College degrees that will help with real estate investing?

Question

I know that a college degree is not necessary to invest in real estate, but are there any degrees that would be useful?

Rich V. · Answer

Personally, I have my BS and MS in Accounting. Also got my CPA while in my graduate program. When reading a lot of Real Estate books, a lot of the info is general business knowledge (business structure, taxes, etc.). This is all second nature when you have a business degree.

I personally think the Accounting/Finance field is really valuable. You learn how to build financial models, value companies and project cash flows. That plus you meet some great contacts and make a pretty solid salary which will allow you to invest with. It may not be the most riveting or exciting field to go into, but hey I think its a great way to develop a strong foundation of knowledge. Real estate isn't just real estate, its a lot of knowing how to run a business.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, I'm 2 years out of Grad School and can help shed some light on some things if you need. Best of luck!

Ian Tudor · Answer

@Chase A. - I have a finance degree, but my real estate education started at the job. I learned how evaluate deals when I had work to do. Did my vague understanding of IRR and NOI help me get the job? To some extent, but it was more the relationship I had with the hiring manager. If you want to know about real estate, I would find mentors.

Get the basic understanding down through books, forums, podcasts, etc. and then network with others to learn the business. The beauty of real estate is you don't have to get several certifications like actuarial science to build considerable wealth. Real estate people come in all shapes and sizes.

If you are set on a Bachelor's for the experience of college, which I don't discount. It's a lot of fun. I would go finance and/or accounting.