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2026 Best Value Animal Science Schools in Kentucky

[Animal Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/animal-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for animal science students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Animal Science Schools in Kentucky

2026 Best Value Animal Science Schools in Kentucky

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in animal science, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Animal Science Schools

1

Murray State University
Murray, KY

$9,900 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,420 Avg Student Debt

$44,737 Median Earnings (10yr)

Murray State University earned the #1 spot for value among animal science schools in Kentucky. Set in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,900, compared with $19,836 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for animal science graduates is $23,420. Soon after graduation, animal science degree recipients from Murray State University generally make around $48,423. That is a strong return on a $23,420 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.

2

University Of Kentucky
Lexington, KY

$13,502 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,250 Avg Student Debt

$59,025 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes University Of Kentucky one of the best values for animal science. Located in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,502, while out-of-state students pay about $34,140. Typical student debt for animal science graduates is $23,250. Soon after graduation, animal science degree recipients from University Of Kentucky generally make around $27,144. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.

View All Animal Science Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 2 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.