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Research associate r & d education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a research associate r & d. research associate r & ds usually study biology, chemistry, or biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology. 73% of research associate r & ds hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,208 real research associate r & d resumes to see exactly what research associate r & d education sections show.

The most common colleges for research associate r & ds are the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Santa Barbara.

There are also many online research associate r & d courses to help get the education required to be a research associate r & d.

What education do you need to become a research associate r & d?

What degree do you need to be a research associate r & d?

The most common degree for research associate r & ds is bachelor's degree, with 73% of research associate r & ds earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 4%.
  • Bachelor's, 73%
  • Master's, 18%
  • Associate, 4%
  • Doctorate, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a research associate r & d?

You should major in biology to become a research associate r & d. 25% of research associate r & ds major in biology. Other common majors for a research associate r & d include chemistry and biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology.

Most common colleges for research associate r & ds

Research associate r & ds often get their degrees at University of California, Santa Barbara, University of California - Davis, and University of Massachusetts Boston. Here are the most common colleges for research associate r & ds in the US based on their resumes.
Research associate r & d common collegePercentages
University of California, Santa Barbara18.22%
University of California - Davis14.22%
University of Massachusetts Boston7.11%
Northeastern University6.22%
University of Maryland - College Park6.22%

Best majors for research associate r & ds

Best colleges for research associate r & ds

The best colleges for research associate r & ds are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.

A research associate r & d with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for research associate r & ds. 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 research associate r & ds.

1. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

2. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

5. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

7. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

10. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

20 best online courses for research associate r & ds

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6. Understanding Research Methods

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Top 10 most affordable universities for research associate r & ds

The most affordable schools for research associate r & ds are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and florida state university.

If the best universities for research associate r & ds 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 research associate r & ds.

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. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

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 research associate r & ds

The hardest universities for research associate r & ds to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for research associate r & ds 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 research associate r & ds 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

9. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for research associate r & ds

The easiest schools for research associate r & ds to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a research associate r & d 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 research associate r & ds.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

7. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

8. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

9. Ursuline College

Pepper Pike, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,102

10. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

Average research associate r & d salary by education level

According to our data, research associate r & ds with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $82,874 annually. Research associate r & ds with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $82,128.
Research associate r & d education levelResearch associate r & d salary
Master's Degree$82,128
Bachelor's Degree$72,295
Doctorate Degree$82,874

Research associate r & d education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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