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Scientific aide education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a scientific aide. Scientific aides usually study biology, ecology, population biology, and epidemiology, or environmental science. 77% of scientific aides hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 297 real scientific aide resumes to see exactly what scientific aide education sections show.
The most common colleges for scientific aides are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.
There are also many online scientific aide courses to help get the education required to be a scientific aide.
What education do you need to become a scientific aide?
What degree do you need to be a scientific aide?
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 8%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a scientific aide?
Most common colleges for scientific aides
| Scientific aide common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California - Davis | 21.54% |
| Humboldt State University | 13.08% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 10.77% |
| California State University - San Bernardino | 7.69% |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | 5.38% |
Best majors for scientific aides
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 25.6% |
| 2 | Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology | 19.0% |
| 3 | Environmental Science | 19.0% |
| 4 | Geology | 5.6% |
| 5 | Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | 3.1% |
Best colleges for scientific aides
The best colleges for scientific aides are Harvard University, Duke University, and Stanford University.
A scientific aide with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for scientific aides. 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 scientific aides.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
8. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for scientific aides
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Top 10 most affordable universities for scientific aides
The most affordable schools for scientific aides are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for scientific aides 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 scientific aides.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for scientific aides
The hardest universities for scientific aides to get into are Harvard University, Duke University, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for scientific aides 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 scientific aides 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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
9. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for scientific aides
The easiest schools for scientific aides to get into are Wayland Baptist University, mount saint mary's university, and curry college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a scientific aide 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 scientific aides.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
8. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average scientific aide salary by education level
| Scientific aide education level | Scientific aide salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,619 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,580 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,084 |
Scientific aide education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025