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Resident education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a resident. Residents usually study medicine, business, or psychology. 45% of residents hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 19,002 real resident resumes to see exactly what resident education sections show.
The most common colleges for residents are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online resident courses to help get the education required to be a resident.
There are certain resident certifications that you should consider. These resident certifications include Certification in General Surgery and Family Medicine.
What education do you need to become a resident?
What degree do you need to be a resident?
- Bachelor's, 45%
- Doctorate, 17%
- Associate, 11%
- Master's, 10%
- Other Degrees, 17%
What should I major in to become a resident?
- Medicine, 17%
- Business, 10%
- Psychology, 10%
- Nursing, 7%
- Other Majors, 56%
Most common colleges for residents
| Resident common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 10.33% |
| University of Phoenix | 9.07% |
| University of South Carolina - Columbia | 8.01% |
| Howard University | 5.79% |
| Michigan State University | 5.21% |
Best majors for residents
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medicine | 16.7% |
| 2 | Business | 10.2% |
| 3 | Psychology | 10.2% |
| 4 | Nursing | 7.1% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 7.0% |
Best colleges for residents
The best colleges for residents are Vanderbilt University, Northeastern University, and Northwestern University.
A resident with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for residents. 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 residents.
1. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
2. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
7. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,584
Enrollment
25,675
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
9. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
20 best online courses for residents
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3. Crisis Intervention Seminar
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6. Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation
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10. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale
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11. Mindfulness for Mental Health, Personal Growth & Inner Peace
The essential guide to cultivating positive mental health, practicing mindfulness, and advancing your personal growth...
12. Mental Health First Aid Skills -
This course is designed to provide the tools and knowledge for learners to help and support those experiencing MH issues...
13. The Complete EMDR Therapy Course - Accredited Certification
International EMDR Training for Self-Healing, Trauma Therapy, Childhood Healing, PTSD, Grief, and Counseling...
14. Addiction & Mental Health - Chemically Speaking Two (2hrs)
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions - Understand Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health. How to help people...
15. Managing mental health issues in the workplace
Learn how to support your own mental health and wellbeing and that of your staff...
16. Advanced Training for Trauma Treatment of Complex PTSD
Complex PTSD...
17. Mental Health and Wellness Professional (MHW) Diploma Course
Discover a flexible and comprehensive way of understanding mental health as a Certified Mental Health Professional (MHP)...
18. Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Advanced Diploma
A complete program in one course, This Diploma is an Encyclopedia in The Natural Medicine field...
19. Customer Service Fundamentals: Putting People First
Customer Care Listening Great Customer Service Concern for Others Company Culture Engaging People Responding...
20. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer
Master Customer Service using this practical customer care course...
Top 10 most affordable universities for residents
The most affordable schools for residents are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - fullerton.
If the best universities for residents 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 residents.
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 - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
10. California State University - San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,922
Cost of attendance
18,522
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for residents
The hardest universities for residents to get into are Vanderbilt University, Northeastern University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for residents 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 residents 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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
2. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
7. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for residents
The easiest schools for residents to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, gwynedd mercy university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a resident 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 residents.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
6. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
7. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
8. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average resident salary by education level
| Resident education level | Resident salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $72,141 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $58,413 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $65,954 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $58,801 |
Resident education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025