Animal Sciences graduates earn $49,634 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $36,349 and $66,880. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
This page covers Animal Sciences as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Agriculture and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Animal Sciences is a focused area of study within Agriculture. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $49,634 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 157 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 8,396 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. Training is practical and skills-based, with a fast path from classroom to job site.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$34,062
Median Earnings · 4yr
$49,634
Colleges Offering
157
Graduates / Year
8,396
Avg Net Price / yr
$17,324
How Much Do Animal Sciences Graduates Earn?
Four years after finishing Animal Sciences, a typical graduate earns $49,634, below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $36,349 and $66,880, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $34,062 at one year out to $49,634 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
$49,634
4-Year National Median
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
$49,193
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
Not every Animal Sciences graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Region and union membership drive the gap more than any other factor. Union jobs in high-cost metros pay significantly more than non-union positions elsewhere.
$36,34925th pct.
$49,634Median
$66,88075th pct.
A Solid Financial Return
Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $49,634 and an estimated $69,296 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 3.5 years.
Based on outcomes from 105 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 8,396 students who complete Animal Sciences programs each year, the majority (87%) earn a bachelor's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
87%
Bachelor's87%
Master's6%
Associate's3%
What Can You Do With an Animal Sciences Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Animal Sciences graduates show up in 5 different occupations, and Agricultural Sciences Teachers pay the most at $98,700/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Teach courses in the agricultural sciences. Includes teachers of agronomy, dairy sciences, fisheries management, horticultural sciences, poultry sciences, range management, and agricultural soil conservation. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
High school diploma or equivalent70,800 openings/yr7K employed nationally
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionComplex Problem SolvingSpeaking
Day-to-day responsibilities
Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. May hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation. May engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities.
Collect and record growth, production, and environmental data.
Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants for sale to trade or retail customers, for display or exhibition, or for research.
Direct and monitor trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation, and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques.
Active ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionWritingSocial Perceptiveness
Day-to-day responsibilities
Instruct and advise individuals and families engaged in agriculture, agricultural-related processes, or home management activities. Demonstrate procedures and apply research findings to advance agricultural and home management activities. May develop educational outreach programs. May instruct on either agricultural issues such as agricultural processes and techniques, pest management, and food safety, or on home management issues such as budgeting, nutrition, and child development.
Advise farmers and demonstrate techniques in areas such as feeding and health maintenance of livestock, growing and harvesting practices, and financial planning.
Conduct classes or deliver lectures on subjects such as nutrition, home management, and farming techniques.
Collaborate with producers to diagnose and prevent management and production problems.
Work with agricultural scientists in plant, fiber, and animal research, or assist with animal breeding and nutrition. Set up or maintain laboratory equipment and collect samples from crops or animals. Prepare specimens or record data to assist scientists in biology or related life science experiments. Conduct tests and experiments to improve yield and quality of crops or to increase the resistance of plants and animals to disease or insects.
Prepare land for cultivated crops, orchards, or vineyards by plowing, discing, leveling, or contouring.
Operate farm machinery, including tractors, plows, mowers, combines, balers, sprayers, earthmoving equipment, or trucks.
Record data pertaining to experimentation, research, or animal care.
Top Colleges for Animal Sciences
Not sure where to study Animal Sciences? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Animal Sciences graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Agriculture Programs
Animal Sciences is not the only path through Agriculture: 18 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of an Animal Sciences program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
Animal Sciences carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 3 strengths and 4 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.
PROS
Strong salary growthMedian earnings climb from $34,062 at graduation to $49,634 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Positive job outlookRelated careers project up to +5.4% job growth over the next 10 years, a solid signal for long-term demand.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 82,400 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
Modest median earningsFour-year median of $49,634 lags STEM and business fields, affecting ROI at higher-cost programs.
Licensure often requiredMany positions in this field require trade licenses, certifications, or apprenticeship completion. These add time and cost beyond the academic credential.
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Declining roles in some areas2 related careers show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.
$49,634 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $36,349 and $66,880, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for an Animal Sciences degree?
$34,062 in the first year out. That grows to $49,634 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with an Animal Sciences degree?
Agricultural Sciences Teachers are one path, and it pays a median of $98,700 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does an Animal Sciences program take?
Four years of full-time study for an Animal Sciences bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.
How many colleges offer Animal Sciences?
157 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is an Animal Sciences degree worth it?
$49,634 median earnings four years out against $17,324 a year in average net price. That is a reasonable payback window, best at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Animal Sciences and Agriculture?
Animal Sciences is the narrower of the two: Agriculture covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Animal Sciences-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Animal Sciences graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Animal Sciences graduates consistently look for technical proficiency, safety compliance, and hands-on problem-solving. Certifications, apprenticeships, and demonstrated practical experience typically carry as much weight as academic credentials in this field. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
What is the job outlook for Animal Sciences graduates?
Outlook is slow overall: related occupations average +1.1% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Agricultural Technicians are among the strongest-growth roles at +5.4%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
Related Agriculture Programs
Other programs in Agriculture. Compare earnings, credentials, and career paths before committing to a specialization.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Choose a Major Pillar
A decision framework for picking a college major using your interests, aptitudes, and federal earnings data to reach a defensible choice before applying.
Yes, most schools allow it, but the schedule math rarely works without either overlapping requirements or extra time. Here's when it actually fits in four years.
The real cost of a second major, when it pays back and when it doesn't, and why a focused single major with a relevant minor often beats a double major.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
All 38 Majors, Ranked by What Graduates Earn
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
Major earnings
Highest paying majors
Job growth
STEM
Field of study
Does Engineering Tech Out-Earn Engineering? The Data Says No
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Engineering tech
Engineering
Program earnings
Applied degree
Technician careers
STEM Is Not One Thing: The Pay Gap Within STEM
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
STEM earnings
Engineering pay
Computer science
Program earnings
Major choice
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
