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Real Estate MBA Programs

If your career goals involve buying, selling, developing, or managing properties, and you want the foundation of a solid education in property management, there is no better option than a master of business administration or MBA in real estate. Professional real estate development programs are the first step on the road to a fulfilling career in this vital field.

Overview of MBA Real Estate Programs

There is a wide spectrum of MBA programs available in schools across the country. What distinguishes a curriculum focused on real estate? MBA real estate programs set themselves apart through a dual focus on both business skills and essential knowledge about the real estate industry. Students learn everything they need to know about management, development, financing, architecture, visual staging, sales, marketing, and more. Some programs focus on a single area of real estate, such as development, property management, investing, or sales and marketing approaches for agents, while others offer a more rounded curriculum including information on all of these career paths.

MBA real estate programs instruct students in a variety of critical disciplines in property sales, management, and development:

  • Business planning and administration
  • Architecture and urban planning
  • Real estate law
  • Finance, economics, and business management
  • Marketing and customer service
  • International real estate markets
  • Real estate investment and entrepreneurship, including analysis and financing

MBA students may enter these programs from a background in finance, architecture, business, economics, marketing, law, or other specializations, but they share an interest in pursuing advanced knowledge in the field of real estate and delivering real value to the marketplace through property management, sales, development, or investment.

MBA real estate programs are offered in business schools and colleges all over the United States, available through classroom curricula and online coursework. Some hybrid programs offer a combination of classes and online study, an ideal choice for students who intend to work full time as they complete their studies.

Opportunities for Graduates with an MBA in Real Estate

Graduates from an MBA real estate program can find a variety of careers suited to their expertise, including work as:

  • Real estate brokers and agents who connect directly with home buyers and sellers
  • Real estate developers who plan and build condominiums and new urban subdivisions
  • Property owners and/or managers in large rental corporations
  • Real estate lawyers
  • Asset managers
  • City planners
  • Real estate appraisers and assessors

Many of these careers are open to anyone who rises through the ranks in the real estate field, but graduates with an MBA in real estate are more competitive in a tight job market and may be considered for (and promoted to) jobs over candidates with less education. A real estate MBA enables professionals to obtain greater responsibility and rise to management positions more easily than those without advanced training.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 517,800 people worked as real estate brokers and agents in 2008, and that number is expected to grow 14 percent through 2018, creating 74,300 new jobs. Of these real estate experts, 59 percent are currently self-employed. Agents earned a mean annual salary of $53,100 in 2009, while brokers earned $78,360, according to BLS data.

There were 64,770 real estate appraisers and assessors in 2009, earning $53,520 annually according to BLS figures. The highest earning 10 percent of such professionals earned more than $89,890 a year.

Property managers brought home a mean income of $58,660 annually in 2009, and the top earning 10 percent made more than $104,400. In addition, many property managers receive free housing as part of their compensation.

With a wide range of career paths available to MBA real estate graduates, there's no better path to success in property management, sales, or development than this respected business degree.

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