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Laboratory assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a laboratory assistant. Laboratory assistants usually study biology, chemistry, or psychology. 64% of laboratory assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 68,905 real laboratory assistant resumes to see exactly what laboratory assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for laboratory assistants are the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Santa Barbara.
There are also many online laboratory assistant courses to help get the education required to be a laboratory assistant.
There are certain laboratory assistant certifications that you should consider. These laboratory assistant certifications include Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) and Medical Assistant.
What education do you need to become a laboratory assistant?
What degree do you need to be a laboratory assistant?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Associate, 16%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 8%
What should I major in to become a laboratory assistant?
- Biology, 27%
- Chemistry, 9%
- Psychology, 7%
- Business, 6%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for laboratory assistants
| Laboratory assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 13.60% |
| University of California - Davis | 13.13% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.96% |
| University of Iowa | 5.93% |
| Purdue University | 5.54% |
Best majors for laboratory assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 26.7% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 9.2% |
| 3 | Psychology | 6.6% |
| 4 | Business | 6.2% |
| 5 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 5.2% |
Best colleges for laboratory assistants
The best colleges for laboratory assistants are Northwestern University, New York University, and Vanderbilt University.
A laboratory 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 laboratory 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 laboratory assistants.
1. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
2. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
3. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
4. University of Vermont
Burlington, VT • Private
In-state tuition
$18,276
Enrollment
10,612
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
6. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
7. University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$18,499
Enrollment
12,668
8. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
31,321
20 best online courses for laboratory assistants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for laboratory assistants
The most affordable schools for laboratory assistants are Hunter College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.
If the best universities for laboratory 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 laboratory assistants.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for laboratory assistants
The hardest universities for laboratory assistants to get into are Northwestern University, New York University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for laboratory 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 laboratory 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. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
9. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
10. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,443
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for laboratory assistants
The easiest schools for laboratory assistants to get into are AdventHealth University, gwynedd mercy university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a laboratory 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 laboratory assistants.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
9. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
10. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
Average laboratory assistant salary by education level
| Laboratory assistant education level | Laboratory assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $38,477 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,194 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,408 |
| Doctorate Degree | $38,052 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,790 |
Laboratory assistant education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025