Plant Sciences: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 49 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$139,986 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.
22.4 yrsModeled economic break-even
−55%Modeled 10-year ROI
$56,265Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$56,265Median reported earnings · year 4
$54,313Average reported earnings · year 5
$20,500Median federal debt
37thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
49Reporting programs
45With year-4 earnings
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.
OPEN PROFILE
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,971
- Federal debt
- $11,717
- Reporting programs
- 2
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,265
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Reporting programs
- 49
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $72,129
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 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$50,653National median$56,26575th percentile$61,397
45 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$82,4872South Dakota State University$78,4943California State University, Fresno$77,0344University of California, Davis$72,3355California State University, Chico$68,6296California State Polytechnic University-Pomona$66,7147Texas A&M University-College Station$66,5138University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign$63,2799University of Missouri-Columbia$62,95710University of Nebraska-Lincoln$61,946Observed 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.
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1041 · 7 crosswalk linksSoil and Plant ScientistsSOC 19-1013 · 7 crosswalk linksFarm and Home Management EducatorsSOC 25-9021 · 5 crosswalk linksFarmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural ManagersSOC 11-9013 · 5 crosswalk linksAgricultural TechniciansSOC 19-4012 · 2 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersSOC 45-1011 · 2 crosswalk linksAnimal ScientistsSOC 19-1011 · 1 crosswalk linksConservation ScientistsSOC 19-1031 · 1 crosswalk linksForestry and Conservation Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1043 · 1 crosswalk links
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 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | $82,487 | $16,666 | +52% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | South Dakota State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Brookings, SD | $78,494 | $23,125 | +29% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | California State University, FresnoBachelor's Degree | Fresno, CA | $77,034 | $13,000 | +54% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $72,335 | Not available | +14% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | California State University, ChicoBachelor's Degree | Chico, CA | $68,629 | $15,000 | -1% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaBachelor's Degree | Pomona, CA | $66,714 | $13,500 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $66,513 | $21,654 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignBachelor's Degree | Champaign, IL | $63,279 | $15,750 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | University of Missouri-ColumbiaBachelor's Degree | Columbia, MO | $62,957 | $17,983 | -31% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | University of Nebraska-LincolnBachelor's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $61,946 | $21,875 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleBachelor's Degree | Knoxville, TN | $61,587 | $22,564 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Arkansas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Jonesboro, AR | $61,397 | $15,125 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-PlattevilleBachelor's Degree | Platteville, WI | $61,085 | $19,125 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Iowa State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ames, IA | $60,997 | $20,500 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-River FallsBachelor's Degree | River Falls, WI | $59,732 | $22,251 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | University of Minnesota-CrookstonBachelor's Degree | Crookston, MN | $59,240 | $23,793 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Cornell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $58,960 | $15,990 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Kansas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Manhattan, KS | $58,603 | $21,905 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Oregon State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Corvallis, OR | $57,950 | $25,096 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Oregon State University-Cascades CampusBachelor's Degree | Bend, OR | $57,950 | $25,096 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Ohio State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $56,812 | $16,105 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Blacksburg, VA | $56,630 | $20,687 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Southeast Missouri State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cape Girardeau, MO | $56,265 | $15,789 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Chadron State CollegeBachelor's Degree | Chadron, NE | $53,484 | $15,989 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $53,270 | $12,281 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Clemson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Clemson, SC | $52,844 | $21,724 | -71% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $52,707 | $15,391 | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | University of WyomingBachelor's Degree | Laramie, WY | $52,652 | Not available | -67% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $52,329 | $23,673 | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Auburn UniversityBachelor's Degree | Auburn, AL | $52,104 | $20,500 | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $51,912 | $27,000 | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $51,696 | $22,156 | -73% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at CobleskillBachelor's Degree | Cobleskill, NY | $51,399 | Not available | -75% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Mississippi State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Mississippi State, MS | $50,653 | $20,311 | -77% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | West Virginia UniversityBachelor's Degree | Morgantown, WV | $50,249 | $25,000 | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Delaware Valley UniversityBachelor's Degree | Doylestown, PA | $48,031 | Not available | -90% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Texas A&M University-KingsvilleBachelor's Degree | Kingsville, TX | $47,878 | $21,000 | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Michigan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | East Lansing, MI | $47,404 | $24,250 | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | University of IdahoBachelor's Degree | Moscow, ID | $47,392 | Not available | -90% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Missouri State University-SpringfieldBachelor's Degree | Springfield, MO | $47,267 | $18,487 | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Montana State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bozeman, MT | $45,392 | $20,500 | -99% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsBachelor's Degree | Fort Collins, CO | $42,034 | $20,750 | -111% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Temple UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $35,728 | Not available | -132% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | University of VermontBachelor's Degree | Burlington, VT | $34,672 | Not available | -140% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | University of Puerto Rico-MayaguezBachelor's Degree | Mayaguez, PR | $30,252 | $9,200 | -159% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | University of DelawareBachelor's Degree | Newark, DE | Not available | $24,336 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $17,799 |
| 47 | Northwest Missouri State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Maryville, MO | Not available | $23,818 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,244 |
| 48 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickBachelor's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | Not available | $17,881 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $24,406 |
| 49 | Washington State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pullman, WA | Not available | $17,539 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $14,971 |
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.