“If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” — Benjamin Franklin

Obviously Ben Franklin knew a good investment when he saw one, and in today’s low interest rate environment, his sage advice might be more on target than ever.

As real estate career paths have become more prominent in the financial sector, so too have undergraduate and graduate level programs at some of the nation’s top universities. These programs offer a variety of real estate–related courses that can prepare students for one of the widest career selections in the business world today. Residential and commercial real estate brokerage, property management, land development, mortgage banking, urban planning, real estate counseling, appraisal and research are all aspects of a career in real estate. In today’s extremely competitive job market, a specialized degree and some hands-on experie