2026 Best Value Animal Science Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

[Animal Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/animal-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for animal science students.
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2026 Best Value Animal Science Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in animal science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Animal Science Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Maryland College Park the best value for a degree in animal science in the Middle Atlantic Region. Located in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,809, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the animal science program here. Animal Science graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of $40,209 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Ulster County Community College one of the best values for animal science. Ulster County Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Stone Ridge. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,666, while out-of-state students pay about $12,146. Animal Science graduates carry a median of $13,354 in student loans. Soon after graduation, animal science degree recipients from Ulster County Community College generally make around $47,424. Set against $13,354 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Delaware came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value animal science schools. University Of Delaware is a very large public school located in the suburb of Newark. Students from in state pay about $16,810 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,400 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,572 to complete the animal science program here. Soon after graduation, animal science degree recipients from University Of Delaware generally make around $40,317. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value animal science schools. Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Cobleskill. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,768, while out-of-state students pay about $18,678. Typical student debt for animal science graduates is $24,000. Soon after graduation, animal science degree recipients from Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill generally make around $37,068. Set against $24,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Rutgers University New Brunswick is a great value for students pursuing a degree in animal science, landing the #5 spot this year. Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public school located in the city of New Brunswick. In-state tuition and fees average $17,929, with out-of-state students paying around $37,441. Students borrow a median of $25,169 to complete the animal science program here. Animal Science graduates of Rutgers University New Brunswick earn a median of $33,926 early in their careers. Set against $25,169 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 58%.
Harcum College landed the #6 spot for animal science value this year. Located in the suburb of Bryn Mawr, Harcum College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $32,000 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $18,375 to complete the animal science program here. Animal Science graduates of Harcum College earn a median of $27,932 early in their careers. Set against $18,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Delaware Valley College placed #7 among the best values for animal science. Delaware Valley College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Doylestown. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $44,850. Animal Science graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, animal science degree recipients from Delaware Valley College generally make around $38,378. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Cornell University came in at #8 for value in animal science this year. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. Students borrow a median of $14,100 to complete the animal science program here. Early-career animal science graduates make about $36,204. Set against $14,100 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cornell University admits about 9% of applicants.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value animal science schools. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of University Park. In-state tuition and fees average $20,644, with out-of-state students paying around $41,790. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $63,435. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.