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Animal behaviorist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an animal behaviorist. Animal behaviorists usually study biology, psychology, or animal science. 55% of animal behaviorists hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 35 real animal behaviorist resumes to see exactly what animal behaviorist education sections show.
The most common colleges for animal behaviorists are the New Mexico Highlands University and the New Mexico Highlands University.
There are also many online animal behaviorist courses to help get the education required to be an animal behaviorist.
What education do you need to become an animal behaviorist?
What degree do you need to be an animal behaviorist?
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Master's, 20%
- Associate, 20%
- High School Diploma, 5%
What should I major in to become an animal behaviorist?
- Biology, 15%
- Psychology, 15%
- Animal Science, 5%
- Business, 5%
- Other Majors, 60%
Most common colleges for animal behaviorists
| Animal behaviorist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New Mexico Highlands University | 6.67% |
| Eastern Michigan University | 6.67% |
| Humboldt State University | 6.67% |
| Coastal Carolina University | 6.67% |
| Long Island University | 6.67% |
Best majors for animal behaviorists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 15.0% |
| 2 | Psychology | 15.0% |
| 3 | Animal Science | 5.0% |
| 4 | Business | 5.0% |
| 5 | General Education, Specific Areas | 5.0% |
Best colleges for animal behaviorists
The best colleges for animal behaviorists are Cornell University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
An animal behaviorist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for animal behaviorists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become animal behaviorists.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
3. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
4. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
5. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
7. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
8. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
10. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
20 best online courses for animal behaviorists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for animal behaviorists
The most affordable schools for animal behaviorists are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for animal behaviorists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for animal behaviorists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
9. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
10. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for animal behaviorists
The hardest universities for animal behaviorists to get into are Cornell University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for animal behaviorists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for animal behaviorists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for animal behaviorists
The easiest schools for animal behaviorists to get into are D'Youville College, mount saint mary's university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an animal behaviorist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for animal behaviorists.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
5. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
10. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
Average animal behaviorist salary by education level
| Animal behaviorist education level | Animal behaviorist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $36,552 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,027 |
Animal behaviorist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025