Career Corner: Real Estate

Welcome to Career Corner, a regular feature inCougar Newswhich highlights workforce programs at Collin College. Today, we are looking atthe colleges real estate program.

The buying, selling, leasing, and management of real estate is fundamental to all residential, commercial, and agricultural activity in the U.S. Graduates from Collin Colleges real estate management program can start their own businesses, pursue careers as professional real estate investors, or work for corporations, non-profit agencies, or government agencies.

According to Bart McLeroy, real estate program discipline lead, most real estate education programs in Texas, both private providers and other colleges, offer real estate pre-licensing courses in 30-hour increments.

At Collin College, our courses are 45 hours (three semester hours) each, McLeroy said. This means that our real estate program graduates spend 50% more time in class than everyone else, and that translates to our students having a much higher licensing exam pass rate than the state average.

In as little as one semester, students can acquire the education necessary to obtain a Texas real estate license and begin a new career. Those completing the Associate of Applied Science degree in Real Estate Management can gain the skills necessary to obtain a Real Estate Broker license or pursue a bachelors degree.

While McLeroy acknowledges that careers in residential brokerage are appealing to people right now because of rapid home sales, he said real estate is also a great career choice because the industry encompasses a huge variety of careers, professional licenses, and skill sets.

Our faculty bring decades of experience from all facets of the real estate industry into the classroom, McLeroy said. Combined with our programs academic rigor and high standards, its no wonder that our graduates are being eagerly recruited by brokerages around Collin County and the Metroplex. We arent just training future sales agents were training the next generation of real estate professionals.

Educational Options

• Associate of Applied Science Real Estate Management (60 credit hours)
• Level 1 Certificate (18 credit hours) Real Estate Sales Agent

Careers in Real Estate

Real Estate Sales Agent Average salary

Average Salary: $68,500*

21% Job growth*

Real Estate Broker

Average Salary: $80,000*

19.7% Job growth*

Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager

Average Salary: $89,900*

18.7% Job growth*

* Data for Collin County obtained from JobsEQ and O*Net

Note: Average salary for occupation as of 2021 and job growth projected from 2021-2028

For more information about this program, visit www.collin.edu/department/realestate/ or contact Bart McLeroy at 469.365.1803.