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Research compliance specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a research compliance specialist. Research compliance specialists usually study business, biology, or nursing. 72% of research compliance specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 142 real research compliance specialist resumes to see exactly what research compliance specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for research compliance specialists are the Fordham University and the Fordham University.
There are also many online research compliance specialist courses to help get the education required to be a research compliance specialist.
What education do you need to become a research compliance specialist?
What degree do you need to be a research compliance specialist?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a research compliance specialist?
Most common colleges for research compliance specialists
| Research compliance specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fordham University | 10.34% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 6.90% |
| Virginia Union University | 6.90% |
| University of Central Missouri | 6.90% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.90% |
Best majors for research compliance specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 19.5% |
| 2 | Biology | 9.1% |
| 3 | Nursing | 9.1% |
| 4 | Political Science | 7.8% |
| 5 | Health Care Administration | 6.5% |
Best colleges for research compliance specialists
The best colleges for research compliance specialists are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A research compliance specialist 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 compliance specialists. 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 compliance specialists.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
5. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
6. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
7. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Enrollment
9,394
8. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
20 best online courses for research compliance specialists
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2. Uncertainty and Research
This course teaches the fundamentals of scientific research. We approach the research process as a means of systematically reducing uncertainty and demonstrate how conducting a scientific investigation can be posed as an exercise in Bayesian uncertainty quantification. We begin by exploring the scientific landscape to understand the different types of research, where they are conducted, how they are supported, and why each of these types of research is important. We then formalize scientific...
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5. Foundations of Health Equity Research
Introduces students to the core principles of health equity research. Covers topics such as defining health equity, engaging community and policy stakeholders, patient-centeredness, cultural competence, and dissemination of research findings. Content will recognize different geographic, cultural, and social contexts where health inequities occur...
6. Operational Research for Humanitarians
Evidence is central to good decision-making both in the humanitarian sector and beyond. Every day, a vast amount of evidence is generated that is relevant to humanitarian actors, much of it through research by academics and practitioners. This evidence can be incredibly valuable. It can help us better understand a situation and make humanitarian action more effective and accountable. The difficulty comes with understanding what evidence is relevant to our circumstances, where to find it, and...
7. Research Methodology: Complete Research Project Blueprint
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8. Research Methodology
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9. Clinical Research for beginners
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10. Certificate Course in Clinical Research (CCCR)
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12. Privacy and Data Protection, Certified GDPR Compliance
From theory to practice (junior and less than 1 year experience level)...
13. Compliance Training for Employees
Compliance: a simple, comprehensive and effective way to protect your company!...
14. Introduction to Compliance Risk Management CRM
Compliance risk management CRM for Compliance, Risk Management, Internal Audit and IS Security Professionals...
15. Global Marketing Research and Analytics
Understand and conduct market research on a global scale...
16. Market Research: Dekker's Complete Marketing Research Course
Competitor Analysis, Market Research Analysis, Marketing Analytics, Consumer Analytics, Conversion Rate Optimization...
17. Research Methods For Business Students
A-Z guide to writing a rockstar Research Paper with a bulletproof Research Methodology!...
18. Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods
Learn the basics of conducting qualitative research. Learn to design interviews, conduct observations, and analyze data...
19. HR 101: Compliance Made Easy - U.S. Employers Must Have
Streamline the most critical human resource (HR) processes and be in compliance with U.S. employment regulations...
20. How to Write an Effective Research Paper
Learn how to write award-winning research papers with easy steps. Includes examples and a research paper template...
Top 10 most affordable universities for research compliance specialists
The most affordable schools for research compliance specialists are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - dominguez hills.
If the best universities for research compliance specialists 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 compliance specialists.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
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. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for research compliance specialists
The hardest universities for research compliance specialists to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for research compliance specialists 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 compliance specialists 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. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
9. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for research compliance specialists
The easiest schools for research compliance specialists to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, d'youville college, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a research compliance specialist 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 compliance specialists.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
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. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
Average research compliance specialist salary by education level
| Research compliance specialist education level | Research compliance specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,408 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $44,475 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,773 |
| Doctorate Degree | $60,326 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $46,213 |
Research compliance specialist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025