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Environmental laboratory technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an environmental laboratory technician. Environmental laboratory technicians usually study biology, chemistry, or environmental science. 66% of environmental laboratory technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 534 real environmental laboratory technician resumes to see exactly what environmental laboratory technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for environmental laboratory technicians are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.
There are also many online environmental laboratory technician courses to help get the education required to be an environmental laboratory technician.
What education do you need to become an environmental laboratory technician?
What degree do you need to be an environmental laboratory technician?
- Bachelor's, 66%
- Associate, 23%
- Master's, 4%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become an environmental laboratory technician?
Most common colleges for environmental laboratory technicians
| Environmental laboratory technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University | 9.26% |
| Sam Houston State University | 7.41% |
| Western Washington University | 7.41% |
| University of Houston | 7.41% |
| Michigan State University | 7.41% |
Best majors for environmental laboratory technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 30.1% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 15.7% |
| 3 | Environmental Science | 14.4% |
| 4 | Geology | 4.9% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 3.9% |
Best colleges for environmental laboratory technicians
The best colleges for environmental laboratory technicians are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
An environmental 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 environmental 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 environmental laboratory technicians.
1. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for environmental laboratory technicians
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1. Environmental Science
The Introduction to Environmental Science course explores the field of environmental science and encourages participants to understand how environmental scientists think. It addresses some important questions such as: 1. What is the difference between environmental science and environmental studies? 2. How do both differ from environmentalism? 3. Why is energy so important in environmental science? 4. What do you mean by biodiversity? You will also explore what global cycles are and how they...
2. Introduction to Environmental Science
To understand current environmental problems, we need to consider physical, biological & chemical processes that are often the basis of those problems. This course will give you the skills necessary to address the environmental issues we are facing today by examining scientific principles and the application of those principles to natural systems. This course surveys some of the many environmental science topics at an introductory level, ultimately considering the sustainability of human...
3. ISO 14001:2015 Environmental management system
Understand the requirements for an environmental management system according to ISO 14001:2015...
4. Air Dispersion Modeling for Environmental Management
Environmental management with AERMOD Air Pollution Model by EPA...
5. Geospatial and Environmental Analysis
Apply your GIS knowledge in this course on geospatial analysis, focusing on analysis tools, 3D data, working with rasters, projections, and environment variables. Through all four weeks of this course, we'll work through a project together - something unique to this course - from project conception, through data retrieval, initial data management and processing, and finally to our analysis products. In this class you will learn the fundamentals of geospatial and environmental analysis during...
6. Women in environmental biology
Have you ever wondered how humans relate to other living beings and what do you need to know to be able to understand current environmental problems? Do you know that many of these researches and knowledge have been described by women? This course gives answers to these questions and it is addressed to anyone interested in the relationship between humans and other living beings, as well as all those concerned about the global change situation that the planet is suffering. We will learn key...
7. The A to Z of ESG - Environmental & Social Governance
A Perspective for Businesses on How to Manage ESG - Why it matters to Financial Performance and to the Economy...
8. Become a Pharmacy Technician
A Video Study Guide for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam...
9. Chemical Biology
Chemical biology is a burgeoning field that has rapidly risen to prominence. This surge of interest has been fuelled by chemical biology’s applicability to understanding critical processes in live cells or model organisms in real time. This success has arisen because chemical biology straddles a nexus between chemistry, biology, and physics. Thus, chemical biology can harness rapid chemistry to observe or perturb biological processes, that are in turn reported using physical assays, all in an...
10. Human Health Risks, Health Equity, and Environmental Justice
The fourth and final course of the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health specialization will cover two topics. The first is environmental justice – that is, avoiding an inequitable distribution of environmental health threats in our population, and ensuring a healthy and safe environment and health equity for all. The second is risk assessment and management, a framework that can be utilized to assess and quantify human health risks, and to identify appropriate approaches to...
11. Become a Microbiology Laboratory Technician
Microbiology...
12. Business Data Analytics (IIBA®-CBDA Exam preparation)
IIBA® endorsed course. Learn how to apply analysis skills on data projects and prepare for an IIBA®-CBDA certification...
13. Sample-based Learning Methods
In this course, you will learn about several algorithms that can learn near optimal policies based on trial and error interaction with the environment---learning from the agent’s own experience. Learning from actual experience is striking because it requires no prior knowledge of the environment’s dynamics, yet can still attain optimal behavior. We will cover intuitively simple but powerful Monte Carlo methods, and temporal difference learning methods including Q-learning. We will wrap up this...
14. ISTQB Foundation Level Syllabus Sample Exams
New Sample exams to help you in passing the ISTQB-FL exam...
15. SAP Implementation Process Training with Sample Documents
SAP Functional Implementation and Roles and Responsibilities...
16. Design of Water Treatment Systems for Beginners
Learn how to fully design a water treatment system for small to medium scale projects...
17. ISTQB Agile Tester Sample Exams
The best way to prepare for the ISTQB Agile Tester Exam...
18. Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development
Environmental Issues...
19. Water Treatment Process Design
design water treatment& RO/NF plants, sand& multimedia filter, iron& manganese removal filter, Ion exchange DI& softener...
20. SQL Server Analysis Services - SSAS, Data Mining & Analytics
Develop SSAS cubes from data warehouse on Multidimensional & Tabular modes with Dimensional & Data Mining Models...
Top 10 most affordable universities for environmental laboratory technicians
The most affordable schools for environmental laboratory technicians are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for environmental 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 environmental 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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
7. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
8. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for environmental laboratory technicians
The hardest universities for environmental laboratory technicians to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for environmental 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 environmental 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. 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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
10. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for environmental laboratory technicians
The easiest schools for environmental laboratory technicians to get into are Wayland Baptist University, barry university, and cardinal stritch university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an environmental 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 environmental laboratory technicians.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
7. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
8. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
10. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
Average environmental laboratory technician salary by education level
| Environmental laboratory technician education level | Environmental laboratory technician salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $46,294 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,686 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,065 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $42,524 |
Environmental laboratory technician education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025