2026 Best Value Animal Services Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Animal Services](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/animal-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong animal services education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for animal services students.
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2026 Best Value Animal Services Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in animal services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Animal Services Schools
Black Hawk College earned the #1 spot for value among animal services schools in the Great Lakes Region. Black Hawk College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Moline. In-state tuition and fees average $4,920, with out-of-state students paying around $8,100. Animal Services graduates carry a median of $11,340 in student loans. Soon after graduation, animal services degree recipients from Black Hawk College generally make around $44,286. That is a strong return on a $11,340 median debt.
Hocking College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value animal services schools. Set in the rural area of Nelsonville, Hocking College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,646, compared with $10,290 for out-of-state students. Animal Services graduates carry a median of $16,535 in student loans. Soon after graduation, animal services degree recipients from Hocking College generally make around $37,713. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The University Of Findlay came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value animal services schools. The University Of Findlay is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Findlay. Students from in state pay about $41,164 in tuition and fees. Animal Services graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career animal services graduates make about $22,211. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 14 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.
