2027 Best Value Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/agricultural-production/animal-livestock-husbandry-and-production/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong animal/livestock husbandry & production education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for animal/livestock husbandry & production students.
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2027 Best Value Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in animal/livestock husbandry & production, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production Schools
For return on investment in animal/livestock husbandry & production, no school beat Joliet Junior College this year. Located in the suburb of Joliet, Joliet Junior College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,530, while out-of-state students pay about $13,800. Students borrow a median of $11,995 to complete the animal/livestock husbandry & production program here. Early-career animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates make about $40,118. Set against $11,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in animal/livestock husbandry & production will find it at Lake Land College, which ranked #2. Set in the rural area of Mattoon, Lake Land College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,415, compared with $14,301 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $7,769. Early-career animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates make about $30,294. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in animal/livestock husbandry & production will find it at Black Hawk College, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Moline, Black Hawk College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,920, compared with $8,100 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $11,340. Soon after graduation, animal/livestock husbandry & production degree recipients from Black Hawk College generally make around $44,286. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #4 makes John Wood Community College one of the best values for animal/livestock husbandry & production. John Wood Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Quincy. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,100, while out-of-state students pay about $8,700. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates carry a median of $13,844 in student loans. Soon after graduation, animal/livestock husbandry & production degree recipients from John Wood Community College generally make around $45,748. That is a strong return on a $13,844 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ivy Tech Community College earned it the #5 place for animal/livestock husbandry & production. Set in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,154, while out-of-state students pay about $9,935. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $11,889. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates of Ivy Tech Community College earn a median of $40,734 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,889 median debt.
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College placed #6 among the best values for animal/livestock husbandry & production. Located in the town of Rice Lake, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,926, with out-of-state students paying around $7,169. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $11,384. Early-career animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates make about $35,981. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Fox Valley Technical College ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value animal/livestock husbandry & production schools. Located in the suburb of Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,040, compared with $7,283 for out-of-state students. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates carry a median of $13,319 in student loans. Early-career animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates make about $44,020. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Chippewa Valley Technical College placed #8 among the best values for animal/livestock husbandry & production. Chippewa Valley Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Eau Claire. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,844, with out-of-state students paying around $7,087. Students borrow a median of $14,234 to complete the animal/livestock husbandry & production program here. Soon after graduation, animal/livestock husbandry & production degree recipients from Chippewa Valley Technical College generally make around $45,531. That is a strong return on a $14,234 median debt.
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value animal/livestock husbandry & production schools. Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Fennimore. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,904, compared with $7,147 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $12,112. Soon after graduation, animal/livestock husbandry & production degree recipients from Southwest Wisconsin Technical College generally make around $42,087. That is a strong return on a $12,112 median debt.
Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute came in at #10 for value in animal/livestock husbandry & production this year. Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute is a small public school located in the town of Wooster. In-state tuition and fees average $9,584, while out-of-state students pay about $36,362. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates of Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute earn a median of $33,940 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
