ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a associate's degree in Plant Sciences worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 2 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$44,562 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.
7.4 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+36%Estimated return after 10 years
$61,971Observed earnings · year 4
$39,855Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $22,281 per year below this threshold.
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$79,710
$12,000Annual price+$55,710
$18,000Current college-wide context+$43,710
$24,000Annual price+$31,710
$36,000Annual price+$7,710
$48,000Annual price−$16,290
$60,000Annual price−$40,290
Outcomes at a glance
$61,971Typical earnings four years after completion
$50,793Average earnings five years after completion
$11,717Typical federal student debt
75thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
2College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Plant Sciences
How much do Plant Sciences associate's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $61,971 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $11,717. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Plant Sciences?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $61,971 to $61,971 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Plant Sciences?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 9 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
CURRENT VIEW
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,971
- Federal debt
- $11,717
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,265
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Programs in the comparison
- 49
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $72,129
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 8
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$61,971National median$61,97175th percentile$61,971
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
2 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 2 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute$61,9712Ohio State University-Main Campus$61,971Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$98,700 median wage8,920 jobs nationwide+2.9% projected growth through 2035 · 800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$50,870–$163,150 typical wage rangeSoil and Plant Scientists$78,850 median wage15,730 jobs nationwide+6.7% projected growth through 2035 · 1,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$48,680–$138,120 typical wage rangeFarmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers$89,900 median wage6,500 jobs nationwide-3.4% projected growth through 2035 · 70,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$54,320–$160,020 typical wage rangeFarm and Home Management Educators$60,220 median wage8,220 jobs nationwide-3.2% projected growth through 2035 · 800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$37,650–$85,060 typical wage rangeFirst-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$59,320 median wage27,960 jobs nationwide+3.8% projected growth through 2035 · 7,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$38,990–$91,770 typical wage rangeAgricultural Technicians$49,630 median wage15,130 jobs nationwide+5.4% projected growth through 2035 · 2,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Associate's degree$35,980–$76,480 typical wage rangeForestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary$101,420 median wage1,520 jobs nationwide+2.8% projected growth through 2035 · 100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$50,100–$148,920 typical wage rangeConservation Scientists$73,010 median wage25,950 jobs nationwide+5.3% projected growth through 2035 · 2,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$47,550–$110,410 typical wage rangeAnimal Scientists$68,940 median wage3,100 jobs nationwide+5.8% projected growth through 2035 · 200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$44,350–$166,000 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
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.