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Graduate researcher education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a graduate researcher. Graduate researchers usually study chemistry, biology, or mechanical engineering. 73% of graduate researchers hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 9,060 real graduate researcher resumes to see exactly what graduate researcher education sections show.
The most common colleges for graduate researchers are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.
There are also many online graduate researcher courses to help get the education required to be a graduate researcher.
What education do you need to become a graduate researcher?
What degree do you need to be a graduate researcher?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Master's, 19%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Associate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a graduate researcher?
Most common colleges for graduate researchers
| Graduate researcher common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California - Davis | 23.32% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 20.20% |
| University of California, Berkeley | 8.04% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 4.86% |
| University of California - Los Angeles | 3.47% |
Best majors for graduate researchers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 14.5% |
| 2 | Biology | 13.0% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 9.8% |
| 4 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 8.1% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 6.9% |
Best colleges for graduate researchers
The best colleges for graduate researchers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A graduate researcher 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 researchers. 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 researchers.
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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
8. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for graduate researchers
Advertising disclosure
1. Market Research
The Market Research Specialisation focuses on the essentials of research and the research process. This Specialisation will teach you how to use qualitative and quantitative research methods, how to develop and manage a questionnaire development strategy, how to develop measurements, how to collect data and how to analyze and present them.\n\nOnce you have completed this Specialisation, you will have a good understanding of market research including:\n\nEssentials of market research Components...
2. Data Science for Health Research
In Data Science for Health Research, learn to organize and visualize health data using statistical analysis in programs like R. Explore how to translate data, interpret statistical models, and predict outcomes to help make data-informed decisions within the public health field...
3. Research Methodology: Complete Research Project Blueprint
Research Methodology From A-Z. A Step-by-Step Guide Through Research Design, Data Collection, Analysis, & Interpretation...
4. Research Methodology
Academic Research Business Research Thesis & Dissertation Report Research Paper / Journal...
5. Qualitative Research
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...
6. AI for Scientific Research
In the AI for Scientific Research specialization, we'll learn how to use AI in scientific situations to discover trends and patterns within datasets. Course 1 teaches a little bit about the Python language as it relates to data science. We'll share some existing libraries to help analyze your datasets. By the end of the course, you'll apply a classification model to predict the presence or absence of heart disease from a patient's health data. Course 2 covers the complete machine learning...
7. Applied Statistical Modeling for Data Analysis in R
Your Complete Guide to Statistical Data Analysis and Visualization For Practical Applications in R...
8. Complete Data Wrangling & Data Visualisation With Python
Learn to Preprocess, Wrangle and Visualise Data For Practical Data Science Applications in Python...
9. How to Visualize Research Data in Tableau
Publishing research often requires the preparation of visual elements like charts, tables, and graphs to better explain the text in a research report. Creating these elements can be done easily and effectively in Tableau. Using Tableau, large and small data sets can be visualized with precision, creativity, interactivity, and options in Tableau. After taking this course learners will know how to create a table, a geovisualization, and a pie chart. Three of the most common research...
10. Uncertainty and Research
This course teaches the fundamentals of scientific research. We approach the research process as a means of systematically reducing uncertainty and demonstrate how conducting a scientific investigation can be posed as an exercise in Bayesian uncertainty quantification. We begin by exploring the scientific landscape to understand the different types of research, where they are conducted, how they are supported, and why each of these types of research is important. We then formalize scientific...
11. Core Spatial Data Analysis: Introductory GIS with R and QGIS
Become Proficient In Spatial Data Analysis Using R & QGIS By Working On A Real Project - Get A Job In Spatial Data!...
12. Data Science:Data Mining & Natural Language Processing in R
Harness the Power of Machine Learning in R for Data/Text Mining, & Natural Language Processing with Practical Examples...
13. Market Research
"Finding the Story in the Data” is the most important emerging capability for market researchers according to GRIT (Greenbook Research Industry Trends) Report 2016. This specialization, designed for learners with no previous Marketing Research experience teaches a comprehensive marketing research approach that will help learners find and communicate the story in the data.\n\nStudents will learn how to initiate a research project for targeted business needs, conduct research through multiple...
14. Psychological Research
This specialization is primarily aimed at first- and second-year undergraduates interested in psychology, data analysis, ethics in research, and quantitative research methods along with high school students and professionals with similar interests.\n\nLearners will develop knowledge about the fundamentals of research design for quantitative studies in psychology, analysis of data from quantitative studies in psychology, and ethical standards for conducting psychological research. Learning...
15. How to Write an Effective Research Paper
Learn how to write award-winning research papers with easy steps. Includes examples and a research paper template...
16. Complete Data Science Training with Python for Data Analysis
Beginners python data analytics : Data science introduction : Learn data science : Python data analysis methods tutorial...
17. Market Research: Dekker's Complete Marketing Research Course
Competitor Analysis, Market Research Analysis, Marketing Analytics, Consumer Analytics, Conversion Rate Optimization...
18. Qualitative Data Analysis using MAXQDA: Scratch to Advanced
Master Qualitative Research Method, Content Analysis, Grounded Theory, Thematic Analysis and more with MAXQDA Analytics...
19. Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods
Learn the basics of conducting qualitative research. Learn to design interviews, conduct observations, and analyze data...
20. Global Marketing Research and Analytics
Understand and conduct market research on a global scale...
Top 10 most affordable universities for graduate researchers
The most affordable schools for graduate researchers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for graduate researchers 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 researchers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for graduate researchers
The hardest universities for graduate researchers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for graduate researchers 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 researchers 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
9. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for graduate researchers
The easiest schools for graduate researchers to get into are Barry University, d'youville college, and the university of texas permian basin.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a graduate researcher 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 researchers.
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. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
9. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
10. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
Average graduate researcher salary by education level
| Graduate researcher education level | Graduate researcher salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $49,265 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,975 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $40,683 |
| Doctorate Degree | $51,895 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,099 |
Graduate researcher 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