by our College Data Analytics TeamDo you want to create and redevelop housing, offices, and business buildings? As a real estate development major you get to prepare for a career of creating new buildings and rebuilding existing structures. You find undeveloped or improperly developed property and convert it into something new and useful. This is a fast-paced and exciting career that rarely has down time.
The courses that are required are very broad and include many architectural topics such as landscape architect, design, and historic preservation. Other classes could include engineering, urban planning, public policy, real estate, finance, accounting, and business.
In 2021-2022, real estate development was the 291st most popular major nationwide with 636 degrees awarded. Our 2025 Best Real Estate Development Schools ranking analyzes 7 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for real estate development students. Explore this or one of our many other custom real estate dev rankings further below.
Working with undeveloped property takes creativity. As a real estate manager you must be imaginative and ready to create something new and fresh. It is also important that you are able to multi-task and can handle a fast-paced day. There are rarely two days where the same thing will happen. You must be confident and be ready to make bold decisions in order to be successful. This is not a job with constant stability.
As real estate developer you become the manger of physically built environment. It is imperative to manage many people while balancing the needs and interests of the clients involved. As the developer you envision the landscape that will turn into homes, civic areas, places of recreation and employment. You need to discover how we want to live and work and plan accordingly.
real estate development degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Specific real estate dev careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
Real Estate Dev degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in real estate development to the highest real estate dev degree, a . How long it takes to complete some common real estate dev degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to real estate dev, with approximately 27.2% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for real estate dev workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 25.6% |
| Master’s Degree | 21.3% |
| High School Diploma | 16.4% |
| Some College Courses | 11.8% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 10.5% |
59.3% of real estate dev workers have at least a associate. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in real estate development have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the real estate dev career you are seeking.
There are many different career paths you can take as a developer. The most traditional is to become a real estate developer. You could also work as a planner, developer, broker, or contractor worldwide. However, some people decide that real estate development is not for them because of the irregular income and potential risks associated with the lack of dependability. Other options include banking, construction financing, or even real estate sales. These professions tend to not be as profitable, but do offer more stability.
In order to be a leader and truly take the reigns as a developer, most students will go on to get their master's degree.
Want a job when you graduate with your real estate dev degree? Real Estate Development careers are expected to grow 8.4% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to real estate development.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Sales Agents | 369,000 | 5.8% |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | 349,900 | 10.3% |
| Real Estate Brokers | 100,000 | 4.9% |
| Real Estate Appraisers | 92,400 | 14.4% |
| Urban and Regional Planners | 40,600 | 12.8% |
Recently graduated real estate development students earned an average of $92,560 in <nil>. Earnings can range from as low as $49,353 to as high as $142,235. As you might expect, salaries for real estate dev graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for real estate development graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers real estate dev grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Social Sciences Professors | $87,950 |
| Real Estate Brokers | $78,940 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | $76,240 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $71,730 |
| Real Estate Appraisers | $61,870 |
With over 28 different real estate dev degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased real estate dev school rankings to help you with this.
One of 8 majors within the Architecture & Related Services area of study, Real Estate Development has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Real Estate Development | 636 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Architectural Sciences & Technology | 7,632 |
| General Architecture | 4,814 |
| Urban & Regional Planning | 2,193 |
| Landscape Architecture | 926 |
| Environmental Design | 770 |
Image Credit: By Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
