Agricultural Production Operations: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 01.03. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 499 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 | 193 | 1,535 | $32,679 | $42,010 | $20,500 1 programs |
| Associate's degree | 179 | 1,176 | $36,686 | $42,438 | $12,000 7 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 71 | 666 | $40,871 | $53,588 | $20,262 16 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 26 | 162 | $56,232 | $58,454 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 11 | 35 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 17 | 34 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University MI · Public · 46 graduates measured | $34,611 | $35,265 | 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.
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 | $46,321 | $61,118 | Data unavailable |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC · Public · 30 graduates measured | $45,467 | $43,361 | Data unavailable |
| Mitchell Technical College SD · Public · 38 graduates measured | $42,687 | $49,700 | $12,000 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA · Public · 28 graduates measured | $42,136 | $46,669 | $11,000 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE · Public · 42 graduates measured | $38,958 | $39,559 | $12,000 |
| Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture NE · Public · 42 graduates measured | $38,958 | $39,559 | $12,000 |
| Northcentral Technical College WI · Public · 17 graduates measured | $30,695 | $33,350 | Data unavailable |
| Niagara County Community College NY · Public · 20 graduates measured | $26,814 | $35,518 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State University SD · Public · 25 graduates measured | $72,323 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus ND · Public · 49 graduates measured | $66,359 | $83,779 | $23,246 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 30 graduates measured | $62,437 | $71,868 | Data unavailable |
| Washington State University WA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $59,003 | $69,708 | Data unavailable |
| Mississippi State University MS · Public · 19 graduates measured | $54,023 | $69,160 | $22,125 |
| University of California-Davis CA · Public · 38 graduates measured | $47,880 | $58,236 | $10,265 |
| SUNY Morrisville NY · Public · 43 graduates measured | $36,821 | $38,528 | $27,000 |
| Clemson University SC · Public · 20 graduates measured | $36,732 | $51,582 | $24,000 |
| University of Kentucky KY · Public · 57 graduates measured | $35,980 | $46,843 | $18,000 |
| Delaware Valley University PA · Private, nonprofit · 25 graduates measured | $35,681 | $49,746 | $26,000 |
| University of New Hampshire-Main Campus NH · Public · 37 graduates measured | $34,042 | $47,528 | $27,000 |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst MA · Public · 30 graduates measured | $32,173 | $42,520 | $23,250 |
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 Production Operations
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | $89,900 | -3.4% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Animal scientists | $68,940 | +5.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Soil and plant scientists | $78,850 | +6.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Conservation scientists | $73,010 | +5.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary | $98,700 | +2.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary | $101,420 | +2.8% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Farm and home management educators | $60,220 | -3.2% | Master's degree |
| First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers | $59,320 | +3.8% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Animal breeders | $51,130 | +3.0% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals | $36,670 | -3.2% | No formal educational credential |
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 (9)
- 01.0301 Agricultural Production Operations, General
- 01.0302 Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production
- 01.0303 Aquaculture
- 01.0304 Crop Production
- 01.0306 Dairy Husbandry and Production
- 01.0307 Horse Husbandry/Equine Science and Management
- 01.0308 Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
- 01.0310 Apiculture
- 01.0399 Agricultural Production Operations, Other