Property management certification or real estate license?

[Account Closed]

Hi, I'm a newbie looking to learn about property management. I have an extensive sales and marketing background and would love to jump into this career. My goal is to manage properties long term while I steadily invest in properties myself.

I live in Los Angeles and have been applying for Leasing consulting positions but many places seem to require a real estate license. I'm going back to school but I don't know if it's better to get a certification or to get a real estate license. I'm not overly interested in selling homes, I want to be eligible for these pm jobs but could a certification do the same for me without the upkeep of all the license fees?

Any feedback would be so helpful. Thank you!