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Laboratory instructor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a laboratory instructor. Laboratory instructors usually study biology, nursing, or chemistry. 66% of laboratory instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 5,568 real laboratory instructor resumes to see exactly what laboratory instructor education sections show.

The most common colleges for laboratory instructors are the Texas State University and the Texas State University.

There are also many online laboratory instructor courses to help get the education required to be a laboratory instructor.

There are certain laboratory instructor certifications that you should consider. These laboratory instructor certifications include Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT(AAB)) and Instructor.

What education do you need to become a laboratory instructor?

What degree do you need to be a laboratory instructor?

The most common degree for laboratory instructors is bachelor's degree, with 66% of laboratory instructors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 66%
  • Master's, 17%
  • Associate, 9%
  • Doctorate, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a laboratory instructor?

You should major in biology to become a laboratory instructor. 21% of laboratory instructors major in biology. Other common majors for a laboratory instructor include nursing and chemistry.

Most common colleges for laboratory instructors

Laboratory instructors often get their degrees at Texas State University, University of California - Davis, and Texas A&M; University. Here are the most common colleges for laboratory instructors in the US based on their resumes.
Laboratory instructor common collegePercentages
Texas State University7.64%
University of California - Davis6.52%
Texas A&M University6.07%
Florida International University5.84%
University of North Carolina at Greensboro5.62%

Best majors for laboratory instructors

RankMajorPercentages
1Biology20.9%
2Nursing8.8%
3Chemistry8.5%
4Physics7.4%
5Electrical Engineering6.5%

Best colleges for laboratory instructors

The best colleges for laboratory instructors are University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.

A laboratory instructor 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 instructors. 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 instructors.

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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

6. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

7. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$49,816

Enrollment

6,840

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for laboratory instructors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for laboratory instructors

The most affordable schools for laboratory instructors are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for laboratory instructors 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 instructors.

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. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

8. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

9. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

10. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for laboratory instructors

The hardest universities for laboratory instructors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for laboratory instructors 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 instructors 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

2. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

10. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for laboratory instructors

The easiest schools for laboratory instructors to get into are Barry University, gwynedd mercy university, and wayland baptist university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a laboratory instructor 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 instructors.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

3. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

6. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

7. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

8. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

9. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

Average laboratory instructor salary by education level

According to our data, laboratory instructors with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $57,659 annually. Laboratory instructors with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $47,327.
Laboratory instructor education levelLaboratory instructor salary
Master's Degree$47,327
Doctorate Degree$57,659

Laboratory instructor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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