Plant Sciences programs
CIP 0111 · Agriculture & Animal Sciences · ranked by median earnings four years after completion
47 institutions report graduate earnings for Plant Sciences programs (College Scorecard, 2024-25). Across them the median is $58,603 four years after completion, with a typical debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31× and 86% of graduates earning above the federal earnings threshold. Indicatively, 3 of the 55 programs with both earnings and a benchmark fall below the earnings-premium benchmark used by the 2025 federal test (effective July 1, 2026); the rest clear it.
| # | Institution | Earn 4yr | % > threshold | Median debt | Debt/earn | Earnings premium | 2 of 3 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa State UniversityIA · Master's | $116,149 n=42 | 97% 5yr | $19,437 | 0.17× | Above +96% | Clears 2/2 |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignIL · Master's | $97,965 n=28 | – | – | – | Above +43% | – |
| 3 | University of FloridaFL · Master's | $92,076 n=19 | 94% 1yr | – | – | Above +66% | – |
| 4 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA · Bachelor's | $82,487 n=52 | 100% | $15,000 | 0.18× | Above +115% | Clears 2/2 |
| 5 | South Dakota State UniversitySD · Bachelor's | $78,494 n=56 | 95% 5yr | $22,125 | 0.28× | Above +113% | Clears 2/2 |
| 6 | California State University-FresnoCA · Bachelor's | $77,034 n=61 | 91% 5yr | $11,731 | 0.15× | Above +100% | Clears 2/2 |
| 7 | University of Nebraska-LincolnNE · Master's | $73,346 n=21 | – | – | – | Above +26% | – |
| 8 | University of California-DavisCA · Bachelor's | $72,335 n=16 | 81% 1yr | – | – | Above +88% | – |
| 9 | Ohio State University-Main CampusOH · Master's | $70,911 n=17 | – | – | – | Above +13% | – |
| 10 | Auburn UniversityAL · Master's | $69,054 n=25 | 84% 1yr | – | – | Above +20% | – |
| 11 | California State University-ChicoCA · Bachelor's | $68,629 n=41 | 90% 5yr | $13,826 | 0.20× | Above +79% | Clears 2/2 |
| 12 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCA · Bachelor's | $66,714 n=46 | 68% 5yr | $11,375 | 0.17× | Above +74% | Clears 2/2 |
| 13 | Texas A&M University-College StationTX · Bachelor's | $66,513 n=53 | 67% 1yr | $17,249 | 0.26× | Above +86% | – |
| 14 | University of GeorgiaGA · Master's | $64,305 n=28 | 89% 1yr | – | – | Above +2% | – |
| 15 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignIL · Bachelor's | $63,279 n=36 | 91% 5yr | $15,750 | 0.25× | Above +68% | Clears 2/2 |
| 16 | University of Missouri-ColumbiaMO · Bachelor's | $62,957 n=37 | 100% 5yr | $17,924 | 0.28× | Above +76% | Clears 2/2 |
| 17 | Ohio State University Agricultural Technical InstituteOH · Associate | $61,971 n=23 | – | $11,717 | 0.19× | Above +68% | – |
| 18 | Ohio State University-Main CampusOH · Associate | $61,971 n=23 | – | $11,717 | 0.19× | Above +68% | – |
| 19 | University of Nebraska-LincolnNE · Bachelor's | $61,946 n=74 | 92% | $18,875 | 0.30× | Above +67% | Clears 2/2 |
| 20 | The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTN · Bachelor's | $61,587 n=45 | 68% 5yr | $20,500 | 0.33× | Above +76% | Below 1/2 |
| 21 | Arkansas State UniversityAR · Bachelor's | $61,397 n=38 | 94% 1yr | $14,716 | 0.24× | Above +80% | Clears 2/2 |
| 22 | University of Wisconsin-PlattevilleWI · Bachelor's | $61,085 n=40 | 95% 5yr | $15,250 | 0.25× | Above +57% | Clears 2/2 |
| 23 | Iowa State UniversityIA · Bachelor's | $60,997 n=147 | 83% | $17,039 | 0.28× | Above +58% | Clears 2/2 |
| 24 | University of Wisconsin-River FallsWI · Bachelor's | $59,732 n=40 | 90% 5yr | $19,000 | 0.32× | Above +53% | Clears 2/2 |
| 25 | University of Minnesota-CrookstonMN · Bachelor's | $59,240 n=31 | 93% 5yr | $19,763 | 0.33× | Above +48% | Clears 2/2 |
| 26 | Texas A&M University-KingsvilleTX · Master's | $59,219 n=16 | 100% 1yr | – | – | Below -10% | – |
| 27 | Cornell UniversityNY · Bachelor's | $58,960 n=17 | – | $14,250 | 0.24× | Above +55% | Clears 2/2 |
| 28 | Kansas State UniversityKS · Bachelor's | $58,603 n=79 | 100% 5yr | $21,500 | 0.37× | Above +61% | Clears 2/2 |
| 29 | Oregon State UniversityOR · Bachelor's | $57,950 n=62 | 73% | $24,005 | 0.41× | Above +58% | Clears 2/2 |
| 30 | Oregon State University-Cascades CampusOR · Bachelor's | $57,950 n=62 | 73% | $24,005 | 0.41× | Above +58% | Clears 2/2 |
| 31 | Ohio State University-Main CampusOH · Bachelor's | $56,812 n=42 | 89% 5yr | $18,281 | 0.32× | Above +54% | Clears 2/2 |
| 32 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA · Bachelor's | $56,630 n=49 | 86% 5yr | $18,955 | 0.34× | Above +49% | Clears 2/2 |
| 33 | Southeast Missouri State UniversityMO · Bachelor's | $56,265 n=43 | 87% 5yr | $17,355 | 0.31× | Above +57% | Clears 2/2 |
| 34 | Chadron State CollegeNE · Bachelor's | $53,484 n=36 | 76% 5yr | $14,513 | 0.27× | Above +44% | Clears 2/2 |
| 35 | University of FloridaFL · Bachelor's | $53,270 n=52 | 72% 5yr | $13,015 | 0.24× | Above +58% | Clears 2/2 |
| 36 | Clemson UniversitySC · Bachelor's | $52,844 n=20 | 77% 5yr | $20,500 | 0.39× | Above +54% | Clears 2/2 |
| 37 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMN · Bachelor's | $52,707 n=29 | 65% 5yr | $16,070 | 0.30× | Above +32% | Clears 2/2 |
| 38 | University of WyomingWY · Bachelor's | $52,652 n=19 | 82% 5yr | $10,374 | 0.20× | Above +30% | Clears 2/2 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusPA · Bachelor's | $52,329 n=24 | – | $22,048 | 0.42× | Above +39% | – |
| 40 | Auburn UniversityAL · Bachelor's | $52,104 n=42 | 97% 5yr | $17,750 | 0.34× | Above +51% | Clears 2/2 |
| 41 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstMA · Bachelor's | $51,912 n=23 | 66% 1yr | $23,250 | 0.45× | Above +19% | – |
| 42 | North Carolina State University at RaleighNC · Bachelor's | $51,696 n=41 | 81% 1yr | $19,432 | 0.38× | Above +51% | Clears 2/2 |
| 43 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at CobleskillNY · Bachelor's | $51,399 n=18 | – | $12,321 | 0.24× | Above +35% | Clears 2/2 |
| 44 | Mississippi State UniversityMS · Bachelor's | $50,653 n=38 | 90% 5yr | $19,500 | 0.39× | Above +54% | Clears 2/2 |
| 45 | West Virginia UniversityWV · Bachelor's | $50,249 n=32 | – | $25,000 | 0.50× | Above +43% | Below 1/2 |
| 46 | Delaware Valley UniversityPA · Bachelor's | $48,031 n=21 | 90% 5yr | $23,955 | 0.50× | Above +27% | Clears 2/2 |
| 47 | Texas A&M University-KingsvilleTX · Bachelor's | $47,878 n=20 | 81% 5yr | $19,408 | 0.41× | Above +34% | Clears 2/2 |
| 48 | Michigan State UniversityMI · Bachelor's | $47,404 n=43 | 87% 5yr | $22,550 | 0.48× | Above +35% | Clears 2/2 |
| 49 | University of IdahoID · Bachelor's | $47,392 n=22 | 82% 5yr | $18,825 | 0.40× | Above +33% | Clears 2/2 |
| 50 | Missouri State University-SpringfieldMO · Bachelor's | $47,267 n=61 | 49% | $16,500 | 0.35× | Above +32% | Clears 2/2 |
| 51 | Montana State UniversityMT · Bachelor's | $45,392 n=29 | 85% 5yr | $20,500 | 0.45× | Above +31% | Clears 2/2 |
| 52 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsCO · Bachelor's | $42,034 n=43 | 69% 1yr | $17,500 | 0.42× | Above +1% | Below 1/2 |
| 53 | Temple UniversityPA · Bachelor's | $35,728 n=17 | – | – | – | Below -5% | – |
| 54 | University of VermontVT · Bachelor's | $34,672 n=21 | – | – | – | Below -11% | – |
| 55 | University of Puerto Rico-MayaguezPR · Bachelor's | $30,252 n=59 | 39% | $8,500 | 0.28× | Above +84% | Clears 2/2 |
% > threshold is ED's own share of graduates earning above the federal earnings threshold, taken from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window. Earnings premium compares median earnings four years out to the U.S. Census ACS median for a high-school graduate (undergraduate credentials) or bachelor's-degree holder (graduate credentials) in the institution's state. 2 of 3 yrs flags programs below that benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 federal earnings-premium test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative estimates; the Department of Education's official determination may differ. Figures lag the current year by 2–3 years.
| State | Median earn 4yr | Programs |
|---|---|---|
| California | $72,335 | 5 |
| Ohio | $61,971 | 4 |
| Nebraska | $61,946 | 3 |
| Texas | $59,219 | 3 |
| Missouri | $56,265 | 3 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,031 | 3 |
States with at least 3 reporting Plant Sciences programs, by median graduate earnings.
Which colleges have the highest-paying Plant Sciences programs?
By median earnings four years after completion, the highest-paying Plant Sciences programs in this dataset are Iowa State University ($116,149), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ($97,965), University of Florida ($92,076). Earnings reflect College Scorecard field-of-study data (2024-25) and vary by credential level and location.
Are Plant Sciences programs at risk under the federal earnings-premium test?
Indicatively, 3 of the 55 Plant Sciences programs with both earnings and a state/national benchmark have median graduate earnings below the earnings-premium benchmark used by the 2025 federal test (effective July 1, 2026), under which a program can lose Title IV eligibility if its graduates earn less than a typical worker without the credential for 2 of 3 years. This estimate uses College Scorecard earnings vs U.S. Census ACS medians; the Department of Education's official determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.
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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study, 2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts plus the most-recent snapshot (2024-25); threshold pass-rates pooled across all nine releases. Earnings-premium benchmarks from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS). Compiled by Ibex Insights. See the methodology.