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Assistant research scientist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an assistant research scientist. Assistant research scientists usually study biology, chemistry, or biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology. 62% of assistant research scientists hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,343 real assistant research scientist resumes to see exactly what assistant research scientist education sections show.
The most common colleges for assistant research scientists are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.
There are also many online assistant research scientist courses to help get the education required to be an assistant research scientist.
There are certain assistant research scientist certifications that you should consider. These assistant research scientist certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP).
What education do you need to become an assistant research scientist?
What degree do you need to be an assistant research scientist?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Master's, 16%
- Doctorate, 15%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an assistant research scientist?
- Biology, 21%
- Chemistry, 13%
- Psychology, 8%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for assistant research scientists
| Assistant research scientist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California - Davis | 11.16% |
| New York University | 8.26% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 7.85% |
| National University | 7.44% |
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 7.02% |
Best majors for assistant research scientists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 21.2% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 13.4% |
| 3 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 8.4% |
| 4 | Psychology | 7.9% |
| 5 | Physics | 6.7% |
Best colleges for assistant research scientists
The best colleges for assistant research scientists are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and University of Pennsylvania.
An assistant research scientist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for assistant research scientists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become assistant research scientists.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
7. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
20 best online courses for assistant research scientists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for assistant research scientists
The most affordable schools for assistant research scientists are Hunter College of the City University of New York, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for assistant research scientists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for assistant research scientists.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for assistant research scientists
The hardest universities for assistant research scientists to get into are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for assistant research scientists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for assistant research scientists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for assistant research scientists
The easiest schools for assistant research scientists to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and kean university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an assistant research scientist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for assistant research scientists.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
4. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
5. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden
Camden, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,086
6. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. American International College
Springfield, MA • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
1,010
9. Rosemont College
Rosemont, PA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,026
10. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
Average assistant research scientist salary by education level
| Assistant research scientist education level | Assistant research scientist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $72,104 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $61,145 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,425 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $65,958 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025