Best Animal Services Programs in the United States (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Agriculture Colleges in the United States
This page lists the 9 Animal Services programs in the United States with a reported earnings cohort, ordered by the median earnings of Animal Services graduates four years after completing. Johnson & Wales University-Providence ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $47,871 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, median earnings range from $47,871 to $20,140, with a median of $40,047. For 1 of the 9 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 3 public and 6 private nonprofit institutions. North Dakota State University-Main Campus posts the lowest average net price on the page at $15,543.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins ranks 200th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence · Providence, RI | $47,871 | $31,027 | $25,530 | 88.4% |
| Johnson & Wales University-Providence reports $47,871 in median earnings for its Animal Services graduates four years after completing, with 7 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 2 | The University of Findlay · Findlay, OH | $46,301 | $27,221 | $22,052 | 83.4% |
| The University of Findlay admits 83% of applicants and reports median federal debt of $26,000 among Animal Services completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 3 | Midway University · Midway, KY | $45,192 | $29,579 | $27,206 | 95.1% |
| Midway University ranks 3rd on this list and shows an average net price of $27,206 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 4 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus · Fargo, ND | $42,973 | $15,543 | $9,370 | 95.0% |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus, a public university in Fargo, posts median earnings of $42,973 for its Animal Services graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Centenary University · Hackettstown, NJ | $40,047 | $20,503 | $13,329 | 83.1% |
| Centenary University sits at 5th on this list and reports median federal debt of $23,250 among Animal Services completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 6 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $39,595 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins ranks 200th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and its Animal Services graduates earn a median of $39,595 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | West Texas A & M University · Canyon, TX | $37,996 | $19,487 | $16,525 | 98.7% |
| West Texas A & M University admits 99% of applicants and its Animal Services graduates four years after completing earn a median of $37,996. | |||||
| 8 | William Woods University · Fulton, MO | $33,757 | $26,569 | $24,014 | 71.0% |
| William Woods University reports an average net price of $26,569 and median federal debt of $25,810 among Animal Services completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 9 | Asbury University · Wilmore, KY | $20,140 | $21,401 | $18,455 | 63.4% |
| Asbury University ranks 9th on this list, with median earnings of $20,140 for its Animal Services graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Animal Services graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the United States appear. The earnings figures cover federally aided completers of Animal Services programs who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 1 of the 9 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range from Johnson & Wales University-Providence at $47,871 to the bottom of the list is $27,731, with a gap of $1,570 between Johnson & Wales University-Providence and The University of Findlay.
Job market context in the United States
The occupations linked to Animal Services in the United States include roles such as Animal Caretakers, Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary, and Animal Trainers. The median annual wage across those occupations is $37,596, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $33,229. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 90,500 openings a year, or about 29,672 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 8.5% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses the median earnings of Animal Services graduates four years after completing, a different measure from the occupational wage and opening figures described here.
Related rankings
- Best Agriculture Colleges in the United States
- Agriculture Colleges for Social Mobility