Best Agriculture, General Programs in the Midwest (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Agriculture Colleges in the Midwest
Regional list from Agriculture, General Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 13 Agriculture, General programs in the Midwest by median earnings of Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing, highest first. Illinois State University leads the list with median earnings of $63,600 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $63,600 to $33,993, with a median of $52,529. For 2 of the 13 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Every program on the list is at a public institution. Illinois State University ranks 137th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Fort Hays State University posts the lowest average net price on the page, at $12,569. South Dakota State University reports the highest admission rate, admitting 98% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois State University · Normal, IL | $63,600 | $19,398 | $11,568 | 88.2% |
| Illinois State University reports median earnings of $63,600 for its Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 88%. | |||||
| 2 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus · Fargo, ND | $62,285 | $15,543 | $9,370 | 95.0% |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus ranks 2nd on this list, with median earnings of $62,285 four years after completing and an average net price of $15,543. | |||||
| 3 | South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD | $61,132 | $19,841 | $14,266 | 98.3% |
| South Dakota State University admits 98% of applicants and reports median earnings of $61,132 for its Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Western Illinois University · Macomb, IL | $58,333 | $12,937 | $6,941 | 71.2% |
| Western Illinois University posts an average net price of $12,937 and a median of $17,062 in federal debt among Agriculture, General completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 5 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale · Carbondale, IL | $57,596 | $13,297 | $9,415 | 86.9% |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks 5th on this list and reports median earnings of $57,596 for its Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln · Lincoln, NE | $52,997 | $17,747 | $12,751 | 87.5% |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows median earnings of $52,997 four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $21,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 7 | Dickinson State University · Dickinson, ND | $52,529 | $14,092 | $10,479 | 37.0% |
| Dickinson State University admits 37% of applicants and reports median earnings of $52,529 for its Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Truman State University · Kirksville, MO | $52,303 | $12,780 | $6,046 | 83.8% |
| Truman State University reports median earnings of $52,303 for its Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing and a median of $18,518 in federal debt among Agriculture, General completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 9 | University of Missouri-Columbia · Columbia, MO | $49,480 | $20,268 | $13,841 | 78.5% |
| University of Missouri-Columbia ranks 144th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $49,480 for its Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Northwest Missouri State University · Maryville, MO | $49,328 | $16,244 | $13,176 | 86.1% |
| Northwest Missouri State University posts median earnings of $49,328 four years after completing, with 29 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 11 | Missouri State University-Springfield · Springfield, MO | $46,412 | $17,613 | $13,718 | 90.5% |
| Missouri State University-Springfield reports median earnings of $46,412 for its Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing and a median of $15,000 in federal debt among Agriculture, General completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 12 | Fort Hays State University · Hays, KS | $33,993 | $12,569 | $7,661 | 90.3% |
| Fort Hays State University has the lowest average net price on the page at $12,569 and reports median earnings of $33,993 for its Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls · River Falls, WI | $33,993 | $14,054 | $8,472 | 81.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls ranks 13th on this list, with median earnings of $33,993 for its Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Agriculture, General graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 2 of the 13 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range from top to bottom is $29,607, with Illinois State University at $63,600 and the lowest-ranked program at $33,993. The gap between Illinois State University and North Dakota State University-Main Campus is $1,315.
Job market context in the Midwest
Graduates of Agriculture, General programs in the Midwest enter occupations such as Agricultural Technicians, Soil and Plant Scientists, and Food Scientists and Technologists. The median annual wage across those occupations is $63,550, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $50,390. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 1,800 openings a year, or about 390 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 6.1% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, which is a different measure from the occupational wage figures described here.
Related rankings
- Agriculture, General Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in the Midwest
- Best Agriculture, General Programs in the South
- Best Agriculture, General Programs in the West
- Best Agriculture Colleges in the Midwest
- Agriculture Colleges in the Midwest for Social Mobility