We’ve researched the best real estate classes in Washington State for every budget, schedule, and learning style to help you choose the ideal course package for your needs. From Seattle to Spokane to Redmond, our guide will help you find the best schools to quickly knock out your required courses — with convenient online, mobile app and audio course options. With the right school, you’ll be in a prime position to pass the state exam and get your real estate broker license quickly.
First, some basics. Washington is one of a handful of states where newly licensed salespeople are called real estate brokers (not agents). As an aspiring broker, you’ll need to complete two courses (90 hours of study) before taking the Washington state exam to get your real estate license. These must include a 30-Hour Real Estate Practices course and a 60-Hour Real Estate Fundamentals course. Below are our top choices for Washington State real state schools.
5 best real estate schools in Washington State for 2025
Our Top Pick
The CE Shop
Best features & packages
Intuitive user dashboard. Streamlined navigation. 5-day free trial. A pass guarantee with packages that incl. Exam Prep Edge.
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Upgrade Pick
Colibri Real Estate
Best for goal tracking & accountability
Advanced dashboard recommends a study schedule & keeps you accountable.
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Budget Pick
Aceable Agent
Best for mobile & audio courses
Versatile learning options with hands-free audio lessons & a mobile app. Perfect for learning on-the-go.
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Local Pick
OnlineEd
Best continuing ed bundle
Founded by West Coast real estate pros. Premium Package includes first license renewal courses.
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Exam Prep Pick
Kaplan Real Estate Education
Best for exam prep
Regularly-updated practice tests that mimic the real exam. Exam prep materials like videos, flashcards & interactive elements.
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The CE Shop: Best course features & packages
The CE Shop is our #1 pick for its combination of features, including a 5-day free trial, plus a pass guarantee and its exclusive Exam Prep Edge (offered with all three top-tier course packages) . Course features, student support and an intuitive interface have all contributed to a 96% satisfaction rate from The CE Shop students.
The CE Shop offers a user-friendly online platform that makes learning real estate concepts accessible and engaging. The platform is well-organized, with clear sections and easy navigation. The bite-sized lessons are perfect for busy learners. The CE Shop’s Exam Prep Edge offers robust study tools with detailed lessons, quizzes, matching games, and practice tests.
Pros
- 5-day FREE trial
- “Pass or Don’t Pay” guarantee
- Excellent study tools & features to help you pass the state exam
- Career resources & mentorship that help you after the course ends
- You can bundle prelicensing & renewal courses to save money & time
- Budget-friendly packages
- Self-paced course perfect for learners on the go
Cons
- Very few opportunities to interact with instructors
- Little to no networking opportunities
Features
- Course Formats: Self-paced online courses
- Course Access: Six months of access to your courses
- Refund Policy: Refund available after 30 days for regular courses, as long as you haven’t completed more than 50%
- Exam Prep: Focuses on key material, offers study recommendations based on your habits, mock exams, and video webinars taught by instructors
- Student Support: Open seven days a week by email, phone or live online chat
- Final Exam: Open after the course ends. You’ll need a score of 70% or higher to pass
Pricing
The CE Shop offers four prelicensing course packages, plus standalone exam prep courses, continuing education courses and broker licensing courses. The higher-tier prelicensing packages include exam prep materials and the required 90-hour course hours.
- Courses Only ($315): This option has the standard 90-hour prelicensing course, and you can add Ebooks, flashcards, and an excellent glossary that has every term you’ll need.
- Standard ($415): Adds on Exam Prep Edge, which features study material derived from Washington State’s candidate handbook.
- Value ($489): The Kickstarter program helps you start your new career. This package has a 30-60-90 day plan that teaches your lead gen and negotiation skills.
- Premium ($755): This package features everything from the previous options, including a 90-hour renewal course and a real estate basics textbook.
Colibri Real Estate: Best for goal tracking & accountability
Colibri’s dashboard helps you stay on track with your study goals, ensuring you maintain your progress. The platform also provides extensive exam prep materials, including practice tests and live Q&A sessions. Students can level up to Exam Prep Plus for instructor engagement and study tools or choose Colibri’s Ultimate Learning package for access the Career Booster Pack, which includes 20+ how-to videos, job aids, and a customizable business plan.
Colibri Real Estate offers a user-friendly interface, well-structured courses and instruction from local experts. Learners can engage with the content through video lectures, reading materials and interactive quizzes.
Pros
- Next-gen student dashboard that analyzes your habits, creates a study schedule & tracks your progress
- “Pass or don’t pay” policy with all packages except the Basics
- Course for all stages in your career, including CE and broker licensing
Cons
- No free trial available
- Text-heavy courses with limited interactive elements
- A bit pricier than competitors
Features
- Course Formats: Choose between self-paced courses or live-stream options with instructors
- Course Access: Six months past the enrollment date
- Refund Policy: A full refund is available if you cancel one of your self-paced courses within 30 days. For livestream courses, you must cancel within 24 hours of your course’s start date.
- Exam Prep: Gives you all the goodies, including digital flashcards, practice exams, readiness assessments, audio guides, Q&A sessions and a series of live webinars.
- Student Support: Instructors are local to your state and are available by phone on business days or by email.
- Final Exam: You’ll take an online, closed-book final exam proctored and managed by Colibri. After that, you’ll move on to the state exam.
Pricing
Colibri Real Estate has four prelicensing options available to customers, alongside broker licensing courses, exam prep, and CE classes for returning agents. Standard bundles may still include exam prep materials to keep your memory sharp before exam time rolls around. All options include the required 90-hours of coursework. Let’s check out Colibri’s packages:
- The Basics ($341): In addition to your standard 90-hour prelicensing course, you have access to 24/7 instructor support via email, phone, etc, three real estate study guides, narrative audio guides to augment your standard coursework and coaching videos to get you geared for a career after the exam.
- Exam Preparation ($441): Gives you more study materials, including exams, flashcards, check-in assessments and audio review tools
- Exam Preparation Plus ($484): Tacks on additional features like a live webinar series and instructor Q&A for in-depth, specific questions or concerns.
- Ultimate Learning ($642): Grants access real estate “how-to” that walk you through specific aspects of the sales process, task checklists and an action plan.
Aceable Agent: Best for mobile & hands-free access
AceableAgent offers flexible, self-paced, and cost-effective courses. Through its website, unique mobile app, and podcast-style audio courses, Aceable Agent takes an innovative approach to online learning. You can learn on the go in multiple ways, so your study schedule can fit your busy life. Mastery Tracking helps you focus your energy on your weakest areas when studying for your course final and state licensing exams.
Designed by learning science experts using proven instructional principles, Aceable Agent’s easy-to-understand courses have frequent practice tests, so you’ll go into the state exam feeling confident. Courses feature videos, interactive games, infographics, knowledge checks, straightforward language, real-life scenarios, and bite-sized lessons to keep you engaged with the material.
Pros
- Mobile app access available with all plans
- Excellent lessons with real-world case studies
- “Ace or Don’t Pay” on all courses
- One-on-one mentorship available with key instructors
- Extensive suite of exam preparation materials
- High student pass rate
Cons
- No networking or career development opportunities outside of the courses
- No way to take notes within the platform
Features
- Course Formats: Self-paced online courses.
- Course Access: Six months past your enrollment
- Refund Policy: Get your money back after 30 days
- Ace or Don’t Pay: If you don’t pass in three tries, you’ll get your money back
- Exam Prep: Videos, audio lessons, flashcards and over 1,000 unique practice questions, an exam prep book, live webinars, instructor Q&A sessions and tutoring with an instructor
- Student Support: Open by email seven days a week, customer support is available by email and phone Monday to Friday.
- Final Exam: You can schedule your final exam once you finish the course. When exam time rolls around, you’ll be connected to an online proctor that will monitor your progress
Pricing
Aceable Agent offers three prelicensing course packages that include video lessons, practice questions, and other common tools associated with self-paced online courses. Their Deluxe and Premium packages incorporate additional features like instructor support, exam prep, AI tools and live webinars.
- Basic ($215): This basic option has 90 hours of coursework with videos, readings, audio guides, practice questions and more. You’ll also be in constant contact with instructors over email, so you’ll always have someone to turn to when you have a question.
- Deluxe ($369): This popular package grants access to an AI-powered 24/7 virtual instructor that answers any questions or concerns that arise during your coursework. Aceable’s PrepAgent gives you study aids, state exam questions and an exam prep book.
- Premium ($539): Includes live tutoring and webinars. You can also schedule a tutoring session with a state-specific real estate expert whenever needed. Live webinars are open five days a week, and the webinars cover many of the concepts you’ll face in your classes. Live Q&A sessions are available, too.
Online Ed: Best continuing education bundle
Save money on your continuing education down the road by choosing OnlineEd’s Premium Prelicensing course. This course includes your first-year renewal post-licensing course, which would otherwise cost you $500. Speaking of saving money — OnlineEd offers a price-match guarantee if you find a lower price on an equivalent course at another school.
OnlineEd’s learning platform provides content to students through straightforward lessons, easy-to-understand videos, and practice questions. You can now download your entire Online Ed course to an MP3 audio file and tune in as you would to your favorite podcast. Created in 1998 by a few brokers who wanted to offer real estate courses online, OnlineEd has helped thousands of students get licensed.
Pros
- Big savings on first-year renewal education with Premium Package
- Price match guarantee
- Access to professional membership resources
- Free interactive demo
- Premium Package incl. math-focused study tools & a textbook
Cons
- Dated, clunky user interface
- Pass guarantee does not apply to Basic course package
Features
- Course Formats: Self-paced real estate courses.
- Course Access: One year of access after you enroll.
- Refund Policy: Full refund available if you don’t access the course within two days of signing up. Otherwise, you’ll get a prorated refund based on how far you’ve progressed in the course, meaning you will get less money back the further you progress in a course
- Pass or Don’t Pay: Pass your exam the first time or your exam fee is on them (but only with Standard & Premium Packages)
- Exam Prep: Course focused on reviewing key material and simulated exams.
- Student Support: Customer service support by phone and email Monday to Friday, email support may be delayed on weekends.
- Final Exam: Online final exam, OnlineEd does not offer exam proctoring.
Pricing
OnlineEd has three state-approved comprehensive packages that fulfill all of your prelicensing needs. All packages have coursework, mobile access and other features. OnlineEd also offers a price match guarantee if you find an equivalent course elsewhere at a lower price.
- Basic ($235): OnlineEd’s basic package includes self-paced curriculum, videos and other features. However, exam prep materials aren’t available with this option. You can access the course anywhere as long as you have a mobile device with you. You can access the course anytime and anywhere, including a mobile device. You have access to a virtual file cabinet to keep your notes and files secure.
- Standard ($275): The standard package adds exam prep features, including practice tests, flashcards, and instructor support. There’s also a pass guarantee if you fail the test on the first try, and you’ll get a refund of the exam fee if you fail.
- Premium ($399): This package puts exam prep at the forefront with a math exam prep book, textbooks to reinforce your knowledge, and representation courses for buyer or seller agents. Plus, it has everything the other packages have, so you don’t miss anything. However, keep in mind that you’ll need to pay a $25 shipping fee for the textbooks.
Kaplan Real Estate Education: Best for practice tests & exam prep
If you’re a visual learner, Kaplan’s courses are for you. The majority of their course content is on-demand video lectures, with clear explanations, examples and graphics that make complex topics easy to understand. Features include readings, quizzes, videos and textbooks designed to convert you into a Washington real estate expert.
You can choose from self-paced options like video-on-demand or a live online classroom setting, allowing you to learn at your own pace and preference. Live Q&A sessions with instructors provide additional support. Arguably one of the more interactive online schools, Kaplan enables students to easily contact instructors through email, or join one of several interactive study groups that let you connect and study with other students in the course.
Pros
- Excellent practice tests
- Live online and in-person courses available
- Study groups available
- Strong student-instructor communication available
- Daily Live Online Learning Hub lessons available online
Cons
- No free trial
- No money-back guarantee
- No mobile app
- Limited career resources
Features
- Course Formats: Self-paced online courses, instructor-led livestream classes or home study text-based courses.
- Course Access: Six months with an option to extend
- Refund Policy: Full refund if you cancel any course within the first 30 days.
- Pass or Don’t Pay: None.
- Exam Prep: Reviews key material, gives you a practice question bank, quizzes, performance tracker, mock exams and interactive online study group.
- Student Support: National and state-specific subject matter experts are available via email and will reply to your question within a business day.
- Final Exam: Kaplan offers virtual final exam proctoring nationally, so you’ll take your exam online after you finish your course
Pricing
Kaplan has two primary course options for pre-licensing customers to choose from. If you’re interested in turning your journey into more bite-sized chunks, Kaplan offers a Washington 60-Hour Real Estate Fundamentals and a Washington Real Estate Practices: 30-hour Broker Prelicensing to be be purchased separately.
- Licensing Course with Exam Prep ($299): This package offers access to 90-hours worth of curriculum and Kaplan’s Online Learning Hub, a platform that hosts daily live classes online. You can also tap into a community of students to bounce ideas off of, share notes, or network with. The course tackles national, state, and math-related concepts. The exam prep is also great, since it has instructor-led material that further prepares you for the national and state law sections of the test. Kaplan will also connect you with a mentor to help you understand the curriculum a bit better. That may be a lot to swallow, but we’re not done yet. Kaplan has video courses, workbooks, and audio flashcards. There’s almost too much to include in one paragraph, but that’s a good thing when it comes to real estate schools.
- Career Launcher OnDemand ($699): TThe Career Launcher OnDemand package has an online video course and live coaching platform that gets you ready for the market. Instructors teach you how to close transactions during your weekly meetings, so you can do more than merely hold a real estate license for sport. This package is a bit more expensive, but it’s worth the money.
Methodology: How we chose the best real estate classes in Washington State
We work to earn your trust by sharing exactly how we rate the schools on our list. First, we evaluate the following must-haves:
- Affordability and pricing
- Course offerings, including study aids and technology
- Flexibility and format options
- Guarantees or refund policies
- Instructor qualifications and accessibility
- Pass rates and user reviews
Finally, we look at the unique features and career development tools provided by each school, as these can lead to long-term success for future agents and brokers.
Washington State real estate classes: FAQs
How long is the Washington licensing exam?
The Washington real estate broker exam consists of two portions:
- 100 questions that cover national real estate topics.
- 30 questions that cover Washington’s real estate license laws.
Multiple-choice questions on both portions will be intermixed and will not appear as separate sections. You’ll be given 3.5 hours to complete both the national and state-specific portions of the exam. To pass, you’ll need to score at least 70%.
What are the eligibility requirements to get a Washington State real estate license?
To be eligible for a Washington State real estate license, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Pass a background check
- Complete 90 hours of approved real estate education within two years before passing the Washington State real estate licensing exam (both the state & national portions)
Which classes are required for a Washington real estate license?
You may not need a college degree to get a real estate license in Washington, but you will have to take the two required real estate courses for a Washington broker license. Those two courses are:
- Washington Real Estate Fundamentals (60 course hours). This course teaches you the essentials of working in real estate (laws, regulations, financial matters, etc). Topics include contract law, real estate as a career, real property ownership, rights, interests, land use controls and more.
- Washington Real Estate Practices (30 course hours). This course teaches you the skills needed to have a successful real estate career in Washington. Topics include agency relationships, business skills and procedures and real estate math, to name a few.
Can I take my Washington real estate licensing exam online?
No, you must take the Washington real estate broker exam in person at a PSI Test Center.
How much does a Washington real estate license cost?
Before you can start selling real estate, you’ll need to invest a little upfront yourself. Here’s what to budget for:
- Background check & fingerprinting = $44.80
- Examination fee = $210
- License application fee = $223
- License print fee = $5
- Prelicensing coursework can cost between $169 and $1,000+
Estimated total = Between $651.80 and $1,482.80 *
What is the average salary for a Washington real estate agent?
According to Indeed.com, the average annual revenue for a Washington State real estate broker (a salesperson or agent in other states) is $89,323 (as of this writing). As in all states, Washington State real estate brokers are not paid a salary. Instead, they earn their money through commission sales.
It’s important to remember that the average earnings for a Washington State Realtor can vary based on years of experience, employment setting, and the property market you’re working in.
Helpful links
We’ve rounded up the links and websites that you’ll likely need to visit to complete your application process to become a real estate broker in Washington State.
HW Media, LLC has established an agreement with The CE Shop to promote online course information to consumers and real estate licensees. HW Media, LLC is not the developer of these courses and is simply providing a referral. Any questions regarding course content or technology should be directed to The CE Shop.
