From Classrooms to Closings: The Case for Real Estate Education in High Schools

When we talk about career readiness in high schools, we often hear about STEM, healthcare, and trades. But one of the most overlooked paths—real estate—holds significant financial potential, especially for Black and other minority youth. Despite the industry's ability to generate wealth, real estate education is largely absent from public school curricula. Why? The answer lies in industry gatekeeping, institutional incentives, lack of resources, and systemic barriers to entry.

Industry Gatekeeping: Who Gets In?

Real estate has long been an exclusive field, historically controlled by those with access to capital, networks, and generational knowledge. Black and other minority communities have been systematically excluded from real estate ownership and development, making it even harder to enter the business side of the industry.

Without early exposure, minority youth are often unaware of real estate as a viable career option. Licensing requirements and initial costs can deter those who lack the financial backing or mentorship to navigate the process. Large firms that dominate the industry have little incentive to diversify their workforce unless external pressure forces them to do so.

Cost and Resources: The Excuse for Inaction

Implementing real estate education in high schools would require funding, trained instructors, and certification pathways. Many school districts already struggle with budget constraints and prioritize traditional college-prep courses. However, in the age of digital marketing, where young people are already building brands and businesses online, real estate firms could leverage existing educational platforms to introduce industry knowledge at little cost.

Private real estate firms and local realtors could sponsor programs for high school seniors, covering the basics of property ownership, investment, and sales. These programs should also include financial assistance for licensing fees, ensuring that cost is not a barrier for Black and minority students looking to enter the industry.

Institutional Incentives: What’s in It for Schools and Firms?

High schools typically align their curricula with college admissions requirements, leaving little room for alternative career pathways. Meanwhile, real estate firms focus on recruiting already-licensed professionals rather than investing in youth education. This creates a gap where potential young entrepreneurs are left out of the equation.

However, a high school real estate program could change that. For schools, it offers a career-ready option with real economic impact. For firms, it provides a pipeline of young, tech-savvy talent ready to market properties in innovative ways. Given that Gen Z has mastered digital branding, firms could benefit from tapping into their social media expertise to drive sales and outreach.

Barriers to Entry: Breaking the Cycle

Many aspiring real estate professionals struggle with licensing fees, exam costs, and lack of mentorship. These obstacles are particularly difficult for Black students, who may not have access to the same financial resources or industry connections as their white counterparts.

By offering high school seniors free or subsidized licensing courses, we could lower these barriers and create opportunities for homeownership and wealth-building earlier in life. Schools could partner with community organizations to provide mentorship and internship programs, ensuring that students have the support needed to succeed.

The Gentrification Factor: Why This Matters for the Black Community

Gentrification has displaced countless Black families from historically significant neighborhoods, often without access to resources that would allow them to invest in their own communities. Educating Black youth about real estate would provide them with the tools to not only enter the industry but to reclaim and develop properties within their neighborhoods. Instead of being passive victims of gentrification, they could become active participants in shaping their communities.

A Senior Year Program: A Potential Solution

Given age restrictions on real estate licensing, a high school program focused on seniors makes the most sense. For students who don’t want to attend college, can’t afford it, or want to work their way through school, real estate offers a lucrative alternative.

With the right training, mentorship, and industry backing, high school graduates could enter the workforce as real estate professionals immediately. Whether as agents, property managers, or digital marketers in real estate firms, they would have access to career paths that offer financial stability and long-term growth.

Questions for the Community

• Why isn’t real estate education already part of high school curricula?
• Are industry leaders and educational institutions willing to take the necessary steps to provide this opportunity for Black and minority students?
• Realtors, parents, and real estate firms—would you be willing to partner with local high schools to introduce a real estate program for seniors?

The Importance of This Conversation

Discussions like this are critical in challenging the barriers that have long kept Black and minority communities from building generational wealth. Real estate education in high schools isn’t just about creating new career paths—it’s about economic empowerment and breaking cycles of exclusion. If we are serious about providing equitable opportunities, we must prioritize conversations like this and take action to make real estate education accessible to the next generation.