Animal Sciences: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 01.09. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 341 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 42 | 108 | $28,121 | $32,878 | $15,643 3 programs |
| Associate's degree | 57 | 271 | $35,006 | $38,658 | $12,687 4 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 111 | 7,135 | $37,766 | $49,634 | $20,674 86 programs |
| Master's degree | 68 | 531 | $56,598 | $75,394 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 48 | 213 | $81,759 | $95,778 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 15 | 37 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stautzenberger College-Maumee OH · Private, for-profit · 56 graduates measured | $29,017 | $27,324 | $15,643 |
| Stautzenberger College-Brecksville OH · Private, for-profit · 56 graduates measured | $29,017 | $27,324 | $15,643 |
| Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College IL · Private, for-profit · 56 graduates measured | $29,017 | $27,324 | $15,643 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute OH · Public · 27 graduates measured | $38,290 | $47,995 | $12,000 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus OH · Public · 27 graduates measured | $38,290 | $47,995 | $12,000 |
| SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill NY · Public · 16 graduates measured | $36,576 | $42,663 | Data unavailable |
| Santa Fe College FL · Public · 46 graduates measured | $34,312 | $34,888 | $13,374 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Missouri State University MO · Public · 20 graduates measured | $50,046 | $53,418 | $19,500 |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville WI · Public · 67 graduates measured | $49,201 | $53,530 | $22,250 |
| South Dakota State University SD · Public · 128 graduates measured | $47,175 | $53,784 | $20,500 |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus ND · Public · 46 graduates measured | $46,037 | $50,975 | $23,125 |
| Iowa State University IA · Public · 175 graduates measured | $44,561 | $51,644 | $21,500 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE · Public · 109 graduates measured | $44,305 | $49,193 | $20,890 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 131 graduates measured | $43,099 | $54,089 | $19,500 |
| The University of Findlay OH · Private, nonprofit · 48 graduates measured | $42,646 | $46,977 | $25,875 |
| Delaware Valley University PA · Private, nonprofit · 76 graduates measured | $42,612 | $49,225 | $26,750 |
| Kansas State University KS · Public · 183 graduates measured | $42,495 | $50,941 | $19,500 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 117 graduates measured | $42,284 | $49,772 | $22,375 |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA · Public · 117 graduates measured | $42,284 | $49,772 | $22,375 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN · Public · 94 graduates measured | $41,907 | $51,271 | $20,990 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison WI · Public · 45 graduates measured | $41,283 | $57,605 | $21,470 |
| SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill NY · Public · 110 graduates measured | $41,167 | $50,491 | $19,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC · Public · 21 graduates measured | $69,070 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public · 19 graduates measured | $55,870 | $69,841 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public · 17 graduates measured | $88,882 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Animal Sciences
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | $89,900 | -3.4% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Animal scientists | $68,940 | +5.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Agricultural technicians | $49,630 | +5.4% | Associate's degree |
| Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary | $98,700 | +2.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Farm and home management educators | $60,220 | -3.2% | Master's degree |
| First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers | $59,320 | +3.8% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (8)
- 01.0901 Animal Sciences, General
- 01.0902 Agricultural Animal Breeding
- 01.0903 Animal Health
- 01.0904 Animal Nutrition
- 01.0905 Dairy Science
- 01.0906 Livestock Management
- 01.0907 Poultry Science
- 01.0999 Animal Sciences, Other