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Graduate research assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a graduate research assistant. Graduate research assistants usually study mechanical engineering, chemistry, or electrical engineering. 71% of graduate research assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 53,391 real graduate research assistant resumes to see exactly what graduate research assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for graduate research assistants are the Texas A&M; University and the Texas A&M; University.
There are also many online graduate research assistant courses to help get the education required to be a graduate research assistant.
There are certain graduate research assistant certifications that you should consider. These graduate research assistant certifications include Clinical Research Assistant and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES).
What education do you need to become a graduate research assistant?
What degree do you need to be a graduate research assistant?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 22%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Associate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 0%
What should I major in to become a graduate research assistant?
Most common colleges for graduate research assistants
| Graduate research assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Texas A&M University | 7.58% |
| University of Florida | 6.68% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 6.29% |
| Georgia State University | 5.85% |
| University of Iowa | 5.67% |
Best majors for graduate research assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 12.2% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 11.7% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 9.7% |
| 4 | Biology | 9.4% |
| 5 | Psychology | 8.3% |
Best colleges for graduate research assistants
The best colleges for graduate research assistants are Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University.
A graduate research assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for graduate research assistants. 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 graduate research assistants.
1. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
20 best online courses for graduate research assistants
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In this course, the second in the Market Research Specialization, you will go in-depth with qualitative market research methods, from design to implementation to analysis. Week 1: Define qualitative research and how it differs from quantitative research. Explore the various qualitative research methods and evaluate when and how to use them for your research project. Week 2: Design the qualitative instruments necessary for your interviews or focus groups, and plan your recruitment efforts. Write...
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19. Global Marketing Research and Analytics
Understand and conduct market research on a global scale...
20. Complete Data Science Training with Python for Data Analysis
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Top 10 most affordable universities for graduate research assistants
The most affordable schools for graduate research assistants are California State University - Long Beach, university of florida, and new mexico institute of mining and technology.
If the best universities for graduate research assistants 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 graduate research assistants.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
10. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for graduate research assistants
The hardest universities for graduate research assistants to get into are Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for graduate research assistants 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 graduate research assistants 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for graduate research assistants
The easiest schools for graduate research assistants to get into are The University of Texas Permian Basin, oregon institute of technology, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a graduate research assistant 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 graduate research assistants.
1. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
2. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
3. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
4. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,068
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
9. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
10. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
Average graduate research assistant salary by education level
| Graduate research assistant education level | Graduate research assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $43,742 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,005 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,125 |
| Doctorate Degree | $45,089 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,657 |
Graduate research assistant education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025