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Field laboratory operator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a field laboratory operator. Field laboratory operators usually study business, chemistry, or mechanical engineering. 61% of field laboratory operators hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 434 real field laboratory operator resumes to see exactly what field laboratory operator education sections show.
The most common colleges for field laboratory operators are the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
There are also many online field laboratory operator courses to help get the education required to be a field laboratory operator.
What education do you need to become a field laboratory operator?
What degree do you need to be a field laboratory operator?
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 20%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 3%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a field laboratory operator?
- Business, 12%
- Chemistry, 9%
- Computer Science, 8%
- Other Majors, 63%
Most common colleges for field laboratory operators
| Field laboratory operator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 11.32% |
| Winthrop University | 7.55% |
| University of Cincinnati | 7.55% |
| Arizona State University | 5.66% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 5.66% |
Best majors for field laboratory operators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 12.4% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 9.5% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 8.0% |
| 4 | Computer Science | 8.0% |
| 5 | Biology | 7.3% |
Best colleges for field laboratory operators
The best colleges for field laboratory operators are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A field laboratory operator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for field laboratory operators. 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 field laboratory operators.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
7. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
8. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
10. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Knoxville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$13,006
Enrollment
22,653
20 best online courses for field laboratory operators
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Top 10 most affordable universities for field laboratory operators
The most affordable schools for field laboratory operators are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for field laboratory operators 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 field laboratory operators.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
8. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for field laboratory operators
The hardest universities for field laboratory operators to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for field laboratory operators 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 field laboratory operators 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
10. Brandeis University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
31%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for field laboratory operators
The easiest schools for field laboratory operators to get into are D'Youville College, oklahoma wesleyan university, and mount saint mary's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a field laboratory operator 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 field laboratory operators.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
9. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
10. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
Average field laboratory operator salary by education level
| Field laboratory operator education level | Field laboratory operator salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $53,358 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,752 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,708 |
Field laboratory operator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025