by our College Data Analytics TeamIf you are an animal lover, a major in Animal Services might be perfect for you.
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services is a rapidly growing field that allows you to work with and train different types of animals. Since there are many career possibilities within this major, a school will require you to choose an area of concentration. There are a variety of specialties including dog/pet/animal grooming, animal training, equestrian/equine studies, or taxidermy.
A degree in Animal Services explores Agricultural And Domestic Animal Services. Continue reading for the key facts every animal services major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering animal services programs.
Across the country, animal services is a widely-pursued major, with 1,424 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Animal Services Schools ranking analyzes these 62 schools to determine the best overall colleges for animal services students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of animal services programs later in this article.
Coursework for Animal Services build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations animal services graduates commonly enter.
The field of Animal Services includes more than just training animals; also included within this is grooming, husbandry, monitoring, exercising, and examining for illness. Since this is a broad major, there are many different careers available to graduates. However, patience and a love for animals are two important traits that cover all concentrations. You must also be detail oriented and have strong problem solving skills. Sometimes training animals can be difficult, so as a trainer, you must have the necessary skills to assess which methods will be most successful on certain animals.
While studying Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services, you will take classes in animal anatomy, physiology, nutrition, and biology. You will become acquainted with everything there is to know about the animals you are working with so you can properly care for and train them.
Many jobs in training animals require experience. You will start out with basic jobs until you work your way up to positions with responsibility. To gain the necessary experience, begin by volunteering at an animal shelter or with someone who works closely with animals. Nearly all employers require candidates to have previous experience with animals.
Skills developed in a animal services program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a animal services major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several animal services degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 390 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 182 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 394 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 458 |
People currently working in careers related to animal services tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 21.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 20.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 15.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 9.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 8.1% |
| Master’s degree | 7.0% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 6.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 5.9% |
| Some college courses | 5.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.3% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in animal services careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Some possible careers within this field include animal trainers, non-farm animal caretakers, groomers, and taxidermists. You may also decide to go into zoology or become an animal keeper.
Majoring in animal services opens doors to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to animal services.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to animal services.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 297,433 | 4.5% |
| Animal Trainers | 205,161 | 12.7% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 202,912 | 0.6% |
| Animal Caretakers | 138,286 | 11.7% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of animal services graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $25,658 |
| 4 years | $29,442 |
| 5 years | $34,298 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for animal services graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers animal services grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $86,398 |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $66,903 |
| Animal Trainers | $32,987 |
| Animal Caretakers | $22,332 |
With 62 different animal services programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased animal services school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in animal services, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Equestrian/Equine Studies | 658 |
| Dog/Pet/Animal Grooming | 519 |
| Animal Training | 172 |
| Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services, Other | 65 |
| Taxidermy/Taxidermist | 10 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 9,051 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 8,612 |
| Animal Sciences | 8,295 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 4,164 |
| Veterinary Medicine | 3,756 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 3,608 |
| Agriculture, General | 3,276 |
| Plant Sciences | 3,261 |
| Food Science and Technology | 2,269 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | 1,378 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
