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2026 Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

[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. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong animal-assisted therapy education at a price that pays off.

College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value animal-assisted therapy schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

2026 Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

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

Best Value Animal-Assisted Therapy Schools

1

Idaho State University
Pocatello, ID

$8,610 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,640 Avg Student Debt

$45,608 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Idaho State University, our #1 best value for animal-assisted therapy in the Rocky Mountains Region. Idaho State University is a large public school located in the city of Pocatello. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,610, compared with $27,720 for out-of-state students. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates carry a median of $24,640 in student loans. Soon after graduation, animal-assisted therapy degree recipients from Idaho State University generally make around $75,341. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

2

Carroll College
Helena, MT

$41,484 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,250 Avg Student Debt

$61,772 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in animal-assisted therapy will find it at Carroll College, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Helena, Carroll College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $41,484. Students borrow a median of $24,250 to complete the animal-assisted therapy program here. Animal-Assisted Therapy graduates of Carroll College earn a median of $22,319 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Carroll College admits about 71% of applicants.

View All Animal-Assisted Therapy Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 3 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.