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Laboratory director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a laboratory director. Laboratory directors usually study biology, chemistry, or medical technician. 60% of laboratory directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,273 real laboratory director resumes to see exactly what laboratory director education sections show.
The most common colleges for laboratory directors are the Michigan State University and the Michigan State University.
There are also many online laboratory director courses to help get the education required to be a laboratory director.
There are certain laboratory director certifications that you should consider. These laboratory director certifications include Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT(AAB)) and Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT).
What education do you need to become a laboratory director?
What degree do you need to be a laboratory director?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Master's, 17%
- Doctorate, 10%
- Associate, 9%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a laboratory director?
- Biology, 18%
- Chemistry, 16%
- Medical Technician, 14%
- Other Majors, 45%
Most common colleges for laboratory directors
| Laboratory director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Michigan State University | 7.10% |
| University of Florida | 7.10% |
| Arizona State University | 6.56% |
| Purdue University | 6.56% |
| Ohio State University | 6.01% |
Best majors for laboratory directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 17.7% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 16.0% |
| 3 | Medical Technician | 14.3% |
| 4 | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science | 6.7% |
| 5 | Business | 6.4% |
Best colleges for laboratory directors
The best colleges for laboratory directors are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University.
A laboratory director 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 directors. 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 directors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
7. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
9. University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,700
Enrollment
29,722
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
20 best online courses for laboratory directors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for laboratory directors
The most affordable schools for laboratory directors are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for laboratory directors 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 directors.
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. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for laboratory directors
The hardest universities for laboratory directors to get into are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University.
Some great schools for laboratory directors 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 directors 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
10. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for laboratory directors
The easiest schools for laboratory directors to get into are D'Youville College, mount saint mary's university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a laboratory director 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 directors.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
7. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
8. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
9. Ursuline College
Pepper Pike, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,102
10. American International College
Springfield, MA • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
1,010
Average laboratory director salary by education level
| Laboratory director education level | Laboratory director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $117,910 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $100,113 |
| Doctorate Degree | $145,651 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $87,764 |
Laboratory director education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025