Yes, doing real estate while in college is workable, and in most states you can go from your first pre-licensing class to an active license inside a single semester. The job runs on independent contracting rather than fixed shifts, so you set the hours around your classes. What you need to plan for is the sequence: eligibility, coursework, exam, background check, and a sponsoring broker, plus the taxes nobody withholds for you.
Are You Eligible
The minimum age for a salesperson license is 18 in the vast majority of states, with a handful setting it at 19. A freshman who just turned 18 qualifies almost anywhere. The age rule exists because agents sign binding contracts on behalf of clients and need the legal capacity to do so.
Many states also want a high school diploma or GED, though not all do. If you’re already enrolled at a university, your admissions file clears that bar regardless of the state’s specific wording.
Character screening is nearly universal. Applicants disclose criminal convictions, and licensing commissions look most closely at felonies and offenses involving dishonesty like fraud or theft. A conviction isn’t an automatic disqualification. The commission weighs the nature of the offense, how recent it was, and any evidence of rehabilitation. If something’s on your record, read your state commission’s criteria before paying for coursework.
Pre-Licensing Coursework
Every state requires approved pre-licensing education before you can sit for the exam. Required hours range from 40 to 180 depending on the state, with many landing around 60 to 75 for a salesperson license. Topics include property ownership, contract law, agency relationships, and fair housing.
Most states now approve online providers alongside classroom schools, which is what makes this practical for students. You can study at night or between classes without creating a scheduling conflict. Confirm the provider is approved by your state’s real estate commission before you enroll, because a course from an unapproved school will not count.
Can Your College Classes Count
In some states, real estate courses taken at an accredited college or university satisfy the pre-licensing requirement. This is especially common at community colleges and state university systems that have aligned their programs with licensing standards. If your school offers a real estate curriculum, check with the state commission on which course codes qualify before assuming a transcript entry will be accepted.
When you finish coursework, keep the certificate or transcript that shows the specific courses and hours completed. You’ll submit it with a valid government-issued photo ID and proof of your Social Security number. Name mismatches between your ID and your application are one of the most common causes of processing delays.
The Licensing Exam
After the coursework, you schedule the exam through a third-party testing company. Most states contract with Pearson VUE or PSI, and you’ll create an account online, pick a date around your academic calendar, and pay the exam fee at registration.
The exam has two sections. A national portion covers general real estate principles, and a state-specific portion covers local laws. The national section is typically the larger piece, often around two-thirds of the questions. Both are multiple choice. Passing usually requires 70 to 75 percent depending on the state, and many jurisdictions let you retake a failed section without redoing the one you passed.
Exam fees commonly run $50 to $100 per attempt and are non-refundable. The license application fee adds another $50 to $300. Budget for both up front.
Background Check
Almost every state runs a criminal background check as part of the application. Some require electronic fingerprinting through a vendor like IdentoGO, others accept a name-based records check. The processing fee generally runs $40 to $80, separate from your application and exam fees. A clean record makes this paperwork. A record that isn’t clean means additional review time and possibly a hearing before the commission.
Finding a Sponsoring Broker
Passing the exam does not activate your license. Every state requires new salesperson licensees to work under a licensed broker’s supervision, and you can’t negotiate sales, list properties, or collect commissions until you affiliate. The affiliation is filed with your state commission and includes the broker’s name, license number, and firm details.
What the Broker Arrangement Costs You
Traditional brokerages take a percentage of each commission you earn. New-agent splits commonly range from 50/50 to 70/30 in the agent’s favor, with experienced agents negotiating higher shares. Some brokerages use a flat-fee model, charging a fixed dollar amount per transaction regardless of commission size.
Watch what a brokerage charges beyond the split. Monthly desk fees, technology fees, and errors-and-omissions insurance can all show up. E&O insurance, which covers claims of negligence or mistakes in a transaction, runs from a few hundred dollars a year for basic coverage to significantly more depending on location and policy limits. Ask any prospective broker to lay out every recurring cost before you sign, so you know your break-even point on deal volume.
Taxes as an Independent Contractor
This is where college agents consistently get blindsided. Real estate agents are almost always classified as independent contractors, not employees. No taxes are withheld from your commission checks. You pay both income tax and self-employment tax on your net earnings.
The self-employment tax rate is 15.3 percent, covering the employee and employer shares of Social Security (12.4 percent) and Medicare (2.9 percent).1Internal Revenue Service. Self-Employment Tax (Social Security and Medicare Taxes) The Social Security portion applies to the first $184,500 of combined earnings in 2026.2Social Security Administration. What Is the Current Maximum Amount of Taxable Earnings for Social Security If your net self-employment income hits $400 or more in a tax year, you must file a return and pay self-employment tax.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 US Code 6017 – Self-Employment Tax Returns
You’re also generally required to make quarterly estimated tax payments rather than settle up in April.4Internal Revenue Service. Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center Missing them triggers interest and penalties. If you close your first deal in September and owe $2,000 in taxes, the IRS expects a portion by January 15, not the following April.
Deductions That Offset the Bill
The upside of independent-contractor status is Schedule C. Legitimate business expenses reduce your taxable income: marketing and advertising, business mileage at the IRS rate of 72.5 cents per mile for 2026, professional dues, continuing education, and a home office if part of your dorm or apartment is used exclusively for real estate work.5Internal Revenue Service. IRS Sets 2026 Business Standard Mileage Rate at 72.5 Cents Per Mile, Up 2.5 Cents Keep receipts and a mileage log from day one. Reconstructing records months later is miserable and unreliable.
One detail worth flagging if you receive financial aid: self-employment income shows up on your FAFSA and can affect aid packages in later years. Income you earn now reports on a future FAFSA cycle, so a strong commission year could reduce need-based aid down the road. Talk to your school’s financial aid office before the earnings become a surprise.
Handling Clients Around a Class Schedule
Real estate is one of the few licensed professions where part-time work is genuinely viable from the start. You set your own hours, pick your clients, and control how many listings you pursue. That flexibility is what makes it compatible with college.
Client expectations, though, don’t pause for midterms. Buyers want to tour on evenings and weekends. Contracts run on deadlines measured in days. Inspection contingencies don’t care about finals week. Agents who make this work in college tend to be upfront with clients about their availability and strategic about which transactions they take on. Rental leases and work with investors often involve more predictable timelines than guiding a first-time homebuyer through an emotional purchase.
Starting in college also builds something that compounds after graduation. By the time classmates are submitting entry-level resumes, you’ll have a professional network, transaction experience, and a working understanding of contracts, negotiations, and client relationships.
Keeping the License After You Get It
Many states require new licensees to complete post-licensing education within their first year or two, separate from the pre-licensing courses you already took. Hours range from roughly 14 to 90 depending on the state, with 30 hours being a common benchmark. Miss the deadline and your license typically goes inactive until you complete the coursework.
After that, you shift to standard continuing education for each renewal cycle. Most states renew licenses every two years and require a set number of CE hours each cycle covering legal changes, fair housing, and current practice. Many CE courses are online, which keeps compliance manageable alongside a class schedule.
If you attend college in a different state from your permanent home, decide up front where you want to be licensed. Some states require physical residence for a resident license; others offer non-resident options. Reciprocity agreements between states can let one license support work in another, sometimes with a state-specific law exam or supplemental coursework. Whichever route you pick, keep your address current with every commission holding your license. Most states require you to report address changes within 10 to 30 days, and that’s easy to overlook when you’re moving between a dorm and a family home.