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Water tester education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a water tester. Water testers usually study business, biology, or precision metal working. 39% of water testers hold a high school diploma, and 30% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 235 real water tester resumes to see exactly what water tester education sections show.
The most common colleges for water testers are the SUNY Buffalo State and the SUNY Buffalo State.
There are also many online water tester courses to help get the education required to be a water tester.
What education do you need to become a water tester?
What degree do you need to be a water tester?
- High School Diploma, 39%
- Bachelor's, 30%
- Diploma, 14%
- Associate, 12%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a water tester?
- Business, 16%
- Biology, 14%
- Criminal Justice, 9%
- Other Majors, 52%
Most common colleges for water testers
| Water tester common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| SUNY Buffalo State | 9.09% |
| Strayer University | 9.09% |
| West Virginia State University | 4.55% |
| Barton College | 4.55% |
| Mercyhurst University | 4.55% |
Best majors for water testers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 15.8% |
| 2 | Biology | 14.0% |
| 3 | Precision Metal Working | 8.8% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 8.8% |
| 5 | Computer Engineering | 7.0% |
Best colleges for water testers
The best colleges for water testers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A water tester with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for water testers. 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 water testers.
1. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
2. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
3. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,570
Enrollment
3,721
9. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
10. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
20 best online courses for water testers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for water testers
The most affordable schools for water testers are USF Sarasota-Manatee, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for water testers 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 water testers.
1. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
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. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
8. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Cost of attendance
22,990
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for water testers
The hardest universities for water testers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for water testers 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 water testers 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
9. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
10. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for water testers
The easiest schools for water testers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, the university of texas permian basin, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a water tester 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 water testers.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
8. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
9. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
10. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
Average water tester salary by education level
| Water tester education level | Water tester salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,940 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $40,905 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,130 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,535 |
Water tester education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025