Real Estate
Students study property valuation, real estate finance, investment analysis, property law, and the commercial and residential real estate markets. Graduates typically pursue careers as real estate analysts, commercial brokers, property managers, real estate investment trust (REIT) analysts, and real estate finance professionals. Real estate offers high earning potential, particularly in commercial brokerage and real estate investment.
What Real Estate graduates do
Your career in real estate will be built on relationships and complex problem-solving. As a new real estate agent, your days will be spent guiding clients through properties, drafting and negotiating offers, and managing the intricate details of a transaction from contract to closing. Alternatively, you might start as a property manager, where you're the go-to person for everything from collecting rent and managing budgets to coordinating emergency repairs for a leaky roof or a broken furnace.
Over time, successful agents often earn a broker’s license, allowing them to manage their own firm and supervise other agents. With a moderate AI exposure, technology is changing these jobs, not eliminating them. Expect AI to automate significant chunks of your routine work, like initial market analysis, drafting property descriptions, or scheduling showings. This won't replace you, but it will shift your daily focus toward the tasks that require a human touch: high-stakes negotiations, building client trust, and providing expert judgment. Adaptability will be key to thriving.
If Real Estate isn't the right fit, programs like Real Estate Development, Insurance, and Finance draw from adjacent disciplines.
Where Real Estate graduates work
Common career paths for Real Estate graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 85,300 combined openings per year across these roles.
| Role | Median Pay | Annual Openings | 10-yr Growth | AI Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Real estate brokers
|
$72,280
$48K–$114K
|
9,700 | +3.3% | High · 50% |
|
Property, real estate, and community association managers
|
$66,700
$50K–$96K
|
39,000 | +3.6% | Moderate · 44% |
|
Real estate sales agents
|
$56,320
$39K–$85K
|
36,600 | +3.1% | Moderate · 44% |
Best schools for Real Estate
Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 28.
| # | School | DW Score | 1-yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit
|
64 | $98,763 | 4.3x |
| 6 |
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA · Public
|
63 | $56,866 | 17.0x |
| 7 |
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofit
|
60 | $75,702 | 3.8x |
| 8 |
University of North Texas
Denton, TX · Public
|
59 | $44,124 | 16.3x |
| 9 |
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit
|
57 | $58,246 | 4.4x |
| 10 |
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA · Public
|
54 | $48,836 | 7.8x |
| 11 |
Ball State University
Muncie, IN · Public
|
53 | $58,575 | 12.6x |
| 12 |
DePaul University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit
|
53 | $53,515 | 3.8x |
| 13 |
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · Public
|
52 | $68,078 | 10.0x |
| 14 |
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, WI · Public
|
52 | $54,061 | 12.3x |
| 15 |
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY · Public
|
52 | $42,920 | 16.4x |
| 16 |
University of Mississippi
University, MS · Public
|
50 | $49,283 | 12.1x |
| 17 |
California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA · Public
|
50 | $35,879 | 19.7x |
| 18 |
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · Public
|
48 | $51,965 | 9.2x |
| 19 |
Ashford University
San Diego, CA · Private for-profit
|
48 | $49,261 | 8.8x |
| 20 |
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL · Public
|
48 | $41,218 | 15.2x |
Highest Earnings Top 5
| University of Southern California
CA |
$98,763 |
| Villanova University
PA |
$75,702 |
| New York University
NY |
$74,912 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison
WI |
$73,239 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus
OH |
$72,769 |
Best ROI Top 5
| Florida State University
FL |
36.7x |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison
WI |
25.8x |
| California State University-Northridge
CA |
19.7x |
| University of Georgia
GA |
18.6x |
| University of Northern Iowa
IA |
17.0x |
Related majors
Similar fields of study often offered alongside Real Estate.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Real Estate offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Real Estate trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Real Estate
How much do Real Estate graduates earn?
First-year earnings for Real Estate graduates average $56,869 annually, based on data from 28 programs. The range spans $35,879 at the low end to $98,763 at the top.
What is the AI automation risk for Real Estate?
AI exposure for Real Estate is rated "High." With 52% of tasks potentially affected by large language models, most career functions face meaningful automation pressure in the coming decade.
Where should I study Real Estate?
Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks #1 for Real Estate with a score of 72/100 and graduate earnings of $73,239/yr.
Is a Real Estate degree worth the investment?
Typical graduates earn 11.0 times what they paid in tuition within a decade. This is a strong return on investment. Look at per-school ROI in the table above — averages can mask significant variation.