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Developmental technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a developmental technician. Developmental technicians usually study psychology, business, or criminal justice. 34% of developmental technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 29% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 1,249 real developmental technician resumes to see exactly what developmental technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for developmental technicians are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online developmental technician courses to help get the education required to be a developmental technician.

There are certain developmental technician certifications that you should consider. These developmental technician certifications include Medical Assistant and Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).

What education do you need to become a developmental technician?

What degree do you need to be a developmental technician?

The most common degree for developmental technicians is bachelor's degree, with 34% of developmental technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 29% and high school diploma degree at 20%.
  • Bachelor's, 34%
  • High School Diploma, 29%
  • Associate, 20%
  • Diploma, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a developmental technician?

You should major in psychology to become a developmental technician. 15% of developmental technicians major in psychology. Other common majors for a developmental technician include business and criminal justice.

Most common colleges for developmental technicians

Developmental technicians often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Boise State University, and North Carolina Wesleyan College. Here are the most common colleges for developmental technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Developmental technician common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix15.63%
Boise State University8.59%
North Carolina Wesleyan College7.81%
North Carolina Central University7.03%
Ashford University6.25%

Best majors for developmental technicians

Best colleges for developmental technicians

The best colleges for developmental technicians are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A developmental 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 developmental 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 developmental technicians.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

10. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

20 best online courses for developmental technicians

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1. Community Awareness Course: Sexuality and Disability

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2. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care

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This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...

3. Cat Behavior Rectification & Cat Health Care: 2 courses in 1

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4. Mental Health First Aid Skills -

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4.4
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This course is designed to provide the tools and knowledge for learners to help and support those experiencing MH issues...

5. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

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Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...

6. Health for All Through Primary Health Care

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This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...

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9. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course

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The Palliative Care Always Capstone course is designed to let you test your knowledge about palliative and help others understand the value of palliative care, while showing your creative side. In this course, you will impact community awareness about palliative care, promote self-care and wellness, show-off your communication skills in a virtual environment, and finish the course off by proving your thoughts on ways to offer psychosocial support to a patient and family...

10. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative

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Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care. The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the...

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Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...

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19. Coping Skills and Self-Care for Mental Health

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Essential skills to manage intense emotions and develop a self-care practice to promote mental health...

20. Dog & Cat Behavior Problems

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Top 10 most affordable universities for developmental technicians

The most affordable schools for developmental technicians are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for developmental 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 developmental technicians.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

10. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for developmental technicians

The hardest universities for developmental technicians to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for developmental 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 developmental 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

6. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

9. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for developmental technicians

The easiest schools for developmental technicians to get into are Nyack College, oklahoma wesleyan university, and kean university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a developmental 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 developmental technicians.

1. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

4. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

5. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

6. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

7. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

8. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

9. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

10. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

Average developmental technician salary by education level

Developmental technicians with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $33,483 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, developmental technicians earn a median annual income of $31,541 compared to $31,049 for developmental technicians with an Associate degree.
Developmental technician education levelDevelopmental technician salary
Master's Degree$33,483
High School Diploma or Less$30,985
Bachelor's Degree$31,541
Some College/ Associate Degree$31,049

Developmental technician education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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