Real Estate Programs in California
Real estate studies in California are mainly available at community colleges and award certificates or associate's degrees. They can prepare students to sell, appraise or manage commercial and residential properties. Graduates of these programs should be prepared to take state broker licensing exams. Find out about two schools' programs, located in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas, including the awards conferred, length of programs and curricula. The table in this article also highlights other important school facts.
- Riverside Community College District's Norco College is located about 50 miles east of Los Angeles, in Norco. This school offers a certificate of achievement and an associate's degree in business administration with a real estate concentration. This campus has the largest real estate program in the district, but students may also want to consider attending classes at the Riverside or Moreno Valley locations.
- City College of San Francisco, located in the Bay area of San Francisco, offers a California real estate certificate and an associate's degree in real estate.
Comparison of Schools
Beyond looking at award levels, program specifics and campus locations, future students might want to look at additional school facts. Check out the table below to compare enrollment, tuition and graduation rates to aid the decision-making process.
| Norco College | City College of San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|
| School Type | 2-year, public | 2-year, public |
| Total Enrollment (2021) | 8,756* | 17,447* |
| Campus Setting | Large suburb | Large city |
| Undergraduate Tuition & Fees (2021-2022) | $1,420 (in-state) $10,120 (out-of-state)* | $1,168 (in-state) $8,704 (out-of-state)* |
| % of First-Year Students Receiving Some Form of Financial Aid (2020-2021) | 75%* | 51%* |
| Acceptance Rate (2021) | 100% (open admissions)* | 100% (open admissions)* |
| Full-Time Retention Rate (2020-2021) | 61%* | 68%* |
| Undergraduate Graduation Rate (students began in 2018) | 33%* | 37%* |
Source: *NCES College Navigator.
Riverside Community College District
Riverside Community College, with campuses in Riverside, Moreno Valley and Norco, has over 30,000 students. Real estate coursework is included in the business and information technology programs on each campus.
Certificate of Achievement, Business Administration, Real Estate Concentration
The business administration certificate requires 18 hours in core business classes that cover accounting, basic business principles, business math and management communications. For the real estate concentration, students must also complete 12 hours in specialized real estate classes, such as real estate principles and practices, legal aspects, finance, appraisal and escrow procedures.
Associate in Science Degree in Business Administration with a Real Estate Concentration
This associate's degree program with a concentration in real estate requires students to complete 30 general education credits, a business administration core and real estate coursework. Specialized real estate classes provide instruction in the types of property, real estate taxes, ethical issues and property appraisal.
City College of San Francisco
With almost 30,000 students and 11 campuses, the City College of San Francisco is one of the largest public universities in the U.S. The college offers real estate programs at its downtown San Francisco location. These programs prepare students to sit for the California State examination to receive salesperson or broker licenses.
California Real Estate Certificate
This 24-credit certificate program incorporates 18 credits of real estate core courses plus an additional six hours in real estate or business electives. Students learn techniques and practices for property appraisal, real estate financing and managing legal issues. Those students currently holding a California real estate broker's or salesperson's license may take another course in place of the introductory real estate class.
Associate in Science in Real Estate
City College of San Francisco offers an associate's degree in real estate. Students must complete 18 credit hours in business and real estate coursework. The curriculum includes training in basic real estate practice, law, economics, and appraisal. Students may be eligible to earn their California's real estate license after this program.
