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farrier science

What farrier science Majors Need to Know

Programs in farrier science develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that farrier science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in farrier science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a farrier science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to farrier science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, farrier science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.8 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	3.6 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by farrier science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Medical condition coding software	Medical software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Collaborative editing software	Word processing software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Edmodo	Desktop communications software	—
GroupMe	Instant messaging software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for farrier science graduates include:

• Commercial Art Instructor
• Vocational Training Instructor
• Instructor Pilot
• Radio Repair Teacher
• Watch Assembly Instructor
• Mechanical Maintenance Instructor
• Flight Instructor
• Maintenance Instructor
• Dry Cleaning Teacher
• Electrical Technology Instructor
• Welding Teacher
• HVAC-R Instructor (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, And Refrigeration Instructor)
• CADD Instructor (Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Instructor)
• Footwear Machinery Instructor
• Modeling Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to farrier science graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	31.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	25.5%
Bachelor’s degree	17.6%
Postsecondary certificate	10.1%
Master’s degree	4.7%
Some college courses	4.3%
Less than a high school diploma	3.6%
Doctoral degree	2.9%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do farrier science Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of farrier science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$25,658
4 years	$29,442
5 years	$34,298

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $34,298 — roughly 34% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in farrier science Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, farrier science graduates earn a median of $29,442 four years after completion — about 23% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services	01.05
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services, Other	01.0599
Animal Training	01.0505
Dog/Pet/Animal Grooming	01.0504
Equestrian/Equine Studies	01.0507
Taxidermy/Taxidermist	01.0508
Irrigation Management Technology/Technician	01.0207

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.