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Biological scientist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a biological scientist. Biological scientists usually study biology, microbiology, or ecology, population biology, and epidemiology. 68% of biological scientists hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 508 real biological scientist resumes to see exactly what biological scientist education sections show.
The most common colleges for biological scientists are the University of Florida and the University of Florida.
There are also many online biological scientist courses to help get the education required to be a biological scientist.
What education do you need to become a biological scientist?
What degree do you need to be a biological scientist?
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Master's, 18%
- Doctorate, 9%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a biological scientist?
- Biology, 36%
- Microbiology, 10%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for biological scientists
| Biological scientist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Florida | 33.77% |
| University of South Florida | 13.25% |
| Florida State University | 8.61% |
| The University of West Florida | 3.97% |
| University of Central Florida | 3.97% |
Best majors for biological scientists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 35.6% |
| 2 | Microbiology | 10.3% |
| 3 | Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology | 9.2% |
| 4 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 6.6% |
| 5 | Environmental Science | 6.3% |
Best colleges for biological scientists
The best colleges for biological scientists are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Stanford University.
A biological 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 biological 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 biological scientists.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
20 best online courses for biological scientists
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6. Systems Biology and Biotechnology
Design systems-level experiments using appropriate cutting edge techniques, collect big data, and analyze and interpret small and big data sets quantitatively.\n\nThe Systems Biology Specialization covers the concepts and methodologies used in systems-level analysis of biomedical systems. Successful participants will learn how to use experimental, computational and mathematical methods in systems biology and how to design practical systems-level frameworks to address questions in a variety of...
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15. Statistics / Data Analysis: Survey Data and Likert Scales
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Top 10 most affordable universities for biological scientists
The most affordable schools for biological scientists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for biological 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 biological scientists.
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 - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
6. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for biological scientists
The hardest universities for biological scientists to get into are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for biological 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 biological 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
9. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for biological scientists
The easiest schools for biological scientists to get into are Barry University, mount saint mary's university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a biological 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 biological scientists.
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. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
5. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
6. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
9. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average biological scientist salary by education level
| Biological scientist education level | Biological scientist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $70,603 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,220 |
| Doctorate Degree | $85,162 |
Biological scientist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025