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Sample prep technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a sample prep technician. Sample prep technicians usually study biology, business, or chemistry. 45% of sample prep technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 25% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 1,275 real sample prep technician resumes to see exactly what sample prep technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for sample prep technicians are the St. Louis and the St. Louis.
There are also many online sample prep technician courses to help get the education required to be a sample prep technician.
There are certain sample prep technician certifications that you should consider. These sample prep technician certifications include Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
What education do you need to become a sample prep technician?
What degree do you need to be a sample prep technician?
- Bachelor's, 45%
- High School Diploma, 25%
- Associate, 17%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 8%
What should I major in to become a sample prep technician?
- Biology, 21%
- Business, 13%
- Chemistry, 8%
- Criminal Justice, 6%
- Other Majors, 52%
Most common colleges for sample prep technicians
| Sample prep technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| St. Louis | 9.38% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 9.38% |
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 6.25% |
| San Francisco State University | 6.25% |
| Monroe College | 6.25% |
Best majors for sample prep technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 21.3% |
| 2 | Business | 12.9% |
| 3 | Chemistry | 7.8% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 6.0% |
| 5 | Geology | 5.6% |
Best colleges for sample prep technicians
The best colleges for sample prep technicians are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A sample prep technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for sample prep technicians. 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 sample prep technicians.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
20 best online courses for sample prep technicians
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Top 10 most affordable universities for sample prep technicians
The most affordable schools for sample prep technicians are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.
If the best universities for sample prep technicians 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 sample prep technicians.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
4. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
7. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for sample prep technicians
The hardest universities for sample prep technicians to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for sample prep technicians 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 sample prep technicians 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for sample prep technicians
The easiest schools for sample prep technicians to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a sample prep technician 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 sample prep technicians.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average sample prep technician salary by education level
| Sample prep technician education level | Sample prep technician salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $49,553 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,280 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,989 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,895 |
Sample prep technician education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025