2026 Best Value Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/agricultural-production/animal-livestock-husbandry-and-production/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for animal/livestock husbandry & production students.
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2026 Best Value Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in animal/livestock husbandry & production, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production Schools
Lake Land College tops our 2026 list of the best value animal/livestock husbandry & production schools in the Great Lakes Region. Lake Land College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Mattoon. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,415, with out-of-state students paying around $14,301. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $7,769. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates of Lake Land College earn a median of $30,294 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in animal/livestock husbandry & production will find it at Joliet Junior College, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Joliet, Joliet Junior College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,530, while out-of-state students pay about $13,800. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates carry a median of $11,995 in student loans. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates of Joliet Junior College earn a median of $40,118 early in their careers. Set against $11,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ivy Tech Community College earned it the #3 place for animal/livestock husbandry & production. Set in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,154, while out-of-state students pay about $9,935. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $11,889. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates of Ivy Tech Community College earn a median of $40,734 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Black Hawk College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in animal/livestock husbandry & production, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Moline, Black Hawk College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,920, with out-of-state students paying around $8,100. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $11,340. Early-career animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates make about $44,286. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in animal/livestock husbandry & production, landing the #5 spot this year. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Rice Lake. Students from in state pay about $4,926 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,169 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,384 to complete the animal/livestock husbandry & production program here. Soon after graduation, animal/livestock husbandry & production degree recipients from Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College generally make around $35,981. That is a strong return on a $11,384 median debt.
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College landed the #6 spot for animal/livestock husbandry & production value this year. Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Fennimore. In-state tuition and fees average $4,904, with out-of-state students paying around $7,147. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $12,112. Soon after graduation, animal/livestock husbandry & production degree recipients from Southwest Wisconsin Technical College generally make around $42,087. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Fox Valley Technical College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value animal/livestock husbandry & production schools. Fox Valley Technical College is a large public school located in the suburb of Appleton. Students from in state pay about $5,040 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,283 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,319 to complete the animal/livestock husbandry & production program here. Soon after graduation, animal/livestock husbandry & production degree recipients from Fox Valley Technical College generally make around $44,020. Set against $13,319 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Chippewa Valley Technical College placed #8 among the best values for animal/livestock husbandry & production. Located in the city of Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,844, with out-of-state students paying around $7,087. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates carry a median of $14,234 in student loans. Early-career animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates make about $45,531. Set against $14,234 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute came in at #9 for value in animal/livestock husbandry & production this year. Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute is a small public school located in the town of Wooster. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,584, with out-of-state students paying around $36,362. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $12,000. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates of Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute earn a median of $33,940 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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.
