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Oncologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an oncologist. Oncologists usually study nursing, medicine, or business. 37% of oncologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 295 real oncologist resumes to see exactly what oncologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for oncologists are the University of the Sciences and the University of the Sciences.
There are also many online oncologist courses to help get the education required to be an oncologist.
There are certain oncologist certifications that you should consider. These oncologist certifications include Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Certification of Radiation Oncology.
What education do you need to become an oncologist?
What degree do you need to be an oncologist?
- Bachelor's, 37%
- Doctorate, 19%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 9%
- Other Degrees, 20%
What should I major in to become an oncologist?
Most common colleges for oncologists
| Oncologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of the Sciences | 7.69% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 7.69% |
| University of Southern Indiana | 5.13% |
| University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | 5.13% |
| University of Colorado at Boulder | 5.13% |
Best majors for oncologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nursing | 18.1% |
| 2 | Medicine | 15.7% |
| 3 | Business | 11.8% |
| 4 | Biology | 8.7% |
| 5 | Physiology And Anatomy | 7.1% |
Best colleges for oncologists
The best colleges for oncologists are Duke University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Johns Hopkins University.
An oncologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for oncologists. 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 oncologists.
1. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
2. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$49,042
Enrollment
5,131
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
7. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
8. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
10. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ • Private
In-state tuition
$14,974
Enrollment
35,656
20 best online courses for oncologists
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5. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative
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10. Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation
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11. Kids with Cancer Still Need School: The Providers Role
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14. Introduction to the Biology of Cancer
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15. Health Care Delivery in Healthcare Organizations
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18. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation
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Top 10 most affordable universities for oncologists
The most affordable schools for oncologists are University of Florida, florida state university, and university of south florida.
If the best universities for oncologists 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 oncologists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
3. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
7. University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$8,178
Cost of attendance
20,934
8. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
9. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
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 oncologists
The hardest universities for oncologists to get into are Duke University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for oncologists 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 oncologists 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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
7. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,443
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for oncologists
The easiest schools for oncologists to get into are AdventHealth University, barry university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an oncologist 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 oncologists.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
5. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
6. Pennsylvania State University - Shenango
Sharon, PA • Private
Admissions rate
75%
SAT average
989
7. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
8. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
9. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average oncologist salary by education level
| Oncologist education level | Oncologist salary |
|---|---|
| Doctorate Degree | $313,303 |
Oncologist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025