Agriculture, General: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 01.00. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 287 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 36 | 146 | $50,615 | $55,006 | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 114 | 859 | $35,346 | $45,683 | $11,788 8 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 91 | 1,903 | $43,778 | $53,676 | $20,500 35 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 36 | 360 | $55,748 | $61,941 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 5 | 5 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 4 | 3 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State University SD · Public · 22 graduates measured | $57,803 | $63,218 | $12,000 |
| Utah State University UT · Public · 20 graduates measured | $39,695 | Data unavailable | $13,749 |
| Ivy Tech Community College IN · Public · 47 graduates measured | $37,688 | $45,195 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE · Public · 17 graduates measured | $59,503 | $52,997 | Data unavailable |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $56,536 | $84,412 | Data unavailable |
| Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public · 30 graduates measured | $56,238 | $59,213 | $19,085 |
| Cornell University NY · Private, nonprofit · 63 graduates measured | $55,055 | $67,954 | $11,250 |
| Sam Houston State University TX · Public · 32 graduates measured | $52,933 | $60,598 | $26,500 |
| South Dakota State University SD · Public · 57 graduates measured | $52,068 | $61,132 | $19,500 |
| Illinois State University IL · Public · 135 graduates measured | $50,382 | $63,600 | $15,000 |
| Tarleton State University TX · Public · 93 graduates measured | $49,644 | Data unavailable | $19,500 |
| East Texas A&M University TX · Public · 18 graduates measured | $49,431 | $51,983 | $19,516 |
| North Carolina A & T State University NC · Public · 22 graduates measured | $49,040 | $46,990 | $28,000 |
| Warner University FL · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $48,450 | $56,429 | Data unavailable |
| Fort Hays State University KS · Public · 41 graduates measured | $47,797 | Data unavailable | $19,365 |
| California State University-Stanislaus CA · Public · 34 graduates measured | $47,649 | $64,669 | Data unavailable |
| Auburn University AL · Public · 23 graduates measured | $47,308 | Data unavailable | $16,375 |
| Dickinson State University ND · Public · 19 graduates measured | $47,123 | $52,529 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State University WA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $102,610 | $100,333 | Data unavailable |
| Cornell University NY · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $69,721 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE · Public · 25 graduates measured | $55,472 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $53,199 | $62,078 | Data unavailable |
| Sam Houston State University TX · Public · 22 graduates measured | $50,745 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| East Texas A&M University TX · Public · 40 graduates measured | $48,883 | $59,177 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Agriculture, General
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal scientists | $68,940 | +5.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Food scientists and technologists | $88,720 | +6.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Soil and plant scientists | $78,850 | +6.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Agricultural technicians | $49,630 | +5.4% | Associate's degree |
| Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary | $98,700 | +2.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 01.0000 Agriculture, General