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Zoology & Veterinary Sciences

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

These majors focus on the biology, health, and production of animals—from companion pets to livestock. Coursework covers animal anatomy, physiology, nutrition, genetics, reproduction, and behavior, along with hands-on labs in animal handling, dairy science, or poultry science. Many programs are at land-grant universities with teaching farms and veterinary hospitals.

Students often specialize in pre-veterinary tracks, equine science, dairy, or laboratory animal science. Internships at veterinary clinics, research labs, zoos, and farms are common, and the pre-vet path is notoriously competitive—expect a heavy science load on top of the animal-specific classes.

What you'll do after college

Graduates work as veterinary technicians, animal nutritionists, livestock managers, zookeepers, and laboratory animal specialists. Many continue to veterinary school, graduate programs, or professional tracks in animal pharmaceutical and feed companies.

Pay varies widely—veterinarians earn well but carry heavy student debt, while farm and shelter roles tend to be lower paid. Demand is strong for veterinary professionals, especially in rural and mixed-animal practice, where shortages are severe.

Famous graduates

  • Temple Grandin — Animal welfare pioneer and autism advocate; B.A. in Psychology from Franklin Pierce College, M.S. in Animal Science from Arizona State
  • Eugenie Clark — "The Shark Lady" and pioneering marine biologist; B.A. in Zoology from Hunter College
  • Paul R. Ehrlich — Biologist and entomologist known for his population studies; B.A. in Zoology from the University of Pennsylvania

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$49,044
1,425
100–87%
$52,379
2,829
87–78%
$49,938
2,838
78–70%
$52,402
2,764
70–52%
$52,857
2,953
52–41%
$50,312
1,397
41–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$46,784
1,085
400–1080
$52,927
2,271
1080–1160
$51,480
2,081
1160–1240
$53,967
2,140
1240–1290
$54,186
2,216
1310–1400
$52,967
1,071
1410–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$40,206p10 $58,512p90 Arts Work College Military Female-only Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Public University 1–15 Private University 1–30 Savannah College of Art and Design · $47,221 Johnson & Wales University - Providence · $33,123 College of the Ozarks · $44,802 Maine Maritime Academy · $61,437 Stephens College · $44,999 Franklin and Marshall College · $53,082 Bucknell University · $56,794 Florida Southern College · $42,436 Beacon College · $51,885 Rollins College · $49,644 Berry College · $50,283 Ohio Wesleyan University · $44,627 Lees-McRae College · $38,771 Dordt University · $59,726 Carroll University · $40,256 Buena Vista University · $54,606 Eckerd College · $37,765 Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College · $45,114 Hastings College · $38,602 Juniata College · $42,825 Dakota Wesleyan University · $54,011 Mitchell College · $42,155 Rocky Mountain College · $49,420 Huntington University · $45,786 Mars Hill University · $43,728 Muskingum University · $43,529 Wilmington College · $50,675 Wilson College · $42,673 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $56,063 Eastern New Mexico University · $44,762 University of Montana Western · $43,729 Alabama A&M University · $49,880 University of California, Santa Barbara · $46,235 University of South Florida · $49,316 University of Washington · $41,682 Cal Poly - Pomona · $51,017 Clemson University · $52,645 Florida International University · $45,466 North Carolina A&T State University · $50,545 University of North Carolina Wilmington · $43,887 University of Maryland, College Park · $53,432 Cal State Long Beach · $48,088 University of California, Davis · $50,892 Auburn University · $66,551 University of Minnesota - Crookston · $50,644 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $54,878 Stony Brook University · $48,290 Ohio State University · $54,359 Texas A&M University - College Station · $59,230 Fort Valley State University · $48,815 University of West Florida · $39,094 University of Connecticut · $55,692 Virginia Tech · $49,030 Pennsylvania State University · $59,004 New Mexico State University · $45,696 Tarleton State University · $46,912 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $74,638 Frostburg State University · $42,148 Arkansas State University · $55,044 Appalachian State University · $49,606 Fresno State · $54,489 SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry · $43,392 University of Hawaii at Hilo · $35,002 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $59,879 University of Alaska - Fairbanks · $48,375 Oklahoma State University · $56,738 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $47,163 McNeese State University · $52,751 Texas Tech University · $57,048 Texas State University · $48,909 Louisiana State University · $67,579 College of Charleston · $46,962 Louisiana Tech University · $40,120 Missouri State University - Springfield · $53,453 Montclair State University · $49,035 Murray State University · $47,992 Northwest Missouri State University · $50,862 Ohio University · $58,596 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $42,541 Texas A&M University - Kingsville · $57,458 Troy University · $51,591 University of Delaware · $63,497 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $69,737 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $50,657 University of Vermont · $41,063 Miami University - Ohio · $51,519 University of Michigan - Flint · $34,602 University of Rhode Island · $45,102 Bemidji State University · $50,781 Oregon State University · $44,545 University of Arkansas · $63,401 University of Idaho · $48,365 University of Tennessee, Martin · $52,814 Washington State University · $48,916 Indiana University · $48,878 University of Missouri · $61,542 Angelo State University · $52,744 Chico State · $52,927 Eastern Kentucky University · $48,586 Middle Tennessee State University · $44,611 University of New Hampshire · $44,112 Coastal Carolina University · $42,422 Tennessee Technological University · $50,296 State University of New York at Oswego · $40,075 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $59,928 San Jose State University · $57,811 Valley City State University · $56,498 Cal Poly - Humboldt · $35,838 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $49,828 East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · $52,763 Kent State University at Kent · $39,605 University of North Dakota · $40,811 University of California, Santa Cruz · $36,351 Savannah State University · $44,928 Western Michigan University · $35,167 University of Nevada, Reno · $51,947 Michigan State University · $53,843 Mississippi State University · $65,948 Iowa State University · $60,966 South Dakota State University · $58,512 University of Arizona · $55,192 University of Maine · $43,541 West Virginia University · $56,820 University of Alaska - Southeast · $51,810 Northern Michigan University · $46,042 Michigan Technological University · $38,444 University of Wisconsin - River Falls · $52,695 University of California, Riverside · $47,648 University of Oregon · $47,279 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $38,419 University of Wisconsin - Platteville · $54,298 University of Kentucky · $60,863 University of Montana · $41,239 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point · $48,382 North Dakota State University · $52,745 Pennsylvania State University - Berks · $75,636 University of Southern Mississippi · $41,271 Grand Valley State University · $48,003 Utah State University · $49,766 Western Washington University · $45,511 Pennsylvania Western University · $46,070 Kansas State University · $56,732 Sul Ross State University · $41,539 University of Wyoming · $46,869 Sam Houston State University · $48,763 West Texas A&M University · $45,160 Montana State University · $43,058 Missouri Western State University · $47,341 Lake Superior State University · $51,990 New Mexico Highlands University · $47,138 Ohio State University - Lima · $52,784 Weber State University · $44,848 Western New Mexico University · $52,996 Union University · $52,146 Liberty University · $40,777 Madonna University · $48,511 Charleston Southern University · $43,314 Asbury University · $32,260 Andrews University · $54,820 Olivet Nazarene University · $48,666 Harding University · $55,298 Sacred Heart University · $58,272 Kentucky Wesleyan College · $27,585 The Master's University and Seminary · $46,550 Averett University · $53,941 Barry University · $44,779 William Woods University · $37,710 Brigham Young University · $52,142 Abilene Christian University · $53,730 Centenary University · $41,009 Saint Francis University · $52,760 Waynesburg University · $46,557 Midway University · $35,406 Malone University · $43,590 Canisius University · $40,007 Saint Joseph's College of Maine · $53,514 Otterbein University · $44,307 University of Mount Olive · $51,143 Gannon University · $50,948 Samford University · $57,056 University of Findlay · $67,502 Emory & Henry University · $44,786 Northwest Nazarene University · $40,967 Lubbock Christian University · $53,268 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $50,417 Wisconsin Lutheran College · $49,293 Central Methodist University · $47,041 Grand View University · $53,090 University of Miami · $34,280 Hampton University · $46,271 Tuskegee University · $51,390 University of Tampa · $44,623 Stetson University · $40,206 Jacksonville University · $54,083 Lake Erie College · $48,578 Drake University · $54,584 Hawaii Pacific University · $44,601 Florida Institute of Technology · $39,485 Lincoln Memorial University · $42,709 Delaware Valley University · $45,478 Long Island University · $53,914 MCPHS University · $56,348 Mercy University · $51,250 Roger Williams University · $50,282 University of New England · $41,722 University of New Haven · $51,980 Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science · $46,935 Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus · $48,352 Keystone College · $42,505 Utica University · $49,422 Nova Southeastern University · $40,688 UCLA · $44,603 University of Florida · $49,992 University of Georgia · $53,343 Purdue University · $62,682 North Carolina State University · $51,029 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $54,888 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $50,098 University of California, San Diego · $49,374 Duke University · $55,846 Cornell University · $50,109 University of Southern California · $59,229 Boston University · $54,612 Northeastern University · $65,578 Arts: mean $40,172 Work College: mean $44,802 Military: mean $61,437 Female-only: mean $44,999 Liberal Arts: mean $46,887 Public University: mean $50,160 Religious University: mean $47,805 Private University: mean $46,943 Public University 1–15: mean $52,001 Private University 1–30: mean $57,075 All colleges: p10 $40,206 All colleges: p90 $58,512
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Zoology & Veterinary Sciences 240 14,515 23% / 77% 1% $50,905 95%
Animal Sciences 67 4,004 17% / 83% 1% $52,662 95%
Animal Science 21 2,342 17% / 83% 2% $54,824 94%
Zoology 40 1,396 24% / 76% 1% $46,238 96%
Marine Biology 45 1,218 31% / 69% 3% $46,820 92%
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 20 612 31% / 69% 3% $48,297 93%
Wildlife Biology 18 469 37% / 63% 0% $44,968 94%
Pre-Veterinary Studies 22 362 16% / 84% 0% $54,491 97%
Wildlife Management 18 347 44% / 56% 1% $46,621 99%
Equestrian/Equine Studies 20 234 3% / 97% 0% $44,639 90%
Animal Behavior and Ethology 9 225 14% / 86% 0% $46,493 96%
Veterinary Technology 13 191 5% / 95% 1% $48,499 97%
Animal and Veterinary Sciences 2 174 18% / 82% 1% $52,600 90%
Wildlife Science 3 158 35% / 65% 0% $46,267 88%
Animal Physiology 4 152 24% / 76% 1% $54,734 91%
Animal and Poultry Sciences 1 149 15% / 85% 0% $50,326 96%
Entomology 15 135 43% / 57% 2% $52,652 96%
Horse Husbandry/Equine Science and Management 6 94 9% / 91% 0% $51,775 98%
Animal Health 3 93 11% / 89% 0% $55,946 92%
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management 1 92 48% / 52% 0% $45,690 98%
Wildlife and Fisheries Science 2 83 47% / 53% 0% $52,127 98%
Poultry Science 6 79 44% / 56% 1% $66,609 95%
Wildlife Sciences 2 78 31% / 69% 0% $50,107 96%
Animal and Dairy Sciences 1 78 13% / 87% 1% $82,132 94%
Wildlife 1 77 48% / 52% 1% $36,414 89%
Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 4 76 7% / 93% 0% $52,744
Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology 1 73 21% / 79% 5% $41,230 100%
Animal Biology 1 70 20% / 80% 6% $50,030
Animal Nutrition 1 70 16% / 84% 3% $72,110 98%
Veterinary and Animal Sciences 1 68 16% / 84% 1% $86,776 100%
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation 1 68 41% / 59% 0% $39,800 94%
Pre-Veterinary Medicine 1 67 12% / 88% 0% $52,814
Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture 1 67 39% / 61% 1% $58,183 97%
Wildlife Conservation 1 66 42% / 58% 0% $45,711 96%
Marine Science - Biology 1 60 32% / 68% 0% $44,623 95%
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management 5 54 70% / 30% 0% $47,434 100%
Dairy Science 9 53 25% / 75% 0% $54,988 97%
Fisheries and Wildlife 1 51 39% / 61% 0% $45,218 93%
Aquatic Biology/Limnology 6 50 60% / 40% 2% $50,508 96%
Aquaculture 5 47 57% / 43% 0% $52,118 94%
Aquatic Biology 2 47 19% / 81% 0% $42,477 95%
Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries 1 47 40% / 60% 0% $41,864 100%
Wildlife and Fisheries Biology 1 47 40% / 60% 0% $38,186 96%
Animal Genetics 1 45 13% / 87% 0% $46,957 90%
Fisheries Science and Management 1 44 68% / 32% 0% $54,011 100%
Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences 2 40 60% / 40% 0% $57,655 98%
Veterinary Medical Technology 1 39 0% / 100% 0% $42,772 100%
Fisheries Science 2 37 59% / 41% 0% $48,127 96%
Wildlife Ecology 1 32 28% / 72% 0% $37,509 100%
Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife 1 30 23% / 77% 0% $60,476 91%
Wildlife Resources 1 28 54% / 46% 0% $46,774 96%
Wildlife and Wildlands Science 1 28 43% / 57% 0% $58,233 95%
Marine Sciences 1 26 65% / 35% 4% $46,645 96%
Fisheries and Wildlife Science 1 24 33% / 67% 0% $47,348 94%
Wildlife and Fisheries 1 23 39% / 61% 0% $46,223
Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Management 1 23 57% / 43% 4% $45,904 97%
Anthrozoology 1 20 40% / 60% 0% $51,885
Wildlife, Fish, and Wildlands Science and Management 1 18 11% / 89% 0% $48,375
Animal Health Technology 1 17 6% / 94% 0% $42,000 100%
Equine Science 3 15 7% / 93% 0% $43,597 95%
Fisheries 1 14 71% / 29% 0% $57,226 100%
Insect Biology 1 13 15% / 85% 0% $55,651
Fisheries Biology 1 12 92% / 8% 0% $41,481 95%
Aquatic and Fisheries Science 1 10 80% / 20% 0% $42,658 96%
Dairy and Food Animal Management 1 9 22% / 78% 0% $58,890 100%
Animal Studies 1 7 0% / 100% 0% $42,417
Animal Training 1 7 14% / 86% 0% $52,760
Pre-Veterinary Science 1 7 0% / 100% 0% $51,143
Equestrian Studies 1 6 0% / 100% 0% $31,980 100%
Pre-Veterinary 2 3 0% / 100% 0% $58,991
Animal Husbandry 1 3 67% / 33% 0% $45,639
Equine Studies 1 3 0% / 100% 0% $46,827 100%
Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences 3 2 50% / 50% 0% $68,648 100%
Aquaculture and Fisheries Science 1 2 50% / 50% 0% $66,512
Veterinary Office Management 1 2 0% / 100% 0% $48,430
Equine Science and Management 2 1 0% / 100% 0% $46,605
Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $75,636 100%
Zoology/Animal Biology 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $52,784