This page carries no affiliate links. Every link goes to the address the board lists or to the board's own page. Providers are in alphabetical order; the list is the board's, not this site's.
1The Commission's approved providers, A to Z
schools listed by the Commission as providing the 116-hour broker associate pre-licensing course, classroom schools by city and then distance learning. Where the board prints a city, delivery format or website it is shown; where it does not, the cell is blank rather than filled from elsewhere.
| School | Where | Format | Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augustana University | Sioux Falls, SD | classroom | augie.edu |
| Black Hills School of Real Estate | Rapid City, SD | classroom and distance learning | bhsre.com |
| Careers in Real Estate | Rapid City, SD | classroom | exitrealty.com |
| Carol's Classes | Rapid City, SD | classroom | carolsclasses.com |
| Cooke Real Estate School | St. Petersburg, FL | distance learning | cookeschool.com |
| Kaplan Real Estate Education | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | distance learning | kapre.com |
| Prepare Real Estate Academy | Sioux Falls, SD | classroom and distance learning | preparerea.com |
| PRO-ED | Sioux Falls, SD | classroom | southdakotarealestateeducation.com |
| RE2 - Rick Evans | Watertown, SD | classroom | |
| SDSU Ness School of Management and Economics (BLAW 433) | Brookings, SD | classroom | sdstate.edu |
| South Dakota School of Real Estate | Sioux Falls, SD | classroom | southdakotaschoolofrealestate.com |
| Southeast Technical College | Sioux Falls, SD | classroom | southeasttech.edu |
| The CE Shop, LLC | Greenwood Village, CO | distance learning | theceshop.com |
| Timeless Real Estate Education (TREE) | Spearfish, SD | classroom | homesintheblackhills.com |
| USD – Beacom School of Business | Vermillion, SD | classroom | usd.edu |
Source: South Dakota Real Estate Commission, Schools Providing Pre-Licensing Courses (approved pre-licensing education providers page), read September 9, 2026.
2How to choose between them
- Check the board's list first. Approval lapses and new providers are added; the board's page linked above is current on the day you look, this page on the date shown.
- Format. Classroom, live online and self-paced online courses all satisfy the requirement where the board approves them, but they suit different people; a self-paced course with no deadline is where most people stall.
- Exam preparation. The course teaches the syllabus; passing the exam is a separate skill. Ask whether practice exams are included and whether the school publishes its pass rate.
- Price. The Commission does not publish tuition, so compare it yourself and add the state's own fees from the South Dakota guide.
- Post-licence and CE. Some states require a course in the first year; a school that also teaches that saves a second search. The guide says what South Dakota requires.
Questions people ask about South Dakota real estate schools
- Which real estate schools are approved in South Dakota?
- The Commission lists 15 providers (as read on the date shown): Augustana University, Black Hills School of Real Estate, Careers in Real Estate, Carol's Classes, Cooke Real Estate School, Kaplan Real Estate Education, Prepare Real Estate Academy, PRO-ED and others. Only a course from a provider on the board's list counts toward the licence.
- What is the best real estate school in South Dakota?
- The Commission publishes no ranking or pass rate by school, and this site does not rank them either. Compare delivery format, schedule, price and whether the school includes exam preparation, then check the school is still on the board's list.
- Can I take the South Dakota pre-licence course online?
- Yes. The Commission marks 5 of the listed providers as online or distance education.
- How many hours is the South Dakota pre-licence course?
- 116 hours, per the Commission. The South Dakota guide on this site has the full requirements, cost and exam details.
Sources and dates
Every figure above links to one of these. Dotted underlines mark sourced figures.
- South Dakota Real Estate Commission, Schools Providing Pre-Licensing Courses (approved pre-licensing education providers page), read September 9, 2026
- South Dakota Real Estate Commission, Exam Information, read September 9, 2026