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Chemical laboratory scientist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a chemical laboratory scientist. Chemical laboratory scientists usually study chemistry, biology, or pharmacy. 74% of chemical laboratory scientists hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 42 real chemical laboratory scientist resumes to see exactly what chemical laboratory scientist education sections show.
The most common colleges for chemical laboratory scientists are the University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma.
There are also many online chemical laboratory scientist courses to help get the education required to be a chemical laboratory scientist.
What education do you need to become a chemical laboratory scientist?
What degree do you need to be a chemical laboratory scientist?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Master's, 16%
- Doctorate, 8%
- Associate, 3%
What should I major in to become a chemical laboratory scientist?
Most common colleges for chemical laboratory scientists
| Chemical laboratory scientist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Central Oklahoma | 14.29% |
| University of Oklahoma | 10.71% |
| University of Delaware | 10.71% |
| Cameron University | 7.14% |
| University of Maryland - Baltimore County | 3.57% |
Best majors for chemical laboratory scientists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 37.5% |
| 2 | Biology | 10.0% |
| 3 | Pharmacy | 7.5% |
| 4 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 7.5% |
| 5 | Animal Science | 5.0% |
Best colleges for chemical laboratory scientists
The best colleges for chemical laboratory scientists are Columbia University in the City of New York, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University.
A chemical laboratory 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 chemical laboratory 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 chemical laboratory scientists.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
4. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
5. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
7. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
8. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
20 best online courses for chemical laboratory scientists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for chemical laboratory scientists
The most affordable schools for chemical laboratory scientists are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and florida state university.
If the best universities for chemical laboratory 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 chemical laboratory scientists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
7. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for chemical laboratory scientists
The hardest universities for chemical laboratory scientists to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for chemical laboratory 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 chemical laboratory 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for chemical laboratory scientists
The easiest schools for chemical laboratory scientists to get into are D'Youville College, mount saint mary's university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a chemical laboratory 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 chemical laboratory scientists.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
6. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
7. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
8. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
9. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
10. MCPHS University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,144
Average chemical laboratory scientist salary by education level
| Chemical laboratory scientist education level | Chemical laboratory scientist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $74,098 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,872 |
| Doctorate Degree | $90,941 |
Chemical laboratory scientist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025