2026 Best Value Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/agricultural-production/animal-livestock-husbandry-and-production/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. 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.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the animal/livestock husbandry & production degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Animal/Livestock Husbandry & Production Schools
For return on investment in animal/livestock husbandry & production, no school beat Indian Hills Community College this year. Set in the town of Ottumwa, Indian Hills Community College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,040, while out-of-state students pay about $6,120. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates carry a median of $15,390 in student loans. Soon after graduation, animal/livestock husbandry & production degree recipients from Indian Hills Community College generally make around $49,626. That is a strong return on a $15,390 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in animal/livestock husbandry & production will find it at Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar, which ranked #2. Located in the rural area of Calmar, Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,780, compared with $7,770 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,348 to complete the animal/livestock husbandry & production program here. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates of Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar earn a median of $38,924 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,348 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in animal/livestock husbandry & production will find it at Mitchell Technical Institute, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Mitchell, Mitchell Technical Institute is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $7,524 in tuition and fees. Animal/livestock Husbandry & Production graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Early-career animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates make about $40,871. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Iowa State University one of the best values for animal/livestock husbandry & production. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Typical student debt for animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates is $23,495. Early-career animal/livestock husbandry & production graduates make about $53,900. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, 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 2 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.
