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Research scholar education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a research scholar. Research scholars usually study chemistry, biology, or electrical engineering. 55% of research scholars hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,069 real research scholar resumes to see exactly what research scholar education sections show.
The most common colleges for research scholars are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.
There are also many online research scholar courses to help get the education required to be a research scholar.
What education do you need to become a research scholar?
What degree do you need to be a research scholar?
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Master's, 24%
- Doctorate, 16%
- Associate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a research scholar?
Most common colleges for research scholars
| Research scholar common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California - Davis | 7.62% |
| Lafayette College | 7.62% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 6.67% |
| Rice University | 5.71% |
| Texas A&M University | 5.71% |
Best majors for research scholars
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 13.5% |
| 2 | Biology | 11.1% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 9.2% |
| 4 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 7.3% |
| 5 | Psychology | 6.4% |
Best colleges for research scholars
The best colleges for research scholars are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and University of Pennsylvania.
A research scholar 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 scholars. 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 scholars.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
7. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
20 best online courses for research scholars
Advertising disclosure
1. Communication skills for engineering scholars
The course teaches engineering scholars how to improve their communication skills, based on theory, examples and practical exercises. Topics include basics of rhetoric (how to be clear), basics of argumentation theory (how to be persuasive), public speaking, grant writing, scientific writing. The main target are engineering scholars; the first 3 weeks, though, can be useful to anyone wishing to improve their communication skills...
2. Market Research
The Market Research Specialisation focuses on the essentials of research and the research process. This Specialisation will teach you how to use qualitative and quantitative research methods, how to develop and manage a questionnaire development strategy, how to develop measurements, how to collect data and how to analyze and present them.\n\nOnce you have completed this Specialisation, you will have a good understanding of market research including:\n\nEssentials of market research Components...
3. SPSS For Research
SPSS data analysis made easy. Become an expert in advanced statistical analysis with SPSS...
4. Research Methodology: Complete Research Project Blueprint
Research Methodology From A-Z. A Step-by-Step Guide Through Research Design, Data Collection, Analysis, & Interpretation...
5. Psychological Research
This specialization is primarily aimed at first- and second-year undergraduates interested in psychology, data analysis, ethics in research, and quantitative research methods along with high school students and professionals with similar interests.\n\nLearners will develop knowledge about the fundamentals of research design for quantitative studies in psychology, analysis of data from quantitative studies in psychology, and ethical standards for conducting psychological research. Learning...
6. Qualitative Research
In this course, the second in the Market Research Specialization, you will go in-depth with qualitative market research methods, from design to implementation to analysis. Week 1: Define qualitative research and how it differs from quantitative research. Explore the various qualitative research methods and evaluate when and how to use them for your research project. Week 2: Design the qualitative instruments necessary for your interviews or focus groups, and plan your recruitment efforts. Write...
7. Research Methodology
Academic Research Business Research Thesis & Dissertation Report Research Paper / Journal...
8. Applied Statistical Modeling for Data Analysis in R
Your Complete Guide to Statistical Data Analysis and Visualization For Practical Applications in R...
9. Data Science for Health Research
In Data Science for Health Research, learn to organize and visualize health data using statistical analysis in programs like R. Explore how to translate data, interpret statistical models, and predict outcomes to help make data-informed decisions within the public health field...
10. SPSS Masterclass: Learn SPSS From Scratch to Advanced
The Only Course You Will Ever Need to Learn IBM SPSS Statistics, Research, & Data Analysis Scratch to Advanced Level...
11. Statistics / Data Analysis in SPSS: Inferential Statistics
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12. 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...
13. Complete Data Wrangling & Data Visualisation With Python
Learn to Preprocess, Wrangle and Visualise Data For Practical Data Science Applications in Python...
14. The 16-hour SPSS Pro: Analysis, Interpretation, and Write-Up
16 Hours of Instruction From a 13 Year Researcher and College Instructor...
15. Market Research: Dekker's Complete Marketing Research Course
Competitor Analysis, Market Research Analysis, Marketing Analytics, Consumer Analytics, Conversion Rate Optimization...
16. Complete Data Science Training with Python for Data Analysis
Beginners python data analytics : Data science introduction : Learn data science : Python data analysis methods tutorial...
17. Qualitative Data Analysis using MAXQDA: Scratch to Advanced
Master Qualitative Research Method, Content Analysis, Grounded Theory, Thematic Analysis and more with MAXQDA Analytics...
18. Statistics / Data Analysis: Survey Data and Likert Scales
How to Process Survey Data and Analyze Likert Scales In SPSS...
19. Core Spatial Data Analysis: Introductory GIS with R and QGIS
Become Proficient In Spatial Data Analysis Using R & QGIS By Working On A Real Project - Get A Job In Spatial Data!...
20. Data Science:Data Mining & Natural Language Processing in R
Harness the Power of Machine Learning in R for Data/Text Mining, & Natural Language Processing with Practical Examples...
Top 10 most affordable universities for research scholars
The most affordable schools for research scholars are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for research scholars 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 scholars.
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. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
10. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for research scholars
The hardest universities for research scholars to get into are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for research scholars 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 scholars 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for research scholars
The easiest schools for research scholars to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, san francisco state university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a research scholar 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 scholars.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
8. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
9. American International College
Springfield, MA • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
1,010
10. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden
Camden, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,086
Average research scholar salary by education level
| Research scholar education level | Research scholar salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $69,619 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $56,071 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,831 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $61,935 |
Research scholar education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025