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Chief science officer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a chief science officer. Chief science officers usually study biology, chemistry, or business. 59% of chief science officers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,272 real chief science officer resumes to see exactly what chief science officer education sections show.
The most common colleges for chief science officers are the University of Wisconsin Colleges and the University of Wisconsin Colleges.
There are also many online chief science officer courses to help get the education required to be a chief science officer.
What education do you need to become a chief science officer?
What degree do you need to be a chief science officer?
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Master's, 18%
- Doctorate, 16%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a chief science officer?
- Biology, 13%
- Chemistry, 12%
- Business, 11%
- Psychology, 8%
- Other Majors, 56%
Most common colleges for chief science officers
| Chief science officer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 7.69% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.69% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 7.69% |
| Webster University | 5.77% |
| University of Iowa | 5.77% |
Best majors for chief science officers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 13.0% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 12.2% |
| 3 | Business | 11.5% |
| 4 | Psychology | 8.4% |
| 5 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 7.6% |
Best colleges for chief science officers
The best colleges for chief science officers are Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A chief science officer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for chief science officers. 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 chief science officers.
1. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
2. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for chief science officers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for chief science officers
The most affordable schools for chief science officers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for chief science officers 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 chief science officers.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
8. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for chief science officers
The hardest universities for chief science officers to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for chief science officers 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 chief science officers 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. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for chief science officers
The easiest schools for chief science officers to get into are Barry University, ottawa university, and capitol technology university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a chief science officer 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 chief science officers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
3. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
4. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Chestnut Hill College
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,026
9. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
10. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
Average chief science officer salary by education level
| Chief science officer education level | Chief science officer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $141,838 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $131,070 |
| Doctorate Degree | $145,427 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $105,188 |
Chief science officer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025