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Chemist/laboratory technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a chemist/laboratory technician. Chemist/laboratory technicians usually study chemistry, biology, or biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology. 80% of chemist/laboratory technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 10% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 699 real chemist/laboratory technician resumes to see exactly what chemist/laboratory technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for chemist/laboratory technicians are the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
There are also many online chemist/laboratory technician courses to help get the education required to be a chemist/laboratory technician.
What education do you need to become a chemist/laboratory technician?
What degree do you need to be a chemist/laboratory technician?
- Bachelor's, 80%
- Master's, 10%
- Associate, 7%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a chemist/laboratory technician?
Most common colleges for chemist/laboratory technicians
| Chemist/laboratory technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 8.24% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 7.06% |
| Northern Illinois University | 7.06% |
| University of Massachusetts Boston | 5.88% |
| Eastern Michigan University | 4.71% |
Best majors for chemist/laboratory technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 49.8% |
| 2 | Biology | 20.1% |
| 3 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 4.1% |
| 4 | Chemical Engineering | 3.9% |
| 5 | Environmental Science | 3.5% |
Best colleges for chemist/laboratory technicians
The best colleges for chemist/laboratory technicians are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A chemist/laboratory technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for chemist/laboratory technicians. 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 chemist/laboratory technicians.
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. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
6. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
8. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
10. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
20 best online courses for chemist/laboratory technicians
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20. R Programming A-Z™: R For Data Science With Real Exercises!
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Top 10 most affordable universities for chemist/laboratory technicians
The most affordable schools for chemist/laboratory technicians are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for chemist/laboratory technicians 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 chemist/laboratory technicians.
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. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
9. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Cost of attendance
24,514
10. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for chemist/laboratory technicians
The hardest universities for chemist/laboratory technicians to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for chemist/laboratory technicians 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 chemist/laboratory technicians 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for chemist/laboratory technicians
The easiest schools for chemist/laboratory technicians to get into are Barry University, d'youville college, and notre dame college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a chemist/laboratory technician 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 chemist/laboratory technicians.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
4. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
5. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
6. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
10. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
Average chemist/laboratory technician salary by education level
| Chemist/laboratory technician education level | Chemist/laboratory technician salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,807 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,139 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $51,943 |
Chemist/laboratory technician education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025