2026 Best Zoology/Animal Biology Schools in California
Zoology/Animal Biology is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for zoology/animal biology students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Zoology/Animal Biology in California
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the zoology/animal biology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Zoology/Animal Biology
University Of California Davis is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in zoology/animal biology. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Davis. About 86% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 99 zoology/animal biology students who graduated with this degree at University Of California Davis in the most recent data year. Zoology/animal Biology graduates of University Of California Davis earn a median of $53,749 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $14,404.
More information about a degree in zoology/animal biology from University Of California Davis
University Of California Santa Barbara is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in zoology/animal biology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Santa Barbara, University Of California Santa Barbara is a very large public institution. Roughly 83% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 26 zoology/animal biology degrees were awarded at University Of California Santa Barbara in the most recent year. Students who receive their zoology/animal biology degree from University Of California Santa Barbara earn around $37,633 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $15,501 to complete this degree.
Read more about the zoology/animal biology program at University Of California Santa Barbara
Students looking for a strong zoology/animal biology program will find one at Humboldt State University, which ranked #3. Humboldt State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Arcata. About 49% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 30 zoology/animal biology students who graduated with this degree at Humboldt State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the zoology/animal biology program make about $28,565 in their early career. Humboldt State University graduates carry a median of $20,690 in student loans.
See the full zoology/animal biology program report for Humboldt State University
More Zoology/Animal Biology Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 6 schools evaluated.
- 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.
