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 Rate | SAT - Critical Thinking | SAT - Maths | SAT - Writing | ACT | Average Annual Cost | Graduation Rate | Salary After Attending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 8.3% | 680-780 | 750-800 | 690-780 | 33-35 | $22,968 | 91.6% | $94,200 |
| Harvard University | 5.6% | 700-800 | 700-800 | 710-790 | 32-35 | $17,882 | 97.6% | $90,900 |
| Georgetown University | 17.2% | 660-750 | 660-750 | n/a | 30-34 | $30,580 | 94.4% | $90,100 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 10.2% | 680-760 | 700-790 | 690-780 | 31-34 | $25,225 | 95.5% | $82,400 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | 6.6% | 690-780 | 690-790 | 690-790 | 31-35 | $21,031 | 94.9% | $78,200 |
| Cornell University | 15.1% | 650-750 | 680-780 | n/a | 30-34 | $29,711 | 93.3% | $73,600 |
| University of Southern California | 17.7% | 620-730 | 650-770 | 650-750 | 30-33 | $29,174 | 91.6% | $70,400 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 14.1% | 670-750 | 690-780 | 670-770 | 32-34 | $34,455 | 93.4% | $69,800 |
| Drexel University | 74.7% | 530-630 | 565-680 | n/a | 25-30 | $37,747 | 67.7% | $66,600 |
| Northwestern University | 13.0% | 690-760 | 710-800 | 680-770 | 31-34 | $28,155 | 93.0% | $65,900 |
| University of California-Berkeley | 16.9% | 610-740 | 640-770 | 630-760 | 30-34 | $13,262 | 91.1% | $61,800 |
| University of Maryland-College Park | 44.9% | 590-690 | 620-730 | n/a | n/a | $15,634 | 85.6% | $61,700 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 73.4% | 540-640 | 560-680 | 530-630 | n/a | $20,172 | 83.0% | $60,500 |
| New York University | 32.1% | 620-720 | 630-750 | 630-730 | 29-32 | $36,419 | 83.5% | $59,600 |
| University of San Diego | 51.7% | 550-640 | 560-670 | 540-650 | 26-30 | $33,865 | 77.9% | $59,300 |
| American University | 35.0% | 590-690 | 560-650 | 570-670 | 26-30 | $36,480 | 81.4% | $59,200 |
| Marquette University | 74.2% | 530-640 | 540-660 | 510-640 | 24-30 | $31,093 | 79.5% | $59,000 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | 17.3% | 580-710 | 600-760 | 590-730 | 28-33 | $13,328 | 91.0% | $58,700 |
| George Mason University | 68.9% | 520-620 | 520-630 | n/a | 23-29 | $19,245 | 68.1% | $58,100 |
| University of Miami | 37.8% | 590-690 | 610-700 | 580-680 | 28-32 | $32,746 | 81.3% | $57,800 |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 65.6% | 570-680 | 700-790 | 590-690 | 26-31 | $18,143 | 84.7% | $57,600 |
| Southern Methodist University | 49.0% | 600-690 | 620-720 | 600-690 | 28-32 | $32,580 | 78.0% | $57,300 |
| Brigham Young University-Provo | 48.1% | 570-680 | 580-680 | 550-660 | 27-31 | $12,597 | 79.7% | $56,800 |
| Catholic University of America | 78.6% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $35,188 | 67.9% | $55,800 |
| University of Connecticut | 53.2% | 550-650 | 580-690 | 550-650 | 26-31 | $20,023 | 81.9% | $55,800 |
| University of St Thomas | 84.0% | 520-630 | 510-620 | n/a | 24-29 | $28,374 | 74.0% | $55,600 |
| Texas A & M University-College Station | 66.6% | 520-640 | 550-670 | 490-610 | 25-30 | $13,426 | 79.1% | $55,500 |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | 32.4% | 540-630 | 600-690 | n/a | n/a | $7,014 | 67.7% | $55,300 |
| University of Baltimore | 52.7% | 445-550 | 420-530 | 425-530 | 18-23 | $14,473 | 37.4% | $55,100 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | 39.2% | 570-690 | 600-720 | 560-690 | 26-32 | $17,742 | 80.1% | $54,900 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 53.3% | 540-660 | 580-710 | 530-650 | 26-31 | $12,947 | 83.9% | $54,800 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | 57.6% | 560-660 | 630-750 | 590-690 | 27-31 | $19,378 | 84.3% | $54,200 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 30.5% | 600-710 | 620-720 | 590-700 | 28-33 | $13,744 | 90.2% | $54,100 |
| University of Denver | 72.8% | 550-660 | 560-660 | 530-630 | 26-30 | $28,839 | 76.8% | $53,800 |
| University of Florida | 47.5% | 580-670 | 590-680 | 570-670 | 27-31 | $12,022 | 87.0% | $53,100 |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | 76.7% | 470-590 | 520-670 | 480-590 | 21-26 | $13,527 | 59.7% | $52,200 |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 39.3% | 450-580 | 470-620 | n/a | 20-27 | $13,390 | 59.7% | $51,100 |
| The University of Texas at Dallas | 61.5% | 560-670 | 600-700 | 520-650 | 25-31 | $12,940 | 68.4% | $51,100 |
| DePaul University | 72.0% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $28,434 | 72.0% | $51,000 |
| University of Utah | 81.4% | 500-640 | 510-660 | 490-620 | 21-28 | $13,969 | 63.1% | $51,000 |
| Clemson University | 51.3% | 560-660 | 590-690 | n/a | 27-31 | $15,885 | 81.6% | $50,900 |
| Monmouth University | 74.2% | 480-570 | 470-550 | 440-560 | 20-25 | $28,093 | 67.3% | $50,300 |
| Thomas Edison State University | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $50,000 |
| Texas Christian University | 43.3% | 530-630 | 550-650 | 530-640 | 25-30 | $32,005 | 75.5% | $49,900 |
| Baylor University | 43.7% | 560-650 | 580-670 | 530-640 | 25-30 | $32,657 | 71.3% | $49,400 |
| Texas Tech University | 63.1% | 510-600 | 520-620 | 470-570 | 23-27 | $16,804 | 59.5% | $49,300 |
| Philadelphia University | 64.2% | 490-580 | 490-600 | 470-570 | 21-26 | $27,368 | 65.7% | $49,100 |
| Montclair State University | 70.1% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $22,377 | 64.7% | $48,900 |
| Temple University | 55.7% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $20,670 | 69.9% | $48,600 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 51.3% | 530-630 | 560-670 | 540-640 | 25-29 | $29,226 | 85.9% | $48,500 |
| University of Georgia | 52.9% | 570-660 | 580-670 | 560-660 | 26-30 | $12,023 | 84.9% | $48,500 |
| San Diego State University | 34.4% | 500-600 | 510-630 | n/a | 22-28 | $13,475 | 67.0% | $48,300 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | 79.6% | 530-640 | 540-660 | n/a | 24-30 | $21,806 | 70.6% | $48,100 |
| Auburn University | 77.7% | 530-630 | 540-650 | 520-620 | 24-30 | $22,183 | 71.9% | $47,100 |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | 66.4% | 400-540 | 490-610 | 440-560 | 20-26 | $14,059 | 44.2% | $46,700 |
| Indiana University-Bloomington | 78.0% | 520-630 | 540-660 | 510-620 | 24-30 | $15,349 | 77.4% | $46,100 |
| University of Missouri-Columbia | 78.1% | 530-650 | 530-650 | n/a | 24-29 | $16,902 | 69.1% | $46,100 |
| Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix | 78.5% | 480-590 | 480-590 | n/a | 21-26 | $12,135 | 61.8% | $45,400 |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 80.8% | 520-620 | 520-630 | n/a | 22-28 | $16,777 | 65.9% | $45,000 |
| Curry College | 87.7% | 430-510 | 420-520 | n/a | 18-22 | $29,464 | 45.8% | $44,900 |
| Florida State University | 55.9% | 560-640 | 560-640 | 560-640 | 25-29 | $15,664 | 79.3% | $44,900 |
| California State University-Fullerton | 41.9% | 460-560 | 470-570 | n/a | 19-24 | $7,454 | 58.6% | $44,500 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout | 93.1% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 20-24 | $15,648 | 55.1% | $44,300 |
| Florida International University | 50.4% | 500-590 | 490-580 | 490-570 | 22-26 | $12,427 | 56.0% | $44,200 |
| Nova Southeastern University | 59.2% | 490-605 | 490-620 | n/a | 22-29 | $23,765 | 44.8% | $44,200 |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | 78% | 460-570 | 470-580 | 430-540 | 20-25 | $11,843 | 31.3% | $44,000 |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City | 62.7% | 510-680 | 520-710 | n/a | 21-28 | $14,418 | 51.1% | $43,900 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | 49.4% | 560-670 | 610-720 | 560-660 | 27-31 | $18,099 | 83.3% | $43,700 |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | 81.4% | 480-580 | 490-610 | 460-570 | 20-25 | $13,441 | 56.7% | $43,600 |
| California State University-Northridge | 45.6% | 400-500 | 390-510 | n/a | 16-22 | $6,797 | 48.5% | $43,400 |
| University of Central Florida | 48.6% | 540-630 | 540-640 | 510-610 | 24-28 | $14,221 | 70.1% | $43,300 |
| University of North Texas | 70.2% | 490-600 | 500-600 | n/a | 21-26 | $12,784 | 51.0% | $43,300 |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 88.4% | 440-560 | 450-560 | 420-530 | 18-25 | $10,915 | 39.8% | $43,200 |
| University of Arkansas | 60.1% | 500-600 | 510-620 | n/a | 23-28 | $14,546 | 62.4% | $43,100 |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | 64.5% | 550-640 | 560-650 | n/a | 25-30 | $18,555 | 72.7% | $43,000 |
| Portland State University | 85.7% | 470-590 | 460-570 | 440-560 | 19-25 | $14,323 | 42.0% | $42,900 |
| Saint Cloud State University | 86.2% | 445-560 | 450-585 | n/a | 19-25 | $13,786 | 43.6% | $42,900 |
| University of Northern Iowa | 79.5% | 410-570 | 470-610 | 360-550 | 20-25 | $15,961 | 65.8% | $42,800 |
| Roosevelt University | 72.3% | 470-635 | 470-610 | 460-600 | 19-25 | $22,229 | 33.9% | $42,700 |
| The University of Alabama | 53.6% | 490-600 | 490-610 | 480-600 | 22-31 | $20,575 | 66.4% | $42,700 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 63.3% | 500-580 | 510-600 | 470-560 | 22-25 | $11,571 | 53.9% | $42,700 |
| Old Dominion University | 83.1% | 460-570 | 460-570 | n/a | 18-24 | $15,935 | 52.1% | $42,600 |
| University of Nebraska at Omaha | 75.9% | 453-618 | 453-610 | 410-585 | 19-26 | $12,505 | 45.6% | $42,300 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | 79.0% | 500-610 | 490-590 | 480-590 | 21-27 | $21,741 | 60.6% | $42,200 |
| University of North Florida | 56.6% | 540-630 | 530-610 | 500-590 | 22-27 | $13,621 | 55.0% | $42,100 |
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 80.5% | 410-550 | 490-590 | 410-510 | 20-25 | $14,107 | 58.8% | $41,900 |
| Georgia State University | 56.7% | 480-580 | 470-590 | 470-570 | 20-25 | $14,290 | 53.6% | $41,200 |
| University of Mississippi | 78.7% | 490-600 | 500-600 | n/a | 21-28 | $14,284 | 61.2% | $41,100 |
| Florida Gulf Coast University | 60.6% | 490-570 | 480-570 | 480-560 | 22-26 | $16,108 | 46.1% | $41,000 |
| Central Michigan University | 68.8% | 470-560 | 430-580 | 455-560 | 20-25 | $14,509 | 57.2% | $40,200 |
| De Anza College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,087 | n/a | $40,000 |
| Cleveland State University | 64.1% | 440-570 | 450-580 | 430-540 | 19-25 | $17,136 | 39.0% | $39,700 |
| College of Charleston | 77.2% | 520-610 | 510-600 | n/a | 23-28 | $17,826 | 67.3% | $39,700 |
| Wichita State University | 94.7% | 460-600 | 480-600 | n/a | 21-26 | $14,945 | 43.7% | $39,600 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 85.6% | 510-630 | 530-660 | 490-620 | 23-28 | $22,180 | 60.8% | $39,500 |
| Ball State University | 60.5% | 510-600 | 500-590 | 490-580 | 20-24 | $15,201 | 59.5% | $39,400 |
| College of San Mateo | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $2,140 | n/a | $38,700 |
| College of the Canyons | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,924 | n/a | $37,900 |
| University of New Orleans | 57.7% | 460-600 | 475-630 | n/a | 20-24 | $8,891 | 34.3% | $37,800 |
| University of West Georgia | 56.9% | 440-520 | 420-500 | n/a | 18-22 | $15,365 | 39.9% | $37,200 |
| Clarion University of Pennsylvania | 96.1% | 420-520 | 420-510 | 400-490 | 17-22 | $17,936 | 49.4% | $37,000 |
| Middle Tennessee State University | 72.6% | 480-630 | 450-610 | n/a | 19-25 | $11,381 | 45.0% | $37,000 |
| University of Memphis | 39.8% | 430-580 | 460-570 | 410-550 | 19-25 | $13,353 | 44.6% | $36,400 |
| Montgomery County Community College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $8,679 | n/a | $36,300 |
| Dakota County Technical College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $12,584 | n/a | $35,900 |
| University of Southern Mississippi | 58.0% | 450-555 | 445-565 | n/a | 19-26 | $12,175 | 49.1% | $35,800 |
| Waukesha County Technical College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $10,303 | n/a | $35,000 |
| Austin Community College District | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $9,254 | n/a | $34,900 |
| East Tennessee State University | 79.2% | 420-540 | 420-590 | n/a | 20-26 | $15,245 | 43.2% | $34,600 |
| College of DuPage | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $7,163 | n/a | $34,500 |
| Tennessee State University | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $10,493 | 40.2% | $34,400 |
| Marylhurst University | 100% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 31.1% | $34,000 |
| Irvine Valley College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $9,311 | n/a | $33,900 |
| Fullerton College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,722 | n/a | $32,800 |
| Houston Community College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $7,581 | n/a | $32,700 |
| Los Angeles Harbor College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $9,565 | n/a | $31,500 |
| Merritt College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $7,559 | n/a | $31,400 |
| El Camino College-Compton Center | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $7,520 | n/a | $31,300 |
| Hartnell College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $9,564 | n/a | $31,200 |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $9,532 | n/a | $30,900 |
| American River College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $7,068 | n/a | $30,500 |
| Los Angeles Valley College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $7,475 | n/a | $30,500 |
| East Los Angeles College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $8,005 | n/a | $30,100 |
| West Los Angeles College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $6,314 | n/a | $29,900 |
| Bakersfield College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $3,179 | n/a | $29,500 |
| Elizabethtown Community and Technical College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $6,428 | n/a | $28,100 |
| Antelope Valley College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,422 | n/a | $27,900 |
| Cosumnes River College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $7,954 | n/a | $27,500 |
| Jefferson Community and Technical College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $6,618 | n/a | $27,200 |
| Los Angeles City College | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,738 | n/a | $26,900 |
| Saint Augustine's University | 57.7% | 330-410 | 320-430 | 300-410 | 13-17 | $26,225 | 33.3% | $25,100 |
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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