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Science professor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a science professor. Science professors usually study biology, business, or psychology. 56% of science professors hold a bachelor's degree, and 25% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 427 real science professor resumes to see exactly what science professor education sections show.
The most common colleges for science professors are the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus and the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus.
There are also many online science professor courses to help get the education required to be a science professor.
What education do you need to become a science professor?
What degree do you need to be a science professor?
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Master's, 25%
- Doctorate, 14%
- Associate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a science professor?
- Biology, 16%
- Business, 10%
- Psychology, 8%
- Education, 8%
- Other Majors, 58%
Most common colleges for science professors
| Science professor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus | 11.11% |
| Central State University | 6.35% |
| Webster University | 6.35% |
| American University | 6.35% |
| Howard University | 6.35% |
Best majors for science professors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 15.5% |
| 2 | Business | 10.4% |
| 3 | Psychology | 8.3% |
| 4 | Education | 7.8% |
| 5 | Political Science | 5.7% |
Best colleges for science professors
The best colleges for science professors are Harvard University, Stanford University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A science professor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for science professors. 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 science professors.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
10. University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,700
Enrollment
29,722
20 best online courses for science professors
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19. Complete Machine Learning & Data Science Bootcamp 2023
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20. Math for Data Science Masterclass
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Top 10 most affordable universities for science professors
The most affordable schools for science professors are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for science professors 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 science professors.
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 - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for science professors
The hardest universities for science professors to get into are Harvard University, Stanford University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for science professors 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 science professors 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
9. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for science professors
The easiest schools for science professors to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and life university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a science professor 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 science professors.
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. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
6. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
7. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
8. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
9. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average science professor salary by education level
| Science professor education level | Science professor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $78,185 |
| Doctorate Degree | $106,125 |
Science professor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025