Agriculture, General: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 11 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$103,266 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
95.7 yrsModeled economic break-even
−90%Modeled 10-year ROI
$46,205Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$46,205Median reported earnings · year 4
$44,069Average reported earnings · year 5
$11,500Median federal debt
46thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
11Reporting programs
8With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $46,205
- Federal debt
- $11,500
- Reporting programs
- 11
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,804
- Federal debt
- $20,699
- Reporting programs
- 51
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,078
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$44,376National median$46,20575th percentile$50,263
8 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1South Dakota State University$63,2182Murray State College$50,2683Ellsworth Community College$50,2634Connors State College$47,2155Ivy Tech Community College$45,1956Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College$44,8487Northeast Community College$44,3768SUNY College of Technology at Alfred$41,3279North Carolina State University at RaleighNot available10Blinn College DistrictNot availableObserved year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1041 · 1 crosswalk linksAgricultural TechniciansSOC 19-4012 · 1 crosswalk linksAnimal ScientistsSOC 19-1011 · 1 crosswalk linksFood Scientists and TechnologistsSOC 19-1012 · 1 crosswalk linksSoil and Plant ScientistsSOC 19-1013 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Brookings, SD | $63,218 | Not available | +40% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Murray State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tishomingo, OK | $50,268 | Not available | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Ellsworth Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Iowa Falls, IA | $50,263 | Not available | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Connors State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Warner, OK | $47,215 | $10,375 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Ivy Tech Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $45,195 | $7,125 | -98% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Northeastern Oklahoma A&M CollegeAssociate's Degree | Miami, OK | $44,848 | $11,000 | -101% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Northeast Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Norfolk, NE | $44,376 | Not available | -106% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | SUNY College of Technology at AlfredAssociate's Degree | Alfred, NY | $41,327 | Not available | -131% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | North Carolina State University at RaleighAssociate's Degree | Raleigh, NC | Not available | $17,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $17,303 |
| 10 | Blinn College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Brenham, TX | Not available | $14,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $10,844 |
| 11 | Utah State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Logan, UT | Not available | $12,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $14,936 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.