[College research](/) / [Rankings](/rankings/) # Best Plant Sciences Programs in the West (2026) Updated September 30, 2026 Part of [Best Agriculture Colleges in the West](/rankings/best-agriculture-colleges-in-the-west/) This page ranks the 14 Plant Sciences programs in the West by median earnings of Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing. [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $82,487 for its graduates four years after completing. Across the listed programs, the figures range from $82,487 to $26,353, with a median of $54,534. For 4 of the 14 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. [California State University-Fresno](/school/california-state-university-fresno/majors/) reports the lowest average net price at $7,000. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona ranks 15th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt posts the highest admission rate, admitting 98% of applicants. ## The ranked list 14 schools in list order | Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $82,487 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% | | | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, with [median earnings of $82,487](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/outcomes/) for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing. | | 2 | California State University-Fresno · Fresno, CA | $77,034 | $7,000 | $5,105 | 95.3% | | | An [average net price of $7,000](/school/california-state-university-fresno/cost/) coincides with median earnings of $77,034 for Plant Sciences graduates at [California State University-Fresno](/school/california-state-university-fresno/majors/) four years after completing. | | 3 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $72,335 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% | | | [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) [admits 42% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-davis/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $72,335 for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing. | | 4 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $68,629 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% | | | [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/) [ranks 91st on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/california-state-university-chico/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $68,629 for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing. | | 5 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $66,714 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% | | | Median earnings of $66,714 for Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing at [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) sit alongside a [median federal debt of $11,375](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/cost/) among Plant Sciences completers who borrowed. | | 6 | Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR | $57,950 | $19,604 | $12,107 | 77.3% | | | [Oregon State University](/school/oregon-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $57,950](/school/oregon-state-university/outcomes/) for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $19,604. | | 7 | Washington State University · Pullman, WA | $56,415 | $14,971 | $7,074 | 86.6% | | | An [admission rate of 87%](/school/washington-state-university/admissions/) and an average net price of $14,971 are posted by [Washington State University](/school/washington-state-university/majors/). | | 8 | University of Wyoming · Laramie, WY | $52,652 | $13,599 | $7,977 | 96.9% | | | [University of Wyoming](/school/university-of-wyoming/majors/) reports [median earnings of $52,652](/school/university-of-wyoming/outcomes/) for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $18,000 in federal loans. | | 9 | University of Idaho · Moscow, ID | $47,392 | $14,831 | $11,270 | 75.5% | | | With an [admission rate of 76%](/school/university-of-idaho/admissions/), [University of Idaho](/school/university-of-idaho/majors/) reports median earnings of $47,392 for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing. | | 10 | Montana State University · Bozeman, MT | $45,392 | $22,499 | $17,797 | 82.1% | | | Montana State University reports median earnings of $45,392 for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing, and a median federal debt of $20,500 among Plant Sciences completers who borrowed. | | 11 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $42,034 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% | | | [Colorado State University-Fort Collins](/school/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/majors/) [ranks 200th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $42,034 for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing. | | 12 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $39,927 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% | | | [California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/majors/) [admits 98% of applicants](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $39,927 for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing. | | 13 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM | $29,685 | $8,889 | $6,648 | 89.0% | | | [New Mexico State University-Main Campus](/school/new-mexico-state-university-main-campus/majors/) reports [median earnings of $29,685](/school/new-mexico-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) for its Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing, with 17 graduates in the earnings cohort. | | 14 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $26,353 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% | | | [University of California-Santa Cruz](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/majors/) [admits 66% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/admissions/) and carries an average net price of $17,890. | ## How this list is ordered Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Plant Sciences graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the West appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers of the Plant Sciences program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 4 of the 14 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. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo leads California State University-Fresno by $5,453. ## Job market context in the West The Bureau of Labor Statistics links Plant Sciences to occupations such as First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers, Conservation Scientists, and Soil and Plant Scientists. Across those occupations in the West, the median annual wage is $64,651, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $51,292. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 5,340 openings a year, or roughly 1,117 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 5.9% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, not the occupational wage figures described here. ## Related rankings - Plant Sciences Programs - [Best Colleges in the West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/) - Plant Sciences Programs in the Midwest - Plant Sciences Programs in the Northeast - Plant Sciences Programs in the South - Agriculture Colleges in the West for Social Mobility - [Best Agriculture Colleges in the West](/rankings/best-agriculture-colleges-in-the-west/)