Our recent post on the “Top Hospitality Schools” generated a significant amount of interest from readers in the U.S. and overseas. A number of readers contacted us seeking a similar table for colleges and universities with real estate programs. With so many postsecondary options to consider, it’s important that all prospective students have the information they need to make the best decision possible. Academic interests, selectivity and affordability are just some of the factors to take into consideration. For those who look even further ahead to their post-college lives, the earnings of alumni can also be a factor in the overall decision.

To find out which schools with real estate programs produce the highest-earning alumni, we used the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, which provides a variety of data on thousands of colleges, including the median earnings of federally aided students 10 years after enrolling and the average annual cost of attending. The database also includes admission rates, test scores, graduation rates and average annual costs.

Our rankings are restricted to universities and colleges with real estate programs. The schools listed here are derived from the list of Real Estate and Property Management Degrees (Undergraduate & Graduate) compiled by the Institute of Real Estate Management. The following table therefore provides important data for 2015-2016 for colleges and universities with real estate programs. Readers are able to sort the data by pressing on the arrows in the table heading and search for schools by using the search box at the top of the table. The definitions of the terms used in the table are provided at the end of the post.

Top Real Estate Schools Ranked by Test Scores, Admission & Graduation Rates and Earnings of Alumni

College/
University
Admission RateSAT - Critical ThinkingSAT - MathsSAT - WritingACTAverage Annual CostGraduation RateSalary After Attending
Massachusetts Institute of Technology8.3%680-780750-800690-78033-35$22,96891.6%$94,200
Harvard University5.6%700-800700-800710-79032-35$17,88297.6%$90,900
Georgetown University17.2%660-750660-750n/a30-34$30,58094.4%$90,100
University of Pennsylvania10.2%680-760700-790690-78031-34$25,22595.5%$82,400
Columbia University in the City of New York6.6%690-780690-790690-79031-35$21,03194.9%$78,200
Cornell University15.1%650-750680-780n/a30-34$29,71193.3%$73,600
University of Southern California17.7%620-730650-770650-75030-33$29,17491.6%$70,400
Johns Hopkins University14.1%670-750690-780670-77032-34$34,45593.4%$69,800
Drexel University74.7%530-630565-680n/a25-30$37,74767.7%$66,600
Northwestern University13.0%690-760710-800680-77031-34$28,15593.0%$65,900
University of California-Berkeley16.9%610-740640-770630-76030-34$13,26291.1%$61,800
University of Maryland-College Park44.9%590-690620-730n/an/a$15,63485.6%$61,700
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University73.4%540-640560-680530-630n/a$20,17283.0%$60,500
New York University32.1%620-720630-750630-73029-32$36,41983.5%$59,600
University of San Diego51.7%550-640560-670540-65026-30$33,86577.9%$59,300
American University35.0%590-690560-650570-67026-30$36,48081.4%$59,200
Marquette University74.2%530-640540-660510-64024-30$31,09379.5%$59,000
University of California-Los Angeles17.3%580-710600-760590-73028-33$13,32891.0%$58,700
George Mason University68.9%520-620520-630n/a23-29$19,24568.1%$58,100
University of Miami37.8%590-690610-700580-68028-32$32,74681.3%$57,800
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign65.6%570-680700-790590-69026-31$18,14384.7%$57,600
Southern Methodist University49.0%600-690620-720600-69028-32$32,58078.0%$57,300
Brigham Young University-Provo48.1%570-680580-680550-66027-31$12,59779.7%$56,800
Catholic University of America78.6%n/an/an/an/a$35,18867.9%$55,800
University of Connecticut53.2%550-650580-690550-65026-31$20,02381.9%$55,800
University of St Thomas84.0%520-630510-620n/a24-29$28,37474.0%$55,600
Texas A & M University-College Station66.6%520-640550-670490-61025-30$13,42679.1%$55,500
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College32.4%540-630600-690n/an/a$7,01467.7%$55,300
University of Baltimore52.7%445-550420-530425-53018-23$14,47337.4%$55,100
The University of Texas at Austin39.2%570-690600-720560-69026-32$17,74280.1%$54,900
University of Washington-Seattle Campus53.3%540-660580-710530-65026-31$12,94783.9%$54,800
University of Wisconsin-Madison57.6%560-660630-750590-69027-31$19,37884.3%$54,200
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill30.5%600-710620-720590-70028-33$13,74490.2%$54,100
University of Denver72.8%550-660560-660530-63026-30$28,83976.8%$53,800
University of Florida47.5%580-670590-680570-67027-31$12,02287.0%$53,100
University of Illinois at Chicago76.7%470-590520-670480-59021-26$13,52759.7%$52,200
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona39.3%450-580470-620n/a20-27$13,39059.7%$51,100
The University of Texas at Dallas61.5%560-670600-700520-65025-31$12,94068.4%$51,100
DePaul University72.0%n/an/an/an/a$28,43472.0%$51,000
University of Utah81.4%500-640510-660490-62021-28$13,96963.1%$51,000
Clemson University51.3%560-660590-690n/a27-31$15,88581.6%$50,900
Monmouth University74.2%480-570470-550440-56020-25$28,09367.3%$50,300
Thomas Edison State Universityn/an/an/an/an/an/an/a$50,000
Texas Christian University43.3%530-630550-650530-64025-30$32,00575.5%$49,900
Baylor University43.7%560-650580-670530-64025-30$32,65771.3%$49,400
Texas Tech University63.1%510-600520-620470-57023-27$16,80459.5%$49,300
Philadelphia University64.2%490-580490-600470-57021-26$27,36865.7%$49,100
Montclair State University70.1%n/an/an/an/a$22,37764.7%$48,900
Temple University55.7%n/an/an/an/a$20,67069.9%$48,600
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus51.3%530-630560-670540-64025-29$29,22685.9%$48,500
University of Georgia52.9%570-660580-670560-66026-30$12,02384.9%$48,500
San Diego State University34.4%500-600510-630n/a22-28$13,47567.0%$48,300
University of Colorado Boulder79.6%530-640540-660n/a24-30$21,80670.6%$48,100
Auburn University77.7%530-630540-650520-62024-30$22,18371.9%$47,100
The University of Texas at Arlington66.4%400-540490-610440-56020-26$14,05944.2%$46,700
Indiana University-Bloomington78.0%520-630540-660510-62024-30$15,34977.4%$46,100
University of Missouri-Columbia78.1%530-650530-650n/a24-29$16,90269.1%$46,100
Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix78.5%480-590480-590n/a21-26$12,13561.8%$45,400
Colorado State University-Fort Collins80.8%520-620520-630n/a22-28$16,77765.9%$45,000
Curry College87.7%430-510420-520n/a18-22$29,46445.8%$44,900
Florida State University55.9%560-640560-640560-64025-29$15,66479.3%$44,900
California State University-Fullerton41.9%460-560470-570n/a19-24$7,45458.6%$44,500
University of Wisconsin-Stout93.1%n/an/an/a20-24$15,64855.1%$44,300
Florida International University50.4%500-590490-580490-57022-26$12,42756.0%$44,200
Nova Southeastern University59.2%490-605490-620n/a22-29$23,76544.8%$44,200
The University of Texas at San Antonio78%460-570470-580430-54020-25$11,84331.3%$44,000
University of Missouri-Kansas City62.7%510-680520-710n/a21-28$14,41851.1%$43,900
Ohio State University-Main Campus49.4%560-670610-720560-66027-31$18,09983.3%$43,700
University of Hawaii at Manoa81.4%480-580490-610460-57020-25$13,44156.7%$43,600
California State University-Northridge45.6%400-500390-510n/a16-22$6,79748.5%$43,400
University of Central Florida48.6%540-630540-640510-61024-28$14,22170.1%$43,300
University of North Texas70.2%490-600500-600n/a21-26$12,78451.0%$43,300
University of Nevada-Las Vegas88.4%440-560450-560420-53018-25$10,91539.8%$43,200
University of Arkansas60.1%500-600510-620n/a23-28$14,54662.4%$43,100
University of South Carolina-Columbia64.5%550-640560-650n/a25-30$18,55572.7%$43,000
Portland State University85.7%470-590460-570440-56019-25$14,32342.0%$42,900
Saint Cloud State University86.2%445-560450-585n/a19-25$13,78643.6%$42,900
University of Northern Iowa79.5%410-570470-610360-55020-25$15,96165.8%$42,800
Roosevelt University72.3%470-635470-610460-60019-25$22,22933.9%$42,700
The University of Alabama53.6%490-600490-610480-60022-31$20,57566.4%$42,700
University of North Carolina at Charlotte63.3%500-580510-600470-56022-25$11,57153.9%$42,700
Old Dominion University83.1%460-570460-570n/a18-24$15,93552.1%$42,600
University of Nebraska at Omaha75.9%453-618453-610410-58519-26$12,50545.6%$42,300
Virginia Commonwealth University79.0%500-610490-590480-59021-27$21,74160.6%$42,200
University of North Florida56.6%540-630530-610500-59022-27$13,62155.0%$42,100
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater80.5%410-550490-590410-51020-25$14,10758.8%$41,900
Georgia State University56.7%480-580470-590470-57020-25$14,29053.6%$41,200
University of Mississippi78.7%490-600500-600n/a21-28$14,28461.2%$41,100
Florida Gulf Coast University60.6%490-570480-570480-56022-26$16,10846.1%$41,000
Central Michigan University68.8%470-560430-580455-56020-25$14,50957.2%$40,200
De Anza Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$5,087n/a$40,000
Cleveland State University64.1%440-570450-580430-54019-25$17,13639.0%$39,700
College of Charleston77.2%520-610510-600n/a23-28$17,82667.3%$39,700
Wichita State University94.7%460-600480-600n/a21-26$14,94543.7%$39,600
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus85.6%510-630530-660490-62023-28$22,18060.8%$39,500
Ball State University60.5%510-600500-590490-58020-24$15,20159.5%$39,400
College of San Mateon/an/an/an/an/a$2,140n/a$38,700
College of the Canyonsn/an/an/an/an/a$5,924n/a$37,900
University of New Orleans57.7%460-600475-630n/a20-24$8,89134.3%$37,800
University of West Georgia56.9%440-520420-500n/a18-22$15,36539.9%$37,200
Clarion University of Pennsylvania96.1%420-520420-510400-49017-22$17,93649.4%$37,000
Middle Tennessee State University72.6%480-630450-610n/a19-25$11,38145.0%$37,000
University of Memphis39.8%430-580460-570410-55019-25$13,35344.6%$36,400
Montgomery County Community Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$8,679n/a$36,300
Dakota County Technical Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$12,584n/a$35,900
University of Southern Mississippi58.0%450-555445-565n/a19-26$12,17549.1%$35,800
Waukesha County Technical Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$10,303n/a$35,000
Austin Community College Districtn/an/an/an/an/a$9,254n/a$34,900
East Tennessee State University79.2%420-540420-590n/a20-26$15,24543.2%$34,600
College of DuPagen/an/an/an/an/a$7,163n/a$34,500
Tennessee State Universityn/an/an/an/an/a$10,49340.2%$34,400
Marylhurst University100%n/an/an/an/an/a31.1%$34,000
Irvine Valley Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$9,311n/a$33,900
Fullerton Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$5,722n/a$32,800
Houston Community Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$7,581n/a$32,700
Los Angeles Harbor Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$9,565n/a$31,500
Merritt Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$7,559n/a$31,400
El Camino College-Compton Centern/an/an/an/an/a$7,520n/a$31,300
Hartnell Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$9,564n/a$31,200
Milwaukee Area Technical Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$9,532n/a$30,900
American River Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$7,068n/a$30,500
Los Angeles Valley Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$7,475n/a$30,500
East Los Angeles Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$8,005n/a$30,100
West Los Angeles Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$6,314n/a$29,900
Bakersfield Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$3,179n/a$29,500
Elizabethtown Community and Technical Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$6,428n/a$28,100
Antelope Valley Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$5,422n/a$27,900
Cosumnes River Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$7,954n/a$27,500
Jefferson Community and Technical Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$6,618n/a$27,200
Los Angeles City Collegen/an/an/an/an/a$5,738n/a$26,900
Saint Augustine's University57.7%330-410320-430300-41013-17$26,22533.3%$25,100
Source: U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard Data, V1.10.5.
Note: The schools listed here are derived from the list developed by the Institute of Real Estate Management. (www.irem.org)

Of the 131 schools, 55 have higher than average salaries compared to the entire group of schools. The average salary is $46,543 which compares favorably to the average of $33,800 for all schools in College Scorecard. The salary ranges from a high of $94,200 in the case of Massachusetts Institute of Technology to a low of $25,100 for Saint Augustine’s University.

Definitions

Admission Rate: Is defined as the number of admitted undergraduates divided by the number of undergraduates who applied.

Test Scores: At schools that report their test scores, 50 percent had scores within this range. Of the remaining 50 percent, half were above the range and half were below. Not all schools require test scores. Students who were admitted and enrolled typically had standardized test scores in these ranges.

Average Annual Cost: The average annual net price for federal financial aid recipients, after aid from the school, state, or federal government. For public schools, this is only the average cost for in-state students. Readers can compare the average annual cost of a college with the national average of all colleges which is currently $16,300.

Graduation Rate: The graduation rate within 150 percent of the expected time to completion (typically six years for schools that award predominantly four-year degrees and three years for schools that award predominantly two-year degrees). These rates are only for full-time students enrolled for the first time. Readers can compare the graduation rate of a college with the national average which is currently 42%.

Salary After Attending: The median earnings of former students who received federal financial aid, at 10 years after entering the school. Readers can compare the salary after attending a college with the national average of $34,100.

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