Plant Sciences: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 01.11. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 330 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 | 60 | 210 | $51,146 | $48,404 | $20,000 3 programs |
| Associate's degree | 51 | 162 | $45,993 | $50,971 | $12,625 1 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 93 | 1,949 | $44,457 | $56,567 | $19,517 41 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 61 | 617 | $58,029 | $70,814 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 49 | 301 | $78,337 | $90,502 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 4 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 13 | 18 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $62,775 | Data unavailable | $20,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $62,775 | Data unavailable | $20,000 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Community College NE · Public · 18 graduates measured | $54,538 | Data unavailable | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State University WA · Public · 21 graduates measured | $64,374 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Fresno CA · Public · 72 graduates measured | $63,767 | $77,034 | $19,025 |
| University of Minnesota-Crookston MN · Public · 20 graduates measured | $61,464 | $59,240 | Data unavailable |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA · Public · 52 graduates measured | $58,916 | $82,487 | $18,667 |
| South Dakota State University SD · Public · 49 graduates measured | $58,913 | $78,494 | $20,500 |
| Northwest Missouri State University MO · Public · 28 graduates measured | $53,530 | Data unavailable | $18,500 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public · 19 graduates measured | $52,117 | $63,279 | Data unavailable |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC · Public · 35 graduates measured | $50,242 | $51,696 | $17,669 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE · Public · 64 graduates measured | $49,939 | $61,946 | $20,500 |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona CA · Public · 31 graduates measured | $49,887 | $66,714 | $20,500 |
| Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public · 47 graduates measured | $49,672 | $66,513 | $19,500 |
| Michigan State University MI · Public · 27 graduates measured | $49,378 | $47,404 | $22,500 |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville WI · Public · 38 graduates measured | $49,026 | $61,085 | $18,390 |
| Iowa State University IA · Public · 82 graduates measured | $48,895 | $60,997 | $20,500 |
| Kansas State University KS · Public · 52 graduates measured | $48,690 | $58,603 | $20,500 |
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.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State University IA · Public · 38 graduates measured | $80,421 | $116,149 | Data unavailable |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public · 19 graduates measured | $75,667 | $97,965 | Data unavailable |
| Auburn University AL · Public · 27 graduates measured | $71,155 | $69,054 | Data unavailable |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE · Public · 22 graduates measured | $69,885 | $73,346 | Data unavailable |
| University of Florida FL · Public · 18 graduates measured | $60,719 | $92,076 | Data unavailable |
| University of Georgia GA · Public · 26 graduates measured | $53,907 | $64,305 | Data unavailable |
| Texas A&M University-Kingsville TX · Public · 24 graduates measured | $45,656 | $59,219 | 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.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Florida FL · Public · 18 graduates measured | $82,447 | Data unavailable | 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 Plant Sciences
| 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 technicians | $49,630 | +5.4% | Associate'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 |
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 (7)
- 01.1101 Plant Sciences, General
- 01.1102 Agronomy and Crop Science
- 01.1103 Horticultural Science
- 01.1104 Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding
- 01.1105 Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management
- 01.1106 Range Science and Management
- 01.1199 Plant Sciences, Other