2026 Best Value Animal Behavior & Ethology Schools

[Animal Behavior & Ethology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/zoology/animal-behavior-and-ethology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong animal behavior & ethology education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value animal behavior & ethology schools.
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Finding the Best Value Animal Behavior & Ethology School for You
The animal behavior & ethology program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. That is why we built our Best Value Animal Behavior & Ethology Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Animal Behavior & Ethology Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
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2026 Best Value Animal Behavior & Ethology Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in animal behavior & ethology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Animal Behavior & Ethology Schools
Leading the list is University Of California Davis, our #1 best value for animal behavior & ethology in the United States. University Of California Davis is a very large public school located in the suburb of Davis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,804, with out-of-state students paying around $47,692. Animal Behavior & Ethology graduates carry a median of $14,404 in student loans. Animal Behavior & Ethology graduates of University Of California Davis earn a median of $53,749 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,404 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
A rank of #2 makes Indiana University Bloomington one of the best values for animal behavior & ethology. Located in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,144 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $41,891. Typical student debt for animal behavior & ethology graduates is $23,250. Early-career animal behavior & ethology graduates make about $27,096. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University Bloomington admits about 78% of applicants.
Canisius College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value animal behavior & ethology schools. Set in the city of Buffalo, Canisius College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $34,200 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the animal behavior & ethology program here. Early-career animal behavior & ethology graduates make about $35,555. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in animal behavior & ethology will find it at Carroll University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Waukesha, Carroll University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $38,890. Animal Behavior & Ethology graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career animal behavior & ethology graduates make about $25,303. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 67%.
Students looking for strong value in animal behavior & ethology will find it at Eckerd College, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Saint Petersburg, Eckerd College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,884. Typical student debt for animal behavior & ethology graduates is $25,559. Early-career animal behavior & ethology graduates make about $28,012. That is a strong return on a $25,559 median debt. Eckerd College admits about 76% of applicants.
University Of New England placed #6 among the best values for animal behavior & ethology. University Of New England is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Biddeford. Students from in state pay about $44,210 in tuition and fees. Animal Behavior & Ethology graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, animal behavior & ethology degree recipients from University Of New England generally make around $28,509. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Bucknell University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value animal behavior & ethology schools. Located in the town of Lewisburg, Bucknell University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $67,812 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for animal behavior & ethology graduates is $25,951. Soon after graduation, animal behavior & ethology degree recipients from Bucknell University generally make around $64,331. Set against $25,951 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 29% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.