy high-drama television programs like Selling Sunset or Million Dollar Listing, there are tons of opportunities for an individual with an up-to-date real estate license. 

The opportunities range from your traditional real estate agent role to roles in apartment locating and even real estate law. 

The earning potential—especially when compared to the cost of licensing—is extremely attractive, too. When compared to other careers with similar earning potential, obtaining a real state license is relatively quick and affordable.

According to state-by-state statistics from ZipRecruiter, the average salary of a real estate broker ranges from $61,087 (North Carolina) to the highest earners at $93,443 (New York). 

Real estate brokers, who have additional education certification, and experience, earn more on average. A broker’s average salary ranges from $75,695 (North Carolina) to a whopping $108,669 (Wyoming). 

We created this article in collaboration with Smart City Locating to profile some of the best opportunities for those looking to gain real estate licensure. 

What You Need to Know About Real Estate Licensing

There are many opportunities for someone who obtained their real estate license—without entering the super-competitive agent market already established in cities like New York and Los Angeles. 

In fact, you could use your real estate license to enter a market where your specific expertise is needed. 

With a real estate license, you could become an apartment locator, especially in markets where they’re needed—like Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta. 

Before we get into the how, we want to answer a few questions. 

How Long Does It Take to Earn Your Real Estate License?

Generally speaking, the process to become a real estate agent takes about four to six months. While aspects of the process differ by state, obtaining your real estate license should always take well under one year. 

This includes individual research, coursework, examination, and, finally, licensure. 

Let’s break it down. 

What Does It Cost To Get Your Real Estate License?

Obtaining a real estate license varies by state. However, a ballpark estimate of the total cost (including applications, fingerprinting, background checks, and exams) is around $500-$1200 total. 

How to Get Your Real Estate License in Any State

Let’s get into it. While you will want to run everything by your state’s specific criteria, these steps are generally applicable on a national level. 

Step One: Research Your State’s Requirements

Cost: Free
Time Spend: A few days 

There are no national real estate licenses and each state has slightly different protocols and requirements for obtaining your real estate license. 

Start your research by heading to your favorite search engine to find your state’s regulatory office website or by navigating directly to ARELLO (Association of Real Estate License Law Officials) and finding your state in the alphabetical menu. 

Pro Tip: Reciprocity 

While there is no national real estate license, some states do have reciprocal licensing agreements with other states. When you relocate to a full license reciprocity state, you can apply to continue practicing as long as you learn your new state’s specific real estate laws. 

There are currently five full license reciprocity states:

Some states have limited reciprocity, while 17 states have no reciprocity.

Step Two: Complete Pre-Licensure Education 

Now that you know your state’s roadmap for obtaining your real estate license, it’s time to cram! 

No matter where you live, you will have to take a pre-licensing course from an accredited licensing school before you can take the real estate exam. You may find these courses through community colleges, real estate schools, or online courses. 

Each state has its own requirements for the number of hours of coursework required—and many states allow you to take your exam before you have completed all of your hours. 

Step Three: Pass Your Real Estate Licensing Exam 

It’s test time. 

While some states allow for courses and prelicensing prerequisites to be completed online, almost every state requires that the test be taken in person, through a third-party exam provider. 

The real estate license exam is comprised of approximately 100 multiple choice questions that cover both nation and state laws. A minimum score of 70% is considered a passing grade, which means you can apply for your real estate license. 

Step Four: Apply for Your Real Estate License

It’s time to apply for the actual license!

Once you achieved your passing grade, you’ll submit your results, license application, and fees to your state’s real estate regulatory organization.

Once your application is approved, your state will mail your license to your doorstep and your name will be searchable under the licensees’ section of your state’s real estate regulatory site! How official! 

10 Career Options for Real Estate Licensees

The short ramp-up and relatively low cost of obtaining your real estate license make becoming an agent an attractive option for many. 

Instead of entering a saturated market of competitive real estate agents and realtors, consider earning other designations and certifications or applying your real estate license to a number of opportunities within the real estate realm. 

Once you’ve obtained your license, you can consider a variety of career options, depending on what works for you and your skills. 

1. Real Estate Agent

Typically, folks who obtain their real estate license look into finding a brokerage in which to work and learn.

As a real estate agent, you will work with a supervising broker who is licensed by the state. Brokers oversee real estate transactions and make sure that all agents follow the required legal and ethical standards.

Depending on the arrangement from the broker, a real estate agent has to pay desk fees, tech fees, marketing materials, and other business-related expenses. 

In general, you won’t earn an hourly salary. Instead, the brokerage will likely pay a percentage of the commissions it collects from your real estate transactions. When researching the type of brokerage to work with, pay attention to the commission structures they offer. 

2. REALTOR®

While the titles "realtor" and "real estate agent" are often used interchangeably, their differentiation is based on certifications. You can become a real estate agent by completing the steps we outlined above. Becoming a realtor requires membership within the National Association of Realtors (NAR). 

Fun Fact: The term REALTOR® is actually a registered trademark. While a realtor is a real estate agent, a real estate agent isn’t a realtor without a NAR membership.

While this is an optional move, becoming a realtor can lend more credibility to your reputation. It also offers access to a variety of benefits, including:

It costs about $185 to gain membership to the NAR. 

3. Leasing Consultant 

A leasing consultant ensures that a rental property has tenants. They may also have responsibilities related to marketing open listings, hosting events to promote properties, and maintaining a generally positive relationship with existing tenants. 

4. Apartment Locator 

Renters tend to relocate more often than buyers. 

As licensed real estate agents, Apartment Locators are just like realtors except instead of helping buyers to buy a house, they help leasers find their next apartment. This is especially helpful for out-of-towners looking for an apartment in a new city. 

Apartment locators liaise with clients to determine what the renter wants in terms of space, location, and any other amenities that an apartment might offer. Just like house hunting, this streamlines the apartment search process so that the leaser is only looking at pre-qualified, quality listings that meet their criteria.

Smart City Locators uses a unique blend of proprietary technology and personal touch to find each client an apartment within a community that is the perfect fit. 

5. Apartment Manager or Commercial Property Manager 

An apartment manager generally manages the properties being rented. They are responsible for maintenance, emergency repairs, or any other problems that arise.

Additionally, apartment managers are responsible for renting out units, securing deposits from new renters, collecting monthly payments, and keeping the overall property safe and sound. 

A commercial property manager is responsible for overseeing operations for commercial buildings. While the main function of the job is similar to an apartment manager, the tenants are businesses. 

6. Real Estate Assistant

Due to the competitive nature of some real estate markets, a real estate assistant role is perfect for someone who recently became licensed. This allows a newly-licensed individual to “learn the ropes” from seasoned professionals. 

This is a great alternative to jumping into paying costly fees in order to work under a brokerage umbrella. 

Real estate assistants help real estate agents and brokers with administrative tasks, marketing, and events coordination. 

7. Home Inspector 

A home inspector is responsible for checking out a property with the goal of identifying any current or possible issues with a building's structure, appliances, and other systems—like plumbing, electricity, and air conditioning. 

They will take the time to inspect all areas of the home and the surrounding land, then produce a report that lets the property owner, lender and potential buyer know of their findings.

8. Real Estate Digital Marketing Specialist

The perfect fit for someone with a marketing background, a real estate marketing specialist is responsible for marketing the real estate business or brokerage online. 

While a real estate license may not always be required for this type of role, it is certainly a huge advantage. 

Real estate marketing specialists create and maintain social media profiles, design brochures, and business cards, create websites and landing pages, and build an email list of potential and current clients they can market to. 

A real estate marketing specialist also might do a little PR-adjacent work to promote an agency, brokerage, or agent’s brand. Real estate marketers do so by writing relevant blog posts, managing social media, hosting digital marketing events, and generating leads.

9. Commercial Real Estate Agent

A commercial real estate agent is responsible for having the same responsibilities as a residential real estate agent, except for commercial properties like office buildings and complexes. 

Their clients include other businesses that want to secure a property for their company operations.

10. Real Estate Paralegal

A real estate paralegal is responsible for working alongside the real estate attorney to assist clients with their real estate transactions. 

Real estate paralegals are responsible for filing documents, drafting legal agreements and letters, securing title insurance, and helping clients through the closing process.

Licensees may also need to go through a training program to become a certified paralegal.