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Postdoc education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a postdoc. Postdocs usually study chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, or biology. 65% of postdocs hold a doctoral degree, and 22% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 235 real postdoc resumes to see exactly what postdoc education sections show.
The most common colleges for postdocs are the University of Notre Dame and the University of Notre Dame.
There are also many online postdoc courses to help get the education required to be a postdoc.
What education do you need to become a postdoc?
What degree do you need to be a postdoc?
- Doctorate, 65%
- Bachelor's, 22%
- Master's, 12%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 0%
What should I major in to become a postdoc?
Most common colleges for postdocs
| Postdoc common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Notre Dame | 6.45% |
| Texas A&M University | 6.45% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.45% |
| Wayne State University | 6.45% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 6.45% |
Best majors for postdocs
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 18.6% |
| 2 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 16.4% |
| 3 | Biology | 9.3% |
| 4 | Physics | 9.3% |
| 5 | Mathematics | 5.7% |
Best colleges for postdocs
The best colleges for postdocs are Duke University, Harvard University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A postdoc with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for postdocs. 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 postdocs.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
7. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
20 best online courses for postdocs
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Top 10 most affordable universities for postdocs
The most affordable schools for postdocs are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for postdocs 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 postdocs.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
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 - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for postdocs
The hardest universities for postdocs to get into are Duke University, Harvard University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for postdocs 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 postdocs 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for postdocs
The easiest schools for postdocs to get into are D'Youville College, mount saint mary's university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a postdoc 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 postdocs.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
6. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
9. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
10. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
Average postdoc salary by education level
| Postdoc education level | Postdoc salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $63,899 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $62,652 |
| Doctorate Degree | $67,101 |
Postdoc education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025