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Associate broker education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an associate broker. Associate brokers usually study business, real estate, or finance. 65% of associate brokers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 5,006 real associate broker resumes to see exactly what associate broker education sections show.

The most common colleges for associate brokers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online associate broker courses to help get the education required to be an associate broker.

There are certain associate broker certifications that you should consider. These associate broker certifications include Certified Real Estate Inspector (CRI) and Certified Sales Professional (CSP).

What education do you need to become an associate broker?

What degree do you need to be an associate broker?

The most common degree for associate brokers is bachelor's degree, with 65% of associate brokers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 11%.
  • Bachelor's, 65%
  • Associate, 15%
  • Master's, 11%
  • High School Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become an associate broker?

You should major in business to become an associate broker. 32% of associate brokers major in business. Other common majors for an associate broker include real estate and finance.

Most common colleges for associate brokers

Associate brokers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Colorado State University, and University of Georgia. Here are the most common colleges for associate brokers in the US based on their resumes.
Associate broker common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix11.52%
Colorado State University7.83%
University of Georgia6.96%
University of Denver6.74%
University of Colorado at Boulder5.87%

Best majors for associate brokers

RankMajorPercentages
1Business31.7%
2Real Estate15.8%
3Finance5.2%
4Marketing4.7%
5Political Science4.7%

Best colleges for associate brokers

The best colleges for associate brokers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

An associate broker with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for associate brokers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become associate brokers.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

5. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

9. Arizona State University

Tempe, AZ • Private

In-state tuition

$10,822

Enrollment

42,529

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for associate brokers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for associate brokers

The most affordable schools for associate brokers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for associate brokers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for associate brokers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for associate brokers

The hardest universities for associate brokers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for associate brokers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for associate brokers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

9. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for associate brokers

The easiest schools for associate brokers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and la roche college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an associate broker without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for associate brokers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

7. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

8. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

9. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

10. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

Average associate broker salary by education level

According to our data, associate brokers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $72,320 annually. Associate brokers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $69,455.
Associate broker education levelAssociate broker salary
Master's Degree$72,320
High School Diploma or Less$58,790
Bachelor's Degree$69,455
Doctorate Degree$69,271
Some College/ Associate Degree$59,499

Associate broker education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.