2026 Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools
[Animal-Assisted Therapy](/majors/health-care-professions/rehab-and-therapeutic-professions/animal-assisted-therapy/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for animal-assisted therapy students.
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Finding the Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy School for You
The right animal-assisted therapy school can pay off for years to come. To help, we created our Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
Learn more about our methodology
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
2026 Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in animal-assisted therapy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools
For return on investment in animal-assisted therapy, no school beat Isothermal Community College this year. Located in the town of Spindale, Isothermal Community College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,030, while out-of-state students pay about $6,638. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates carry a median of $6,625 in student loans. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates of Isothermal Community College earn a median of $47,389 early in their careers. Set against $6,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Florida earned it the #2 place for animal-assisted therapy. Located in the city of Jacksonville, University Of North Florida is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,964 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $19,407. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates carry a median of $18,523 in student loans. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates of University Of North Florida earn a median of $75,760 early in their careers. Set against $18,523 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 53%.
Idaho State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value animal-assisted therapy schools. Idaho State University is a large public school located in the city of Pocatello. Students from in state pay about $8,610 in tuition and fees, compared with $27,720 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,640 to complete the animal-assisted therapy program here. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates of Idaho State University earn a median of $75,341 early in their careers. Set against $24,640 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Aurora University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value animal-assisted therapy schools. Set in the suburb of Aurora, Aurora University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $29,170. Typical student debt for animal-assisted therapy graduates is $23,750. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates of Aurora University earn a median of $41,856 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 81%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Slippery Rock University Of Pennsylvania earned it the #5 place for animal-assisted therapy. Located in the town of Slippery Rock, Slippery Rock University Of Pennsylvania is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,568, compared with $14,676 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for animal-assisted therapy graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, animal-assisted therapy degree recipients from Slippery Rock University Of Pennsylvania generally make around $51,364. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Husson University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value animal-assisted therapy schools. Set in the city of Bangor, Husson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,304. Typical student debt for animal-assisted therapy graduates is $27,000. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates of Husson University earn a median of $64,570 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Husson University admits about 81% of applicants.
Prescott College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value animal-assisted therapy schools. Set in the city of Prescott, Prescott College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,490. Students borrow a median of $27,230 to complete the animal-assisted therapy program here. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates of Prescott College earn a median of $42,966 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Prescott College admits about 94% of applicants.
Carroll College earned the #8 position for value in animal-assisted therapy this year. Set in the city of Helena, Carroll College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,484. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, animal-assisted therapy degree recipients from Carroll College generally make around $22,319. That is a strong return on a $24,250 median debt. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
Concordia University Wisconsin landed the #9 spot for animal-assisted therapy value this year. Set in the suburb of Mequon, Concordia University Wisconsin is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $35,470 in tuition and fees. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates carry a median of $21,875 in student loans. Early-career animal-assisted therapy graduates make about $72,716. That is a strong return on a $21,875 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
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Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Animal-Assisted Therapy. See all related rankings.
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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
