Related: How to Be Successful in Real Estate
What Are the Best Majors for Real Estate?
Do you want to build an exciting career in real estate after college? If so, you’ll want to choose a major that will teach you the skills you’ll need to succeed. Luckily, many disciplines can lead to a bright future in this profession, but how do you choose among the best majors for real estate careers when so many of them will serve your needs?
Indeed, any college program you choose will help you gain relevant qualifications for a variety of real estate careers. Since real estate agents juggle multiple tasks during every sale, from advertising and accounting to working with legal contracts, you will need to acquire a wide range of skills. Moreover, what you want to specialize in (i.e. – commercial, residential, leasing, investing, etc.) and how you plan to compete with other agents will determine your direction as a top real estate professional.
How to Choose Among the Best Degrees for Real Estate
In addition to referencing our non-exhaustive list of the best majors for real estate that we provide below, we would encourage you to set aside time for the following career planning tasks, each of which will guide you through the goal-setting process and give you a better grasp of what it will take to meet those goals:
- Learn about the real estate industry. The National Association of Realtors offers some of the best online resources for both beginners and industry veterans. Our growing library of career resources also contains excellent information. Read up, but don’t stop there.
- Talk to actual real estate professionals at various stages of their careers. Network with people who already work in the industry through LinkedIn, online professional groups, friends of friends, job fairs, and anywhere else that comes to mind. In fact, your college’s alumni association and career center will probably know people to connect you with, or at least how to find those people. Alumni love to help students and graduates from their alma mater, so don’t hesitate to tap into that network.
- Also, talk to your academic advisor and visit the career center. Your university hires professionals dedicated to helping you plan and achieve your career goals. Take advantage of these resources in your early college years rather than waiting until your senior year to maximize their benefits.
- Make a list of skills you need to learn & a list of the reasons that real estate interests you. Use these lists to set attainable goals and check off the boxes as you go. Also, use these lists to inform your decision about your major in the next step.
- Make another list of disciplines that spark your interest & match the list of skills you need to learn to each one. You’ll want to choose a major that not only aligns with your interests, but also emphasizes a number of the skills you added to those previous lists. No major will cover every single item on your lists, and that’s okay. This process gives you the opportunity to prioritize your wants and needs and to develop a clearer understanding of what you hope to get out of your education.
- At this point, you’ll either discover your dream major, or at least narrow down the list to a few options. If you’re still struggling to decide, continue to talk to people, ask questions, and hash it out. You can even take your top 3 choices and write out the pros & cons for each one to compare and weigh the benefits and disadvantages of each.
What to Expect with a Real Estate Career
Real estate agents will process complicated transactions and need specific expertise when doing their job. They start out by attaining the required certifications and skills, such as:
- A real estate license – the requirements vary by each state
- Communication skills – explaining contracts in detail
- Negotiation tactics – advocating for your clients
- Understanding contracts – knowing the law and ethics
- Time management – tracking listings and schedules
- Financial acuity – understanding the escrow process.
Best Areas of Study
Business Administration
Real estate agents must understand the escrow process and the disclosures included in real estate contracts. Thus, a general knowledge of business and how all the different pieces work together is important. A Business Administration degree provides a great overview of how to run a business because students typically learn about management, finance, human resources, operations, and marketing. With this degree, students can set themselves up to become a Broker and manage their own real estate agency in the future, making this one of the best majors for real estate entrepreneurship.
Business Administration subjects typically include:
- Finance – economics
- Management – leadership
- Accounting – business math
- Marketing – market research
- Operations – logistics
Communications
A degree in Communications is a good choice for learning how to manage your online presence with different methods of advertising, including social media campaigns, newsletters, and flyers. Communications can also help further develop interpersonal communication skills when working with clients, brokers, or title companies as well as when navigating the negotiation process. Understanding the latest technology and effective marketing strategies can help real estate agents develop their plan of action for finding leads. This degree could also help you transition into real estate training positions.
Communications subjects typically include:
- Communications – public relations
- Research – data analytics
- Organization – event planning
- Management – conflict resolution
- Digital Arts – graphic design
Accounting
At its core, real estate consists of sales transactions, albeit complicated ones. A real estate agent who understands how to perform complex calculations will find it easier to complete their sales. An Accounting degree can teach you how to calculate interest rates, down payments, and taxes. In addition, accounting can help you determine the numbers for operational expenses, such as payroll, training, and travel expenses. Accounting degrees could also be helpful in preparing agents to become an operations manager for a brokerage, or an accountant at a real estate startup.
Accounting subjects typically include:
- Accounting – systems and theory
- Economics – microeconomics
- Business – law and ethics
- Finance – statistical analysis
- Taxes – auditing and assurance
HR
Real estate agents interact with diverse groups of people every day, and understanding how to develop effective relationships leads to success. Obtaining a Human Resources (HR) degree can help you understand people better and develop strategies for uncovering solutions when conflicts occur. An HR degree will also teach you about team development, compensation, and benefits structures. This degree makes a good stepping stone towards management positions, such as leading large teams in a brokerage firm.
Human Resources subjects typically include:
- Law – employee safety and confidentiality
- Management – supervision and mediation
- Recruitment – hiring and retention
- Communication – documenting reports
- Compensation – salary and benefits analysis
Why Choose to Start Your Career with AptAmigo
No matter what degree you choose, AptAmigo is an excellent place to explore your career options in real estate. We developed a proven training and mentorship system to help you succeed in the rental industry, whether you arrive brand-new to the profession or with years of experience. Our knowledgeable and supportive teams will guide you through it, and they will eagerly answer any questions along the way.
When you become an AptAmigo Apartment Locator, you’ll also gain access to our proprietary CRM, which can help you customize your client’s experience based on their needs. Because of our extensive database of buildings, our CRM can streamline the process for apartment hunters, saving them both time and money. AptAmigo began with the mission to give people a great experience when finding their next apartment, and we now offer all the tools apartment locators need to make this mission a reality.
After You Earn Your Degree in One of the Best Majors for Real Estate, Join Our Team.
If you’re ready to start your career in real estate and want to make a difference in your client’s lives, earn that degree in one of the best majors for real estate listed above, and then join our team today. Our Apartment Locators offer a free, concierge-level service that makes the apartment hunting process more fun and stress free. Plus, with some serious hard work and dedication, you could earn a six-figure income while you pursue your dream career in real estate!
AptAmigo is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and does not discriminate based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, in connection with any aspect of employment at AptAmigo.
