Agricultural Mechanization: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 01.02. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 135 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 | 55 | 543 | $54,245 | $60,506 | $7,834 2 programs |
| Associate's degree | 59 | 587 | $56,110 | $61,712 | $12,000 4 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 19 | 248 | $61,865 | $71,278 | $18,750 3 programs |
| Master's degree | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 1 | 0 | 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.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Iowa Community College IA · Public · 37 graduates measured | $62,594 | $75,681 | $7,776 |
| Perry Technical Institute WA · Private, nonprofit · 37 graduates measured | $51,924 | $52,646 | $7,892 |
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.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirkwood Community College IA · Public · 21 graduates measured | $72,269 | $63,467 | Data unavailable |
| North Dakota State College of Science ND · Public · 40 graduates measured | $72,244 | $81,168 | $12,000 |
| Lake Land College IL · Public · 28 graduates measured | $61,521 | $62,199 | Data unavailable |
| Garden City Community College KS · Public · 19 graduates measured | $60,547 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Owens Community College OH · Public · 22 graduates measured | $59,375 | $80,500 | Data unavailable |
| Mitchell Technical College SD · Public · 22 graduates measured | $55,042 | $59,256 | $12,000 |
| University of Northwestern Ohio OH · Private, nonprofit · 62 graduates measured | $52,943 | Data unavailable | $18,500 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State University IA · Public · 46 graduates measured | $69,450 | $78,890 | $17,313 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA · Public · 28 graduates measured | $68,847 | $78,080 | Data unavailable |
| South Dakota State University SD · Public · 24 graduates measured | $64,756 | $67,746 | $19,569 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 26 graduates measured | $63,519 | $73,393 | Data unavailable |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE · Public · 35 graduates measured | $61,751 | $74,003 | Data unavailable |
| Sam Houston State University TX · Public · 38 graduates measured | $59,342 | $67,729 | $18,750 |
| University of Missouri-Columbia MO · Public · 16 graduates measured | $58,944 | $75,958 | Data unavailable |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC · Public · 17 graduates measured | $54,479 | $60,122 | Data unavailable |
| University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez PR · Public · 20 graduates measured | $26,557 | $40,931 | 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 Agricultural Mechanization
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary | $98,700 | +2.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary | $63,820 | -0.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Agricultural equipment operators | $41,730 | +8.6% | No formal educational credential |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | $79,870 | +5.4% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians | $56,550 | +10.7% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines | $65,510 | +6.7% | High school diploma or equivalent |
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 (5)
- 01.0201 Agricultural Mechanization, General
- 01.0204 Agricultural Power Machinery Operation
- 01.0205 Agricultural Mechanics and Equipment/Machine Technology/Technician
- 01.0207 Irrigation Management Technology/Technician
- 01.0299 Agricultural Mechanization, Other