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Director of laboratory operations education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a director of laboratory operations. Directors of laboratory operations usually study biology, chemistry, or medical technician. 68% of directors of laboratory operations hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 214 real director of laboratory operations resumes to see exactly what director of laboratory operations education sections show.

The most common colleges for directors of laboratory operations are the Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

There are also many online director of laboratory operations courses to help get the education required to be a director of laboratory operations.

What education do you need to become a director of laboratory operations?

What degree do you need to be a director of laboratory operations?

The most common degree for directors of laboratory operations is bachelor's degree, with 68% of directors of laboratory operations earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 10%.
  • Bachelor's, 68%
  • Master's, 12%
  • Associate, 10%
  • Doctorate, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a director of laboratory operations?

You should major in biology to become a director of laboratory operations. 24% of directors of laboratory operations major in biology. Other common majors for a director of laboratory operations include chemistry and medical technician.

Most common colleges for directors of laboratory operations

Directors of laboratory operations often get their degrees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Wayne State University, and Rochester Institute of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for directors of laboratory operations in the US based on their resumes.
Director of laboratory operations common collegePercentages
Southern Illinois University Carbondale6.45%
Wayne State University6.45%
Rochester Institute of Technology6.45%
University of Phoenix6.45%
University of Southern California6.45%

Best majors for directors of laboratory operations

Best colleges for directors of laboratory operations

The best colleges for directors of laboratory operations are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

A director of laboratory operations with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for directors of laboratory operations. 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 directors of laboratory operations.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

6. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

20 best online courses for directors of laboratory operations

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Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of laboratory operations

The most affordable schools for directors of laboratory operations are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and university of south florida.

If the best universities for directors of laboratory operations 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 directors of laboratory operations.

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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

8. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of laboratory operations

The hardest universities for directors of laboratory operations to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Some great schools for directors of laboratory operations 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 directors of laboratory operations 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

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 directors of laboratory operations

The easiest schools for directors of laboratory operations to get into are Barry University, mount saint mary's university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director of laboratory operations 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 directors of laboratory operations.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

5. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

7. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

8. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

9. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average director of laboratory operations salary by education level

Directors of laboratory operations with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $119,896 annually. With a Doctorate degree, directors of laboratory operations earn a median annual income of $114,260 compared to $99,033 for directors of laboratory operations with an Bachelor's degree.
Director of laboratory operations education levelDirector of laboratory operations salary
Master's Degree$119,896
High School Diploma or Less$76,288
Bachelor's Degree$99,033
Doctorate Degree$114,260
Some College/ Associate Degree$79,316

Director of laboratory operations 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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