Compare 27 Agricultural Economics. programs in the Midwest. Average earnings: $55,124.
With top graduates earning $78,729, Agricultural Economics stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs across 27 Midwest institutions demonstrates that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige.
Ohio State University-Main Campus leads with Agricultural Economics graduates earning $78,729, well above the regional average of $55,124. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign follows at $74,858, while Wisconsin-Madison reaches $66,254—showing that large public universities dominate this field regardless of overall rankings.
Highest program earnings: $78,729
Strong outcomes with 51% acceptance
4.9% payment burden | Excellent
12.1% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $78,729 | 73 | $19,976 | Excellent | $25,868 | Manageable | |
| #2 | $74,858 | 204 | $19,500 | Excellent | $34,511 | Manageable | |
| #3 | $66,254 | 44 | $20,484 | Excellent | $28,364 | Manageable | |
| #4 | $65,269 | 63 | $23,250 | Excellent | $37,401 | Challenging | |
| #5 | $64,788 | 53 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,729 | Manageable | |
| #6 | $62,322 | 79 | $23,199 | Good | $14,621 | Manageable | |
| #7 | Kansas State UniversityPublic | $61,185 | 103 | $21,250 | Excellent | $27,283 | Challenging |
| #8 | $60,163 | 170 | $19,500 | Excellent | $29,448 | Challenging | |
| #9 | Iowa State UniversityPublic | $59,766 | 230 | $22,869 | Good | $25,950 | Challenging |
| #10 | $59,416 | 13 | $19,500 | Excellent | $14,457 | Manageable | |
| #11 | $59,013 | 52 | $20,500 | Excellent | $32,529 | Challenging | |
| #12 | $55,074 | 56 | $23,250 | Good | $18,000 | Challenging | |
| #13 | $54,473 | 56 | $21,977 | Good | $15,000 | Manageable | |
| #14 | $54,326 | 47 | $21,500 | Good | $15,000 | Manageable | |
| #15 | $53,633 | 87 | $21,000 | Good | $25,798 | Challenging | |
| #16 | $53,503 | 37 | $21,543 | Good | $19,500 | Challenging | |
| #17 | $53,374 | 64 | $21,500 | Good | $15,803 | Manageable | |
| #18 | $52,088 | 45 | $20,500 | Good | $14,500 | Manageable | |
| #19 | $50,856 | 15 | $20,500 | Good | $11,092 | Manageable | |
| #20 | Dordt UniversityPrivate | $48,823 | 15 | $21,500 | Good | $18,000 | Challenging |
| #21 | $48,646 | 12 | $20,500 | Good | $11,750 | Manageable | |
| #22 | Wilmington CollegePrivate | $47,105 | 62 | $24,208 | Manageable | $27,288 | High |
| #23 | $46,914 | 60 | $21,000 | Good | $11,833 | Challenging | |
| #24 | $46,417 | 28 | $21,000 | Manageable | $14,000 | Challenging | |
| #25 | $45,277 | 39 | $21,992 | Manageable | $15,092 | Challenging |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
