Agriculture, General: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 11 reporting college programs.
−$103,266 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-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.
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $46,205
- Federal debt
- $11,500
- Reporting programs
- 11
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,804
- Federal debt
- $20,699
- Reporting programs
- 51
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,078
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
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.
1South Dakota State University$63,2182Murray State College$50,2683Ellsworth Community College$50,2634Connors State College$47,2155Ivy Tech Community College$45,1956Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College$44,8487Northeast Community College$44,3768SUNY College of Technology at Alfred$41,3279North Carolina State University at RaleighNot available10Blinn College DistrictNot availableObserved 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 | South Dakota State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Brookings, SD | $63,218 | Not available | +40% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Murray State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tishomingo, OK | $50,268 | Not available | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Ellsworth Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Iowa Falls, IA | $50,263 | Not available | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Connors State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Warner, OK | $47,215 | $10,375 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Ivy Tech Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $45,195 | $7,125 | -98% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Northeastern Oklahoma A&M CollegeAssociate's Degree | Miami, OK | $44,848 | $11,000 | -101% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Northeast Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Norfolk, NE | $44,376 | Not available | -106% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | SUNY College of Technology at AlfredAssociate's Degree | Alfred, NY | $41,327 | Not available | -131% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | North Carolina State University at RaleighAssociate's Degree | Raleigh, NC | Not available | $17,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $17,303 |
| 10 | Blinn College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Brenham, TX | Not available | $14,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $10,844 |
| 11 | Utah State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Logan, UT | Not available | $12,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $14,936 |
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.