Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services Degree
Students study animal care, breeding, nutrition, and health management for both agricultural livestock and companion animals. Graduates typically pursue careers in animal breeding programs, veterinary support, livestock nutrition consulting, and animal welfare organizations. This major prepares students for the growing animal care and agricultural services industries.
What Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services Graduates Do
Your career will likely begin with direct, hands-on work. As an animal caretaker, your days will be physical, involving cleaning enclosures, preparing specialized diets, and monitoring animals for subtle signs of illness. This path is growing rapidly and offers the most job openings. Alternatively, as an animal trainer, you’ll use patience and behavioral science to teach service animals complex tasks or help pet owners with obedience.
With experience, you can advance to managing a kennel, shelter, or training facility. Some graduates pursue advanced degrees to become postsecondary teachers in agricultural sciences or career education. In these roles, you’ll design curricula, mentor students, and conduct research, though you’ll find that job growth is much slower than in direct care roles.
The intensely physical and interpersonal nature of animal care and training makes these careers highly resistant to AI disruption; you can’t automate a gentle touch or building trust with an animal. While AI may help with administrative tasks in academic settings, the core of this field remains centered on human skill and compassion—a significant advantage in an increasingly automated world.
Common Career Paths
Where Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 91,300 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Salary Range | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary | 800 | +4.1% | 50% | |
| Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary | 8,800 | +0.7% | 49% | |
| Animal trainers | 7,100 | +5.1% | 10% | |
| Animal caretakers | 74,600 | +12.1% | 27% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Best Schools for Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services
7 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.
| # | School | DW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Texas A & M University Canyon, TX |
34 34–35 |
$31,362/yr | 10.7x |
| 2 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO |
33 33–34 |
$31,881/yr | 8.2x |
| 3 | Centenary University Hackettstown, NJ |
29 29–30 |
$34,104/yr | 1.3x |
| 4 | Midway University Midway, KY |
25 25–26 |
$33,696/yr | 2.1x |
| 5 | William Woods University Fulton, MO |
22 22–23 |
$30,545/yr | 2.0x |
| 6 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence Providence, RI |
18 18–19 |
$27,363/yr | 1.0x |
| 7 | The University of Findlay Findlay, OH |
17 17–17 |
$22,211/yr | 1.8x |
Highest Earning Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services Programs
Schools where Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|
| Centenary University | $34,104/yr | 29 |
| Midway University | $33,696/yr | 25 |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $31,881/yr | 33 |
| West Texas A & M University | $31,362/yr | 34 |
| William Woods University | $30,545/yr | 22 |
| Johnson & Wales University-Providence | $27,363/yr | 18 |
| The University of Findlay | $22,211/yr | 17 |
Best ROI for Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Texas A & M University | 10.7x | $31,362/yr | 34 |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 8.2x | $31,881/yr | 33 |
| Midway University | 2.1x | $33,696/yr | 25 |
| William Woods University | 2.0x | $30,545/yr | 22 |
| The University of Findlay | 1.8x | $22,211/yr | 17 |
| Centenary University | 1.3x | $34,104/yr | 29 |
| Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 1.0x | $27,363/yr | 18 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Consider the Trade Route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.