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Laboratory worker education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a laboratory worker. Laboratory workers usually study biology, chemistry, or psychology. 63% of laboratory workers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 944 real laboratory worker resumes to see exactly what laboratory worker education sections show.
The most common colleges for laboratory workers are the Northern Illinois University and the Northern Illinois University.
There are also many online laboratory worker courses to help get the education required to be a laboratory worker.
What education do you need to become a laboratory worker?
What degree do you need to be a laboratory worker?
- Bachelor's, 63%
- High School Diploma, 16%
- Associate, 13%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a laboratory worker?
- Biology, 23%
- Chemistry, 9%
- Psychology, 9%
- Computer Science, 8%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for laboratory workers
| Laboratory worker common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Northern Illinois University | 11.83% |
| Texas A&M University | 10.75% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 6.45% |
| Southeastern Louisiana University | 6.45% |
| Truman State University | 5.38% |
Best majors for laboratory workers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 23.4% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 8.9% |
| 3 | Psychology | 8.9% |
| 4 | Computer Science | 8.5% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 4.8% |
Best colleges for laboratory workers
The best colleges for laboratory workers are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and New York University.
A laboratory worker 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 workers. 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 workers.
1. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
2. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
3. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. University of Vermont
Burlington, VT • Private
In-state tuition
$18,276
Enrollment
10,612
6. University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$18,499
Enrollment
12,668
7. Lincoln Memorial University
Harrogate, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$22,010
Enrollment
1,861
8. University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,000
Enrollment
25,973
9. Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$8,967
Enrollment
10,030
10. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
20 best online courses for laboratory workers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for laboratory workers
The most affordable schools for laboratory workers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.
If the best universities for laboratory workers 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 workers.
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. 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. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for laboratory workers
The hardest universities for laboratory workers to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and New York University.
Some great schools for laboratory workers 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 workers 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
8. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
10. Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,465
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for laboratory workers
The easiest schools for laboratory workers to get into are AdventHealth University, gwynedd mercy university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a laboratory worker 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 workers.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
7. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
8. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
9. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
10. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
Average laboratory worker salary by education level
| Laboratory worker education level | Laboratory worker salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $39,283 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,846 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,416 |
| Doctorate Degree | $38,536 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,389 |
Laboratory worker education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025