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Regulatory affairs associate education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a regulatory affairs associate. Regulatory affairs associates usually study pharmacy, biology, or business. 69% of regulatory affairs associates hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,840 real regulatory affairs associate resumes to see exactly what regulatory affairs associate education sections show.
The most common colleges for regulatory affairs associates are the Northeastern University and the Northeastern University.
There are also many online regulatory affairs associate courses to help get the education required to be a regulatory affairs associate.
There are certain regulatory affairs associate certifications that you should consider. These regulatory affairs associate certifications include Regulatory Affairs Certification - US (RAC) and Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP).
What education do you need to become a regulatory affairs associate?
What degree do you need to be a regulatory affairs associate?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a regulatory affairs associate?
Most common colleges for regulatory affairs associates
| Regulatory affairs associate common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Northeastern University | 15.23% |
| Temple University | 8.98% |
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 7.42% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.25% |
| University of Phoenix | 5.47% |
Best majors for regulatory affairs associates
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pharmacy | 17.7% |
| 2 | Biology | 15.9% |
| 3 | Business | 13.5% |
| 4 | Political Science | 8.6% |
| 5 | Chemistry | 6.9% |
Best colleges for regulatory affairs associates
The best colleges for regulatory affairs associates are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A regulatory affairs associate with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for regulatory affairs associates. 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 regulatory affairs associates.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
2. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
5. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
9. Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$38,178
Enrollment
6,008
10. University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$13,764
Enrollment
20,435
20 best online courses for regulatory affairs associates
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3. Pharmaceutical Industry Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)
Empowering Professionals in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Comprehensive Online Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs...
4. Certificate Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)
Pharma course (NDA, ANDA, CTD, DMF, USFDA, Regulatory strategy, GMP, Clinical Research, Orange Book, Pharmaceuticals)...
5. FinTech Law and Policy
Being a successful FinTech firm requires more than just great technology; it also requires an understanding of the laws and regulations applicable to your business. This course will provide you with that understanding. You will learn about the critical legal, regulatory, and policy issues associated with cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings, online lending, new payments and wealth management technologies, and financial account aggregators. In addition, you will learn how regulatory agencies...
6. Drug Development
The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Development course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug development. In this course you will learn the different stages of clinical development as well as the regulatory including but not limited to, an Investigational New...
7. Practical Regulatory Affairs 2020 - US FDA Medical Devices
A practical course discussing the US FDA Medical Device regulations for real-world situations...
8. EU Medical Device Regulatory Affairs explained Simply
How to get approval to sell Medical Devices within the European Union. Understand regulatory affairs & ISO 13485 2016...
9. Introduction to Medical Software
In this class, we present a broad overview of the field of medical software. You will learn from Yale professors and a series of industry experts who connect the course concepts to their real world applications. We begin by discussing medical device regulatory structures, data privacy and cybersecurity regulations, and key support technologies such quality management systems and risk management. We then take a detailed look at the medical software life cycle, starting with identifying user...
10. Practical Regulatory Affairs 2020 - European Medical Devices
A practical course discussing the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) in real-world situations...
11. Pharma Drug Regulatory Affairs Certificate Course - DRA 2023
DRA, Orange book, USFDA, e CTD, CTD, INDA, NDA, ANDA, DMF, ICH, Software Demo, RA Jobs, Quiz, Pharma Skills, Updated 2023...
12. Medical Device Regulation 2017/745 EU regulatory affairs.
Understand regulations for medical devices in simple terms to gain market approval of a medical device in the EU...
13. ISO 13485 Demystified - Medical Devices' QMS 360° Insights
Deep dive into the world of ISO 13485 international standard for medical devices' QMS, basic concepts & requirements...
14. The Simplest Guide to Clinical Trials Data Analysis with SAS
Step into the world of Pharmaceutical industry Clinical Trials Clinical Research Biostatistics Clinical SAS SAS...
15. ISO 13485 - IQOQPQ - Process Validation for Medical Devices
Installation Qualification (IQ), Operational Qualification (OQ) & Performance Qualification (PQ) Medical Devices...
16. Medical Device Process Validation. ISO 13485. IQ OQ PQ.
Validate a process to gain approval to sell medical devices in the EU, U.S. & Internationally. Compliance to ISO 13485...
17. Medical Devices Quality Management System - ISO 13485:2016
Awareness and Application for the requirements of ISO 13485:2016 for Medical Device Development and QMS...
18. Internal audit on Medical Device QMS - ISO 13485:2016
Successfully conduct an internal audit based on requirements of ISO 13485:2016 for Medical Device Development and QMS...
19. Certificate Course in Pharmacovigilance
Drug safety, Drug development and discovery, ICSR , Adverse events, Global guidelines, Med DRA, PV Audits...
20. ISO 13485:2016 - Design and Development of Medical Devices
Design and Development of Medical Devices in the perspective of ISO 13485:2016 and Medical Devices Industry...
Top 10 most affordable universities for regulatory affairs associates
The most affordable schools for regulatory affairs associates are SUNY Farmingdale, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for regulatory affairs associates 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 regulatory affairs associates.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
5. York College of the City University of New York
Jamaica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,158
Cost of attendance
14,204
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
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 regulatory affairs associates
The hardest universities for regulatory affairs associates to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for regulatory affairs associates 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 regulatory affairs associates 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for regulatory affairs associates
The easiest schools for regulatory affairs associates to get into are D'Youville College, oklahoma wesleyan university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a regulatory affairs associate 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 regulatory affairs associates.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
8. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
9. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
10. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
Average regulatory affairs associate salary by education level
| Regulatory affairs associate education level | Regulatory affairs associate salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $82,129 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $62,004 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $74,476 |
| Doctorate Degree | $90,940 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $65,442 |
Regulatory affairs associate education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025