BACHELOR'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 0108

Agricultural Public Services: is this bachelor's degree worth it?

National picture across 10 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$176,492 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.

33.8 yrsModeled economic break-even
−70%Modeled 10-year ROI
$52,404Observed earnings · year 4
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$52,404Median reported earnings · year 4
$54,635Average reported earnings · year 5
$19,500Median federal debt
29thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
10Reporting programs
10With year-4 earnings
COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

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.

CURRENT VIEW

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$52,404
Federal debt
$19,500
Reporting programs
10
10 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$60,588
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
3
3 report earnings →
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

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.

Median
25th percentile$45,263National median$52,40475th percentile$54,017
10 programs report year‑4 earnings.
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$80,9652University of Wisconsin-Madison$71,7263University of Arkansas$54,4544Texas A&M University-College Station$54,0175Oklahoma State University-Main Campus$52,7476The University of Tennessee-Knoxville$52,0607Texas Tech University$50,2488University of Idaho$45,2639University of Kentucky$42,61210University of Wyoming$41,533

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Audio and Video TechniciansSOC 27-4011 · 1 crosswalk linksFarm and Home Management EducatorsSOC 25-9021 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk linksNews Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsSOC 27-3023 · 1 crosswalk links
BEST COLLEGES FOR AGRICULTURAL PUBLIC SERVICES

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.

#CollegeLocationEarnings, year 4Federal debt10-year ROIVerdict
1California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's DegreeSan Luis Obispo, CA$80,965Not available+46%Positive payoff
2University of Wisconsin-MadisonBachelor's DegreeMadison, WI$71,726$17,460+7%Positive payoff
3University of ArkansasBachelor's DegreeFayetteville, AR$54,454$19,952-63%Negative payoff
4Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's DegreeCollege Station, TX$54,017$19,500-66%Negative payoff
5Oklahoma State University-Main CampusBachelor's DegreeStillwater, OK$52,747$16,125-69%Negative payoff
6The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleBachelor's DegreeKnoxville, TN$52,060$19,500-72%Negative payoff
7Texas Tech UniversityBachelor's DegreeLubbock, TX$50,248$20,500-80%Negative payoff
8University of IdahoBachelor's DegreeMoscow, ID$45,263Not available-99%Negative payoff
9University of KentuckyBachelor's DegreeLexington, KY$42,612$22,000-109%Negative payoff
10University of WyomingBachelor's DegreeLaramie, WY$41,533Not available-115%Negative payoff

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.