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 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 the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
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, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The earnings figures cover federally aided completers of Animal Services programs who were working and not enrolled, measured 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