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Zoologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a zoologist. Zoologists usually study biology, zoology, or psychology. 64% of zoologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 29% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 38 real zoologist resumes to see exactly what zoologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for zoologists are the Missouri State University and the Missouri State University.
There are also many online zoologist courses to help get the education required to be a zoologist.
What education do you need to become a zoologist?
What degree do you need to be a zoologist?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Master's, 29%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Associate, 4%
What should I major in to become a zoologist?
- Biology, 32%
- Zoology, 13%
- Psychology, 6%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for zoologists
| Zoologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Missouri State University | 5.00% |
| Cleveland Institute of Art | 5.00% |
| Marquette University | 5.00% |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | 5.00% |
| Valdosta State University | 5.00% |
Best majors for zoologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 32.3% |
| 2 | Zoology | 12.9% |
| 3 | Psychology | 6.5% |
| 4 | Wildlife Management | 6.5% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 3.2% |
Best colleges for zoologists
The best colleges for zoologists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A zoologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for zoologists. 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 zoologists.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
20 best online courses for zoologists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for zoologists
The most affordable schools for zoologists are University of Florida, california state university - bakersfield, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for zoologists 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 zoologists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
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. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for zoologists
The hardest universities for zoologists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for zoologists 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 zoologists 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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for zoologists
The easiest schools for zoologists to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a zoologist 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 zoologists.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
6. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
7. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
8. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
10. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
Average zoologist salary by education level
| Zoologist education level | Zoologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,396 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,234 |
| Doctorate Degree | $70,970 |
Zoologist 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