by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, animal-assisted therapy was the 1,045 most popular major nationwide with 85 degrees awarded. This is a difference of 27 over the prior year, a growth of 31.8%.
This year's Best Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools ranking compares 5 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of animal-assisted therapy programs later in this article.
One of the most important skills you will need for a career in animal-assisted therapy is understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Talking to others to convey information effectively and teaching others how to do something are all required skills for careers related to this major.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic animal-assisted therapy program qualifications, to serve in some animal-assisted therapy careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Animal-Assisted Therapy degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in animal-assisted therapy to the highest animal-assisted therapy degree, a . Depending on the animal-assisted therapy degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A master's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to animal-assisted therapy, with approximately 35.9% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for animal-assisted therapy workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 35.9% |
| Doctoral Degree | 24.9% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 19.1% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 12.5% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 4.6% |
About 80.0% of workers in careers related to animal-assisted therapy obtain at least master's degrees. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in animal-assisted therapy have received.
This of course varies depending on which animal-assisted therapy career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your animal-assisted therapy degree? Animal-Assisted Therapy careers are expected to grow 25.3% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to animal-assisted therapy.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | 294,000 | 25.9% |
| Therapists | 28,900 | 19.9% |
As you might expect, salaries for animal-assisted therapy graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for animal-assisted therapy graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers animal-assisted therapy grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | $122,320 |
| Therapists | $57,680 |
With over 20 different animal-assisted therapy degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased animal-assisted therapy school rankings to help you with this.
Animal-Assisted Therapy is one of 15 different types of Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Physical Therapy/Therapist | 13,655 |
| Occupational Therapy | 9,958 |
| Rehabilitation Science | 1,161 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling | 1,046 |
| Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy | 870 |
Image Credit: By Barbara E. Carver under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
