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Paleontologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a paleontologist. Paleontologists usually study geology, anthropology, or fine arts. 67% of paleontologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 39 real paleontologist resumes to see exactly what paleontologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for paleontologists are the Queens College of the City University of New York and the Queens College of the City University of New York.
There are also many online paleontologist courses to help get the education required to be a paleontologist.
What education do you need to become a paleontologist?
What degree do you need to be a paleontologist?
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Master's, 22%
- Diploma, 4%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a paleontologist?
- Geology, 46%
- Anthropology, 14%
- Fine Arts, 11%
- Other Majors, 22%
Most common colleges for paleontologists
| Paleontologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Queens College of the City University of New York | 9.52% |
| Montana State University - Bozeman | 4.76% |
| University of Alaska Fairbanks | 4.76% |
| George Washington University, The | 4.76% |
| Marietta College | 4.76% |
Best majors for paleontologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geology | 46.4% |
| 2 | Anthropology | 14.3% |
| 3 | Fine Arts | 10.7% |
| 4 | Environmental Science | 7.1% |
| 5 | Botany | 3.6% |
Best colleges for paleontologists
The best colleges for paleontologists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Southern California.
A paleontologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for paleontologists. 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 paleontologists.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
2. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
5. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
6. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
7. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Enrollment
27,125
8. Texas A&M University
College Station, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$11,870
Enrollment
53,194
9. University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$15,887
Enrollment
23,202
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,260
Enrollment
25,799
20 best online courses for paleontologists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for paleontologists
The most affordable schools for paleontologists are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and minot state university.
If the best universities for paleontologists 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 paleontologists.
1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
4. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for paleontologists
The hardest universities for paleontologists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for paleontologists 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 paleontologists 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 Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Amherst College
Amherst, MA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,449
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,465
8. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
10. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for paleontologists
The easiest schools for paleontologists to get into are Wayland Baptist University, kean university, and san francisco state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a paleontologist 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 paleontologists.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
3. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
4. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
5. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois
DuBois, PA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,079
6. Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
Lock Haven, PA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
1,020
7. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
8. Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,073
9. University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,050
10. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
Average paleontologist salary by education level
| Paleontologist education level | Paleontologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $100,127 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $88,271 |
| Doctorate Degree | $110,038 |
Paleontologist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025