Agricultural Production Operations: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 19 reporting college programs.
−$176,086 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
Observed national outcomes
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $46,904
- Federal debt
- $11,000
- Reporting programs
- 4
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $41,868
- Federal debt
- $11,629
- Reporting programs
- 18
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,516
- Federal debt
- $22,123
- Reporting programs
- 19
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,419
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1North Dakota State University-Main Campus$83,7792Purdue University-Main Campus$71,8683Washington State University$69,7084Mississippi State University$69,1605Utah State University$61,6396University of California, Davis$58,2367Eastern Kentucky University$53,4508Clemson University$51,5829Delaware Valley University$49,74610University of New Hampshire-Main Campus$47,528Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Fargo, ND | $83,779 | $23,250 | +60% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Purdue University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $71,868 | $15,211 | +13% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Washington State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pullman, WA | $69,708 | $17,395 | +3% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Mississippi State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Mississippi State, MS | $69,160 | Not available | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Utah State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Logan, UT | $61,639 | Not available | -31% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $58,236 | $13,712 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, KY | $53,450 | $19,250 | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Clemson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Clemson, SC | $51,582 | $25,125 | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Delaware Valley UniversityBachelor's Degree | Doylestown, PA | $49,746 | $26,500 | -84% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $47,528 | $27,000 | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | University of KentuckyBachelor's Degree | Lexington, KY | $46,843 | $21,250 | -93% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $42,520 | $23,250 | -109% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | SUNY MorrisvilleBachelor's Degree | Morrisville, NY | $38,528 | $27,000 | -127% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Centenary UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hackettstown, NJ | $34,057 | Not available | -142% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | Not available | $22,123 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $25,097 |
| 16 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | Not available | $22,123 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $10,875 |
| 17 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | Not available | $22,123 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $13,807 |
| 18 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | Not available | $22,123 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,798 |
| 19 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | Not available | $22,123 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,403 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.