Compare 13 Agriculture, General. programs in the Midwest. Average earnings: $46,563.
The highest-earning Agriculture, General. program isn't at the most prestigious school. With a $23K earnings gap across 13 programs, the data confirms: program-level factors drive outcomes more than institutional brand.
Northwest Missouri State University's Agriculture, General. program leads with graduates earning $56,471, well above the regional average of $46,563. North Dakota State follows at $55,828, while Illinois State delivers $54,069—proof that Midwest public universities dominate this field regardless of overall institutional rankings.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. Northwest Missouri State graduates borrow $21,500 and face just an 8.7% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' category. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38, graduates can clear their student loans with about 5 months of salary.
Highest program earnings: $56,471
Strong outcomes with 86% acceptance
8.7% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
16.0% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $56,471 | 31 | $21,500 | Good | $15,803 | Manageable | |
| #2 | $55,828 | 21 | $23,199 | Good | $14,621 | Manageable | |
| #3 | $54,069 | 199 | $20,482 | Good | $28,767 | Challenging | |
| #4 | $51,282 | 61 | $23,250 | Good | $18,000 | Challenging | |
| #5 | $51,072 | 16 | $20,500 | Good | $32,529 | High | |
| #6 | $49,644 | 20 | $21,000 | Good | $25,798 | High | |
| #7 | $49,139 | 94 | $25,251 | Manageable | $20,764 | High | |
| #8 | Truman State UniversityPublic | $48,948 | 22 | $21,000 | Good | $14,503 | Challenging |
| #9 | $42,551 | 35 | $21,000 | Manageable | $11,833 | Challenging | |
| #10 | $41,295 | 19 | $21,543 | Manageable | $19,500 | High | |
| #11 | $37,748 | 13 | $18,442 | Manageable | $10,030 | High | |
| #12 | $33,993 | 9 | $20,500 | Challenging | $14,500 | High | |
| #13 | $33,281 | 21 | $21,992 | High | $15,092 | High |
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 →
