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2027 Best Value Dairy Science Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Dairy Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/animal-science/dairy-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for dairy science students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Dairy Science Schools in the The Plains States Region

2027 Best Value Dairy Science Schools in the The Plains States Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dairy science, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Dairy Science Schools

1

Iowa State University
Ames, IA

$10,787 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,500 Avg Student Debt

$63,386 Median Earnings (10yr)

Iowa State University earned the #1 spot for value among dairy science schools in the The Plains States Region. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. In-state tuition and fees average $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Dairy Science graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, dairy science degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $39,567. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.

2

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

$9,299 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,162 Avg Student Debt

$55,070 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in dairy science will find it at South Dakota State University, which ranked #2. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,299, compared with $12,809 for out-of-state students. Dairy Science graduates carry a median of $23,162 in student loans. Dairy Science graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of $44,844 early in their careers. Set against $23,162 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.

View All Dairy Science Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.