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Chemistry laboratory assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a chemistry laboratory assistant. Chemistry laboratory assistants usually study chemistry, biology, or biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology. 75% of chemistry laboratory assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,381 real chemistry laboratory assistant resumes to see exactly what chemistry laboratory assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for chemistry laboratory assistants are the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Santa Barbara.
There are also many online chemistry laboratory assistant courses to help get the education required to be a chemistry laboratory assistant.
There are certain chemistry laboratory assistant certifications that you should consider. These chemistry laboratory assistant certifications include Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
What education do you need to become a chemistry laboratory assistant?
What degree do you need to be a chemistry laboratory assistant?
- Bachelor's, 75%
- Associate, 11%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a chemistry laboratory assistant?
Most common colleges for chemistry laboratory assistants
| Chemistry laboratory assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 9.42% |
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 7.25% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.52% |
| Georgia Southern University | 5.80% |
| Ohio State University | 5.07% |
Best majors for chemistry laboratory assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 33.0% |
| 2 | Biology | 24.8% |
| 3 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 11.3% |
| 4 | Chemical Engineering | 4.1% |
| 5 | Pharmacy | 2.6% |
Best colleges for chemistry laboratory assistants
The best colleges for chemistry laboratory assistants are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
A chemistry laboratory assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for chemistry laboratory assistants. 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 chemistry laboratory assistants.
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 chemistry laboratory assistants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for chemistry laboratory assistants
The most affordable schools for chemistry laboratory assistants are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for chemistry laboratory assistants 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 chemistry laboratory assistants.
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. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for chemistry laboratory assistants
The hardest universities for chemistry laboratory assistants to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for chemistry laboratory assistants 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 chemistry laboratory assistants 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. 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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
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. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for chemistry laboratory assistants
The easiest schools for chemistry laboratory assistants to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, wayland baptist university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a chemistry laboratory assistant 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 chemistry laboratory assistants.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
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. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
9. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
10. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
Average chemistry laboratory assistant salary by education level
| Chemistry laboratory assistant education level | Chemistry laboratory assistant salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,254 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $30,654 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,634 |
Chemistry laboratory assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025