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Laboratory Chemist Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a laboratory chemist. Laboratory chemists usually study chemistry, biology, or environmental science. 80% of laboratory chemists hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 977 real laboratory chemist resumes to see exactly what laboratory chemist education sections show.
The most common colleges for laboratory chemists are the Texas A&M; University and the Texas A&M; University.
There are also many online laboratory chemist courses to help get the education required to be a laboratory chemist.
There are certain laboratory chemist certifications that you should consider. These laboratory chemist certifications include Certified Chemical Engineer (CCE) and Specialist in Chemistry (SC(ASCP)).
What education do you need to become a laboratory chemist?
What degree do you need to be a laboratory chemist?
- Bachelor's, 80%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 6%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a laboratory chemist?
Most common colleges for laboratory chemists
| Laboratory Chemist Common College | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Texas A&M University | 9.78% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.52% |
| University of Iowa | 6.52% |
| Ohio State University | 6.52% |
| Central State University | 5.43% |
Best majors for laboratory chemists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 49.4% |
| 2 | Biology | 17.3% |
| 3 | Environmental Science | 5.4% |
| 4 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 4.8% |
| 5 | Chemical Engineering | 4.4% |
Best colleges for laboratory chemists
The best colleges for laboratory chemists are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A laboratory chemist 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 chemists. 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 chemists.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
4. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-State Tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
8. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
20 best online courses for laboratory chemists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for laboratory chemists
The most affordable schools for laboratory chemists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for laboratory chemists 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 chemists.
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. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,410
Cost of Attendance
20,456
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,656
Cost of Attendance
21,623
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,987
Cost of Attendance
25,527
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,240
Cost of Attendance
13,991
8. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,587
Cost of Attendance
16,915
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,992
Cost of Attendance
22,430
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for laboratory chemists
The hardest universities for laboratory chemists to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for laboratory chemists 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 chemists 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
6%
SAT Average
1,512
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
17%
SAT Average
1,507
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
4%
SAT Average
1,497
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions Rate
10%
SAT Average
1,514
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
5%
SAT Average
1,520
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
13%
SAT Average
1,445
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
11%
SAT Average
1,513
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
19%
SAT Average
1,466
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for laboratory chemists
The easiest schools for laboratory chemists to get into are D'Youville College, barry university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a laboratory chemist 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 chemists.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
100%
SAT Average
1,072
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,006
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
88%
SAT Average
1,044
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. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
93%
SAT Average
1,002
7. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
84%
SAT Average
1,031
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. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
85%
SAT Average
1,053
Average laboratory chemist salary by education level
| Laboratory Chemist education level | Laboratory Chemist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $65,640 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $57,528 |
| Doctorate Degree | $76,251 |
Laboratory Chemist Education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025