Animal Sciences at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

UNH's associate degree in Animal Sciences sits in an unusual position: it's the only such program in New Hampshire, which means the "60th percentile" state ranking is meaningless. The real story is that graduates start at $29,443—about $3,200 below the national median for this field—and reach $35,097 after four years. That 19% earnings growth is solid, but you're still ending up below what the typical animal sciences associate degree holder earns right out of the gate elsewhere.

The $12,000 in debt is reasonable and matches the national median, giving you a debt-to-earnings ratio under 0.5. That means graduates can realistically manage their loans even on entry-level animal care wages. However, with fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, these numbers might not be stable—a few high or low earners can skew the averages significantly at a small program like this.

For a New Hampshire family, the calculation is straightforward: if your child wants to work with animals and needs an associate degree to start, this is your only in-state option. Just understand they'll likely earn less than peers from programs in other states, at least initially. If geographic flexibility is an option, compare programs in neighboring states where graduates might start closer to that $32,687 national median.