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Laboratory manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a laboratory manager. Laboratory managers usually study biology, chemistry, or business. 64% of laboratory managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 15,249 real laboratory manager resumes to see exactly what laboratory manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for laboratory managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online laboratory manager courses to help get the education required to be a laboratory manager.
There are certain laboratory manager certifications that you should consider. These laboratory manager certifications include Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT(AAB)) and Engineer In Training Certification (EIT).
What education do you need to become a laboratory manager?
What degree do you need to be a laboratory manager?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 12%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a laboratory manager?
Most common colleges for laboratory managers
| Laboratory manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 8.86% |
| University of California - Davis | 7.96% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 6.17% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.17% |
| Ohio State University | 5.64% |
Best majors for laboratory managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 20.1% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 16.0% |
| 3 | Business | 9.0% |
| 4 | Medical Technician | 7.5% |
| 5 | Psychology | 6.7% |
Best colleges for laboratory managers
The best colleges for laboratory managers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A laboratory manager 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 managers. 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 managers.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
20 best online courses for laboratory managers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for laboratory managers
The most affordable schools for laboratory managers are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.
If the best universities for laboratory managers 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 managers.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
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. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
7. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
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 managers
The hardest universities for laboratory managers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for laboratory managers 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 managers 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for laboratory managers
The easiest schools for laboratory managers to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a laboratory manager 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 managers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average laboratory manager salary by education level
| Laboratory manager education level | Laboratory manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $97,635 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $65,462 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $83,291 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $71,160 |
Laboratory manager education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025