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Laboratory research assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a laboratory research assistant. Laboratory research assistants usually study biology, psychology, or chemistry. 78% of laboratory research assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 12,637 real laboratory research assistant resumes to see exactly what laboratory research assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for laboratory research assistants are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.
There are also many online laboratory research assistant courses to help get the education required to be a laboratory research assistant.
There are certain laboratory research assistant certifications that you should consider. These laboratory research assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.
What education do you need to become a laboratory research assistant?
What degree do you need to be a laboratory research assistant?
- Bachelor's, 78%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a laboratory research assistant?
- Biology, 25%
- Psychology, 16%
- Chemistry, 8%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for laboratory research assistants
| Laboratory research assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California - Davis | 11.70% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 10.86% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.04% |
| University of Iowa | 5.50% |
| Michigan State University | 5.28% |
Best majors for laboratory research assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 24.7% |
| 2 | Psychology | 16.1% |
| 3 | Chemistry | 8.2% |
| 4 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 7.9% |
| 5 | Mechanical Engineering | 5.7% |
Best colleges for laboratory research assistants
The best colleges for laboratory research assistants are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Duke University.
A laboratory research 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 research 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 research assistants.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
20 best online courses for laboratory research assistants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for laboratory research assistants
The most affordable schools for laboratory research assistants are Hunter College of the City University of New York, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for laboratory research 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 research 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. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for laboratory research assistants
The hardest universities for laboratory research assistants to get into are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Duke University.
Some great schools for laboratory research 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 research 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for laboratory research assistants
The easiest schools for laboratory research assistants to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, kean university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a laboratory research 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 research assistants.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
5. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden
Camden, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,086
6. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. American International College
Springfield, MA • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
1,010
9. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
10. Rosemont College
Rosemont, PA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,026
Average laboratory research assistant salary by education level
| Laboratory research assistant education level | Laboratory research assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,381 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,519 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,940 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,523 |
Laboratory research assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025