by our College Data Analytics Team
[Animal Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/animal-science/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find where animal science graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send animal science graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
University Of Missouri Columbia tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying animal science schools in Missouri. University Of Missouri Columbia is a public school located in the city of Columbia. Students who complete the animal science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $57,523.
Students chasing top earnings in animal science will find them at Missouri State University Springfield, which ranked #2. Missouri State University Springfield is a public school located in the city of Springfield. After graduating, animal science degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield typically earn about $49,514 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at College Of The Ozarks earned it the #3 place for animal science. College Of The Ozarks is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Point Lookout. Early-career animal science graduates from College Of The Ozarks make a median of around $39,573 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in animal science will find them at Northwest Missouri State University, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Maryville, Northwest Missouri State University is a public institution. After graduating, animal science degree recipients from Northwest Missouri State University typically earn about $34,876 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries animal science graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 4 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.