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.
Studying Real Estate Development covers Real Estate Development. Continue reading for the essential details every real estate development major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering real estate development programs.
Nationwide, real estate development draws strong interest, with 555 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Real Estate Development Schools ranking analyzes these 17 schools to determine the best overall colleges for real estate development students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of real estate development programs later in this article.
Programs in Real Estate Development build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations real estate development graduates commonly enter.
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.
Skills developed in a real estate development program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a real estate development major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several real estate development degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 208 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 346 |
People currently working in careers related to real estate development tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 30.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 21.4% |
| Some college courses | 13.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 10.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.3% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 4.4% |
| First professional degree | 4.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.1% |
| Master’s degree | 2.6% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in real estate development careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
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.
A degree in real estate development can lead to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to real estate development.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to real estate development.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | 1,421,275 | 11.1% |
| Real Estate Brokers | 1,031,675 | 5.1% |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | 904,074 | -3.0% |
| Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate | 575,561 | 13.0% |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | 261,248 | 0.4% |
| Urban and Regional Planners | 52,637 | 8.1% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of real estate development graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $85,591 |
| 4 years | $127,352 |
| 5 years | $144,388 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for real estate development graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers real estate development grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $77,609 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | $66,890 |
| Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate | $61,167 |
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | $47,617 |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | $44,773 |
| Real Estate Brokers | $36,148 |
With 17 different real estate development programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased real estate development school rankings to help you.
Those considering real estate development, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Real Estate Development | 555 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 9,814 |
| Architecture | 4,594 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 2,362 |
| Landscape Architecture | 1,050 |
| Interior Architecture | 756 |
| Environmental Design | 714 |
| Architecture and Related Services, Other | 166 |
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation | 151 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
