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Bioinformaticist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a bioinformaticist. Bioinformaticists usually study biology, computer science, or genetics. 40% of bioinformaticists hold a master's degree, and 20% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 14 real bioinformaticist resumes to see exactly what bioinformaticist education sections show.
The most common colleges for bioinformaticists are the University of Dallas and the University of Dallas.
There are also many online bioinformaticist courses to help get the education required to be a bioinformaticist.
What education do you need to become a bioinformaticist?
What degree do you need to be a bioinformaticist?
- Master's, 40%
- Bachelor's, 20%
- Diploma, 20%
- Doctorate, 20%
What should I major in to become a bioinformaticist?
- Biology, 33%
- Computer Science, 22%
- Genetics, 11%
- Biostatistics, 11%
- Other Majors, 23%
Most common colleges for bioinformaticists
| Bioinformaticist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Dallas | 20.00% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 20.00% |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | 20.00% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 20.00% |
| The Evergreen State College | 20.00% |
Best majors for bioinformaticists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 33.3% |
| 2 | Computer Science | 22.2% |
| 3 | Genetics | 11.1% |
| 4 | Biostatistics | 11.1% |
| 5 | Fine Arts | 11.1% |
Best colleges for bioinformaticists
The best colleges for bioinformaticists are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
A bioinformaticist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for bioinformaticists. 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 bioinformaticists.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
7. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for bioinformaticists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for bioinformaticists
The most affordable schools for bioinformaticists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for bioinformaticists 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 bioinformaticists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
10. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for bioinformaticists
The hardest universities for bioinformaticists to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for bioinformaticists 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 bioinformaticists 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
7. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for bioinformaticists
The easiest schools for bioinformaticists to get into are Barry University, mount saint mary's university, and cardinal stritch university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a bioinformaticist 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 bioinformaticists.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
4. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
6. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
7. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
8. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
10. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
Average bioinformaticist salary by education level
| Bioinformaticist education level | Bioinformaticist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $63,812 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,834 |
| Doctorate Degree | $85,609 |
Bioinformaticist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025