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Microbiologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a microbiologist. Microbiologists usually study biology, microbiology, or biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology. 78% of microbiologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 4,917 real microbiologist resumes to see exactly what microbiologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for microbiologists are the Ohio State University and the Ohio State University.
There are also many online microbiologist courses to help get the education required to be a microbiologist.
There are certain microbiologist certifications that you should consider. These microbiologist certifications include Specialist in Microbiology (SM(ASCP)) and Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).
What education do you need to become a microbiologist?
What degree do you need to be a microbiologist?
- Bachelor's, 78%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a microbiologist?
- Biology, 40%
- Microbiology, 27%
- Other Majors, 24%
Most common colleges for microbiologists
| Microbiologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Ohio State University | 11.53% |
| Michigan State University | 7.37% |
| University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point | 6.43% |
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 6.05% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 4.73% |
Best majors for microbiologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 40.5% |
| 2 | Microbiology | 27.1% |
| 3 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 5.0% |
| 4 | Medical Technician | 4.2% |
| 5 | Chemistry | 3.9% |
Best colleges for microbiologists
The best colleges for microbiologists are Stanford University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A microbiologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for microbiologists. 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 microbiologists.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
7. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
9. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for microbiologists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for microbiologists
The most affordable schools for microbiologists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for microbiologists 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 microbiologists.
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 - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
8. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
10. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for microbiologists
The hardest universities for microbiologists to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for microbiologists 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 microbiologists 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
8. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
9. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
10. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for microbiologists
The easiest schools for microbiologists to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a microbiologist 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 microbiologists.
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. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
6. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
10. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
Average microbiologist salary by education level
| Microbiologist education level | Microbiologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $56,276 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,180 |
| Doctorate Degree | $63,904 |
Microbiologist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025