Research computing specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a research computing specialist. Research computing specialists usually study computer science, mathematics, or chemistry. 68% of research computing specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 236 real research computing specialist resumes to see exactly what research computing specialist education sections show.

The most common colleges for research computing specialists are the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Santa Barbara.

There are also many online research computing specialist courses to help get the education required to be a research computing specialist.

What education do you need to become a research computing specialist?

What degree do you need to be a research computing specialist?

The most common degree for research computing specialists is bachelor's degree, with 68% of research computing specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 68%

Master's, 17%

Associate, 7%

Doctorate, 4%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a research computing specialist?

You should major in computer science to become a research computing specialist. 36% of research computing specialists major in computer science. Other common majors for a research computing specialist include mathematics and chemistry.

Computer Science, 36%

Mathematics, 8%

Chemistry, 6%

Business, 6%

Other Majors, 44%

Most common colleges for research computing specialists

Research computing specialists often get their degrees at University of California, Santa Barbara, University of California - Davis, and Florida State University. Here are the most common colleges for research computing specialists in the US based on their resumes.

Research computing specialist common college	Percentages
University of California, Santa Barbara	11.36%
University of California - Davis	6.82%
Florida State University	6.82%
George Mason University	6.82%
University of Connecticut	4.55%

Show more common research computing specialist colleges

Best majors for research computing specialists

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Computer Science	36.0%
2	Mathematics	8.0%
3	Chemistry	6.4%
4	Business	5.6%
5	Computer Engineering	5.6%

Show more common research computing specialist majors

Best colleges for research computing specialists

The best colleges for research computing specialists are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

A research computing 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 computing 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 computing specialists.

1. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

10. Texas State University

San Marcos, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,280

Enrollment

34,187

20 best online courses for research computing specialists

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Learn the basics of conducting qualitative research. Learn to design interviews, conduct observations, and analyze data...

17. Digital Marketing

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Top 10 most affordable universities for research computing specialists

The most affordable schools for research computing specialists are California State University - Long Beach, brigham young university, and florida state university.

If the best universities for research computing 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 computing specialists.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

4. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

6. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

7. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

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 research computing specialists

The hardest universities for research computing specialists to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Some great schools for research computing 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 computing 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

7. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

8. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

9. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for research computing specialists

The easiest schools for research computing specialists to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, barry university, and san francisco state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a research computing 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 computing specialists.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

4. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

5. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

6. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

7. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

8. Indiana State University

Terre Haute, IN • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,019

9. Iona College

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,089

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average research computing specialist salary by education level

According to our data, research computing specialists with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $81,872 annually. Research computing specialists with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $80,998.

Research computing specialist education level	Research computing specialist salary
Master's Degree	$80,998
Bachelor's Degree	$69,637
Doctorate Degree	$81,872

Research computing specialist education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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