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Geneticist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a geneticist. Geneticists usually study biology, genetics, or plant sciences. 45% of geneticists hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 46 real geneticist resumes to see exactly what geneticist education sections show.
The most common colleges for geneticists are the Texas A&M; University and the Texas A&M; University.
There are also many online geneticist courses to help get the education required to be a geneticist.
What education do you need to become a geneticist?
What degree do you need to be a geneticist?
- Bachelor's, 45%
- Doctorate, 28%
- Master's, 20%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a geneticist?
- Biology, 18%
- Genetics, 15%
- Plant Sciences, 9%
- Pharmacology, 6%
- Other Majors, 52%
Most common colleges for geneticists
| Geneticist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Texas A&M University | 9.52% |
| Purdue University | 4.76% |
| University of Florida | 4.76% |
| Montclair State University | 4.76% |
| New England College | 4.76% |
Best majors for geneticists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 17.6% |
| 2 | Genetics | 14.7% |
| 3 | Plant Sciences | 8.8% |
| 4 | Pharmacology | 5.9% |
| 5 | Animal Science | 5.9% |
Best colleges for geneticists
The best colleges for geneticists are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A geneticist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for geneticists. 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 geneticists.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
6. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
10. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
20 best online courses for geneticists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for geneticists
The most affordable schools for geneticists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for geneticists 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 geneticists.
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. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
10. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for geneticists
The hardest universities for geneticists to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for geneticists 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 geneticists 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
7. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
9. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
10. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for geneticists
The easiest schools for geneticists to get into are Barry University, d'youville college, and university of houston - downtown.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a geneticist 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 geneticists.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
6. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
7. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
8. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
10. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
Average geneticist salary by education level
| Geneticist education level | Geneticist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $65,435 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $55,693 |
| Doctorate Degree | $85,821 |
Geneticist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025