Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 14 reporting college programs.
−$133,500 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
- $55,600
- Federal debt
- $13,722
- Reporting programs
- 4
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,534
- Federal debt
- $12,000
- Reporting programs
- 13
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,937
- Federal debt
- $24,998
- Reporting programs
- 14
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.
1Brigham Young University$71,0662Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$69,5403Pennsylvania State University-World Campus$69,5404Colorado State University-Fort Collins$66,9845SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill$61,9636University of Nebraska-Lincoln$59,3767Texas Tech University$54,4988Texas A&M University-College Station$54,1289Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College$52,75710University of Rhode Island$48,403Observed 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 | Brigham Young UniversityBachelor's Degree | Provo, UT | $71,066 | Not available | +8% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $69,540 | $26,925 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University-World CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $69,540 | $26,925 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsBachelor's Degree | Fort Collins, CO | $66,984 | Not available | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at CobleskillBachelor's Degree | Cobleskill, NY | $61,963 | Not available | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | University of Nebraska-LincolnBachelor's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $59,376 | $24,998 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Texas Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lubbock, TX | $54,498 | $18,750 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $54,128 | $18,422 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Abraham Baldwin Agricultural CollegeBachelor's Degree | Tifton, GA | $52,757 | $25,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | University of Rhode IslandBachelor's Degree | Kingston, RI | $48,403 | Not available | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleBachelor's Degree | Carbondale, IL | $45,177 | Not available | -99% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Brigham Young University-IdahoBachelor's Degree | Rexburg, ID | $39,752 | $12,749 | -125% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Farmingdale State CollegeBachelor's Degree | Farmingdale, NY | Not available | $23,900 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $10,867 |
| 14 | Delaware Valley UniversityBachelor's Degree | Doylestown, PA | Not available | $26,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $28,278 |
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.