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Formulator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a formulator. Formulators usually study chemistry, biology, or chemical engineering. 46% of formulators hold a bachelor's degree, and 27% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 349 real formulator resumes to see exactly what formulator education sections show.

The most common colleges for formulators are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.

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

What education do you need to become a formulator?

What degree do you need to be a formulator?

The most common degree for formulators is bachelor's degree, with 46% of formulators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 27% and high school diploma degree at 14%.
  • Bachelor's, 46%
  • High School Diploma, 27%
  • Associate, 14%
  • Master's, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a formulator?

You should major in chemistry to become a formulator. 22% of formulators major in chemistry. Other common majors for a formulator include biology and chemical engineering.

Most common colleges for formulators

Formulators often get their degrees at Purdue University, Montclair State University, and Oakland University. Here are the most common colleges for formulators in the US based on their resumes.
Formulator common collegePercentages
Purdue University6.90%
Montclair State University6.90%
Oakland University6.90%
SUNY Buffalo State6.90%
SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill6.90%

Best majors for formulators

RankMajorPercentages
1Chemistry22.3%
2Biology13.4%
3Chemical Engineering9.8%
4Business8.0%
5Pharmacy7.1%

Best colleges for formulators

The best colleges for formulators are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A formulator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for formulators. 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 formulators.

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 formulators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for formulators

The most affordable schools for formulators are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for formulators 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 formulators.

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 formulators

The hardest universities for formulators to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for formulators 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 formulators 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 formulators

The easiest schools for formulators 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 formulator 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 formulators.

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 formulator salary by education level

Formulators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $66,153 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, formulators earn a median annual income of $64,274 compared to $63,506 for formulators with an High School Diploma degree.
Formulator education levelFormulator salary
High School Diploma or Less$63,506
Bachelor's Degree$64,274
Some College/ Associate Degree$66,153

Formulator 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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