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Visiting researcher education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a visiting researcher. Visiting researchers usually study physics, chemistry, or biology. 45% of visiting researchers hold a bachelor's degree, and 32% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,274 real visiting researcher resumes to see exactly what visiting researcher education sections show.
The most common colleges for visiting researchers are the National University and the National University.
There are also many online visiting researcher courses to help get the education required to be a visiting researcher.
What education do you need to become a visiting researcher?
What degree do you need to be a visiting researcher?
- Bachelor's, 45%
- Master's, 32%
- Doctorate, 22%
- Associate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 0%
What should I major in to become a visiting researcher?
Most common colleges for visiting researchers
| Visiting researcher common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| National University | 13.38% |
| University of Florida | 7.75% |
| University of California, Berkeley | 7.75% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 7.04% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 6.34% |
Best majors for visiting researchers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physics | 14.3% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 12.6% |
| 3 | Biology | 8.0% |
| 4 | Electrical Engineering | 8.0% |
| 5 | Chemical Engineering | 7.7% |
Best colleges for visiting researchers
The best colleges for visiting researchers are Columbia University in the City of New York, Harvard University, and Duke University.
A visiting researcher with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for visiting researchers. 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 visiting researchers.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for visiting researchers
Advertising disclosure
1. Foundations of Health Equity Research
Introduces students to the core principles of health equity research. Covers topics such as defining health equity, engaging community and policy stakeholders, patient-centeredness, cultural competence, and dissemination of research findings. Content will recognize different geographic, cultural, and social contexts where health inequities occur...
2. 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...
3. Research Methodology: Complete Research Project Blueprint
Research Methodology From A-Z. A Step-by-Step Guide Through Research Design, Data Collection, Analysis, & Interpretation...
4. Research Methodology
Academic Research Business Research Thesis & Dissertation Report Research Paper / Journal...
5. 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...
6. Market Research
"Finding the Story in the Data” is the most important emerging capability for market researchers according to GRIT (Greenbook Research Industry Trends) Report 2016. This specialization, designed for learners with no previous Marketing Research experience teaches a comprehensive marketing research approach that will help learners find and communicate the story in the data.\n\nStudents will learn how to initiate a research project for targeted business needs, conduct research through multiple...
7. Market Research: Dekker's Complete Marketing Research Course
Competitor Analysis, Market Research Analysis, Marketing Analytics, Consumer Analytics, Conversion Rate Optimization...
8. Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods
Learn the basics of conducting qualitative research. Learn to design interviews, conduct observations, and analyze data...
9. 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...
10. 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...
11. Global Marketing Research and Analytics
Understand and conduct market research on a global scale...
12. 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...
13. Understanding Research Methods
This MOOC is about demystifying research and research methods. It will outline the fundamentals of doing research, aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at the postgraduate level. It places the student experience at the centre of our endeavours by engaging learners in a range of robust and challenging discussions and exercises befitting SOAS, University of London's status as a research-intensive university and its rich research heritage. The course will appeal to those of you who require an...
14. How to Visualize Research Data in Tableau
Publishing research often requires the preparation of visual elements like charts, tables, and graphs to better explain the text in a research report. Creating these elements can be done easily and effectively in Tableau. Using Tableau, large and small data sets can be visualized with precision, creativity, interactivity, and options in Tableau. After taking this course learners will know how to create a table, a geovisualization, and a pie chart. Three of the most common research...
15. Research Methods For Business Students
A-Z guide to writing a rockstar Research Paper with a bulletproof Research Methodology!...
16. An Introduction to Online Quantitative Market Research
Learn how to effectively conceptualise, design, execute and apply quantitative online research like a PRO!...
17. Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics
If you’ve ever skipped over the results section of a medical paper because terms like “confidence interval” or “p-value” go over your head, then you’re in the right place. You may be a clinical practitioner reading research articles to keep up-to-date with developments in your field or a medical student wondering how to approach your own research. Greater confidence in understanding statistical analysis and the results can benefit both working professionals and those undertaking research...
18. Uncertainty and Research
This course teaches the fundamentals of scientific research. We approach the research process as a means of systematically reducing uncertainty and demonstrate how conducting a scientific investigation can be posed as an exercise in Bayesian uncertainty quantification. We begin by exploring the scientific landscape to understand the different types of research, where they are conducted, how they are supported, and why each of these types of research is important. We then formalize scientific...
19. The Beginners Course for Clinical Research
The Essentials of Clinical Trials - Clinical Research for Beginners...
20. Applied Statistical Modeling for Data Analysis in R
Your Complete Guide to Statistical Data Analysis and Visualization For Practical Applications in R...
Top 10 most affordable universities for visiting researchers
The most affordable schools for visiting researchers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for visiting researchers 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 visiting researchers.
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. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for visiting researchers
The hardest universities for visiting researchers to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Harvard University, and Duke University.
Some great schools for visiting researchers 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 visiting researchers 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
8. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
10. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for visiting researchers
The easiest schools for visiting researchers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, d'youville college, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a visiting researcher 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 visiting researchers.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
5. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
9. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
10. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
Average visiting researcher salary by education level
| Visiting researcher education level | Visiting researcher salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $65,915 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $64,047 |
| Doctorate Degree | $70,792 |
Visiting researcher education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025