Animal Science major
Animal Science: courses, careers, and where to study
Animal Science studies the breeding, nutrition, and husbandry of agricultural animals and the production and processing of animal products.
Animal Science focuses on the scientific principles behind raising agricultural animals and turning their output into food and other products. Students study how cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, and other livestock grow, reproduce, and respond to feed, and they learn the genetics and breeding decisions that shape herds and flocks over generations. Coursework joins core biology and chemistry with applied subjects such as animal nutrition, physiology, reproduction, meat and dairy science, and the husbandry practices that keep animals healthy and productive. This agricultural focus is what sets the field apart from its neighbors. Biology examines living systems broadly, Zoology centers on wild and non-domesticated animals, and Veterinary Technology trains people for clinical care under a veterinarian, while Animal Science keeps its attention on the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural animal products.
Most students enter through a bachelor's program, which is the typical preparation for working as an animal scientist, and the degree blends classroom science with hands-on learning. Expect laboratory work in nutrition and genetics, time at university farms or teaching herds, and practicums or internships on commercial operations, in feed and breeding companies, or in food-processing settings. Graduates work in livestock and dairy production, animal nutrition and feed manufacturing, breeding and genetics firms, extension and agribusiness, and food-quality roles, and many use the major as a pre-veterinary path toward graduate or professional study. If you are aiming at veterinary school, a specific certification, or a regulated production role, verify the exact prerequisites, course sequence, and any credential expectations directly with the program and your state before you enroll.
In federal data for the closely related occupation of animal scientists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $79,120 and projects employment to grow about 5.8% from 2024 to 2034; a bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Animal Science maps to CIP 01.0901, Animal Sciences, General, within the AGRICULTURAL/ANIMAL/PLANT/VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS family. The official definition:
A general program that focuses on the scientific principles that underlie the breeding and husbandry of agricultural animals, and the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural animal products. Includes instruction in the animal sciences, animal husbandry and production, and agricultural and food products processing.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Animal Science is awarded as
Of the 8,192 Animal Science credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate1%108
- Associate3%271
- Bachelor's86%7,037
- Graduate9%776
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 43 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 4 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Animal nutrition and feed formulation
- Genetics, breeding, and herd or flock selection
- Reproductive physiology and animal reproduction
- Livestock husbandry and herd health management
- Meat, dairy, and poultry product science
- Processing and distribution of agricultural animal products
- Anatomy and physiology of agricultural animals
- Hands-on farm, lab, and internship experience
- Pre-veterinary science preparation
Typical careers
- Animal Scientist
- Livestock Production Manager
- Animal Nutritionist
- Breeding and Genetics Specialist
- Agricultural Extension Agent
- Veterinarian (with further graduate study)
Typical salary range: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 animal scientists median $79,120).Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Animal Science, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | $87,980 | 85,500 | -1.3% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $59,330 | 8,500 | +2.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Agricultural Technicians | $46,790 | 2,900 | +4.3% | Associate's degree |
| Farm and Home Management Educators | $58,120 | 1,100 | -2.5% | Master's degree |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $86,350 | 800 | +4.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Animal Scientists | $79,120 | 200 | +5.8% | Bachelor's degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 6 of these 6 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Animal Science does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Animal Science major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Animal Science program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Animal Science department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Animal Science program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Animal Science credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Texas A & M University-College StationTX · 372
- University of California-DavisCA · 325
- Texas Tech UniversityTX · 289
- North Carolina State University at RaleighNC · 253
- Iowa State UniversityIA · 245
- Oklahoma State University-Main CampusOK · 243
- Kansas State UniversityKS · 217
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA · 207
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA · 182
- Purdue University-Main CampusIN · 166
- University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignIL · 166
- University of Wisconsin-River FallsWI · 166
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Animal Science credentials were awarded
3 states have a distinct enough set of Animal Science colleges to be worth its own page.
Search Animal Science schools by state
Related majors
Biology
Biology is the foundational pre-health major, covering molecular, cellular, organismal, and ecological levels of living systems.
Zoology
Zoology is the biology major centered on animals, how their bodies are built, how they function, how they behave, and how they fit into the natural world.
Veterinary Technology
Veterinary Technology trains the clinical support staff who assist veterinarians with animal nursing, lab work, anesthesia, and imaging, suited to people who want hands-on patient care.
Agricultural Science
Agricultural Science studies how crops, livestock, and soils are produced and improved, for students who want to apply biology and chemistry to farming and food systems.
Agribusiness
Agribusiness pairs farming and agricultural science with business management, preparing students to run the operations, finances, and markets that move food and crops from field to buyer.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Animal Science degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Science & Research careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Education & Library careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Animal Science degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Animal Science path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.