Animal Sciences: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Animal Sciences graduates earn a median $49,634 four years after finishing — $1,274/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 over four years), that pays back in about 53.1 years. Federal data pools 100 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 7,084 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Georgia | GA | $61,176 |
| 2 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | MA | $59,543 |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | $57,605 |
| 4 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $57,324 |
| 5 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $56,248 |
| 6 | University of Arkansas | AR | $56,136 |
| 7 | Texas Tech University | TX | $55,753 |
| 8 | Stephen F Austin State University | TX | $54,984 |
| 9 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $54,805 |
| 10 | Michigan State University | MI | $54,751 |
| 11 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | $54,509 |
| 12 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $54,089 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.