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Agriculture

2 schools compared · Average earnings $38,182/yr

What Agriculture Graduates Do

Your career in agriculture often starts where the action is: in the field, greenhouse, or lab. As an agricultural technician, you might spend your days collecting soil samples, operating drones to monitor crop health, or maintaining automated irrigation systems. From there, a common path is to advance into a scientist role. As a soil or plant scientist, you’ll design and run experiments to improve crop yields, develop drought-resistant varieties, or find new ways to manage pests.

This progression from technician to specialist offers a clear ladder for your earnings to grow, moving from a solid starting salary to a significantly higher income with experience. Demand is steady across the board, with roles in food and animal science growing especially fast as the world seeks sustainable food solutions. While AI tools will help you analyze data and model outcomes, the core hands-on work—calibrating equipment, conducting physical experiments, and making real-world observations—will remain your domain.

Schools Offering

Avg Grad Earnings

$38,182/yr

Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score

37/100

AI-Proof Rating

Resilient

50% of tasks AI-shielded

Apprenticeship Paths

View pathways ↓

Registered Apprenticeship Pathways

The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 1 registered apprenticeship occupation related to Agriculture. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.

Apprenticeship	Training Hours	Type	Salary RangeSalary	Growth
Horticulturist RAPIDS 236	6000 hrs ~3.0 yrs	Time	$58K – $71,410 – $98K	5.4%

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.

Best Schools for Agriculture

2 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and AI-proof analysis.

#	School	Score	EarningsEarn	ROI
1	Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN	52 45–54	$39,261/yr	50.6x
2	North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC	42 37–44	$37,103/yr	19.9x

Highest Earning Agriculture Programs

Schools where Agriculture graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School	1-Year Earnings	Score
Ivy Tech Community College	$39,261/yr	52
North Carolina State University at Raleigh	$37,103/yr	42

Best ROI for Agriculture

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Agriculture.

School	ROI Multiple	Earnings	Score
Ivy Tech Community College	50.6x	$39,261/yr	52
North Carolina State University at Raleigh	19.9x	$37,103/yr	42

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Considering a 4-Year Degree?

Compare the trade route with a bachelor's degree. See how Agriculture degree programs stack up on earnings, AI disruption risk, and ROI.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Agriculture graduates earn?

The median first-year salary across 2 Agriculture programs is $38,182. School selection matters — the gap between the lowest ($37,103) and highest ($39,261) earning programs is significant.

How AI-proof is a career in Agriculture?

Agriculture is rated "Resilient" for AI resilience — 50% of job tasks involve hands-on work shielded from AI automation. That means most career tasks in this field rely on skills AI cannot replicate.

Which school has the best Agriculture program?

Our data ranks Ivy Tech Community College first among 2 Agriculture programs. Its score of 52/100 reflects strong outcomes across earnings ($39,261/yr), return on investment, and career durability.

Is Agriculture worth it?

Typical graduates earn 35.2 times what they paid in tuition within a decade. This is a strong return on investment. Look at per-school ROI in the table above — averages can mask significant variation.

Data from College Scorecard, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034, DOL RAPIDS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →