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Plant & Agricultural Systems

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

These majors study the crops and the ground they grow in. Coursework covers plant biology, genetics, and breeding; soil chemistry and physics; agronomy, horticulture, and integrated pest management; and increasingly precision agriculture and climate-smart farming. Expect a mix of greenhouse, field, and lab work, often on university-owned research farms.

Students can specialize in turf management, viticulture, sustainable agriculture, or crop genetics. Summer jobs and internships at seed companies, research stations, and cooperative extension services are standard, and senior projects often involve running actual field trials.

What you'll do after college

Graduates become agronomists, crop consultants, plant breeders, extension agents, and researchers at seed and chemical companies like Corteva, Bayer, and Syngenta. Others go into vineyard management, golf course and sports turf management, or sustainable agriculture nonprofits.

Demand is strong as agriculture adapts to climate change and precision technology reshapes how fields are managed. Pay is moderate; advancement often means specializing (e.g., becoming a certified crop adviser) or going to graduate school for plant breeding or soil science research.

Famous graduates

  • Norman Borlaug — Nobel Peace Prize winner and father of the Green Revolution; Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from University of Minnesota
  • Luther Burbank — Pioneering American botanist and horticulturist who developed over 800 plant varieties

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$61,250
919
100–90%
$62,054
2,198
90–75%
$59,657
2,169
75–42%
$64,571
925
42–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$56,995
793
400–1060
$60,769
1,822
1060–1200
$64,628
1,789
1200–1360
$61,206
821
1360–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings by acceptance rate and institution category

$46,149p10 $69,521p90 Art & Music STEM, Business & Military Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University 20–30% 10–20% 0–10% Johnson & Wales University - Providence · $55,164 SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry · $71,921 Cal Poly - Pomona · $57,254 Michigan Technological University · $57,704 University of the South · $65,033 Dordt University · $65,094 Buena Vista University · $58,106 Ferrum College · $48,851 Warren Wilson College · $42,619 Huntington University · $54,117 York College of Pennsylvania · $58,775 Eastern New Mexico University · $53,632 University of Georgia · $66,846 Southern University and A&M College · $48,148 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $75,430 Alabama A&M University · $63,811 Alcorn State University · $53,001 North Carolina State University · $71,564 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $63,056 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $65,406 Clemson University · $61,729 Purdue University · $66,293 University of Maryland, College Park · $60,871 University of California, Davis · $57,711 Auburn University · $62,935 Delaware State University · $56,652 Ohio State University · $58,781 North Carolina A&T State University · $56,233 Texas A&M University - College Station · $63,219 Fort Valley State University · $46,149 Tarleton State University · $62,816 University of Connecticut · $54,668 Virginia Tech · $63,584 Pennsylvania State University · $64,678 New Mexico State University · $51,599 West Texas A&M University · $50,070 Central State University · $47,537 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $37,627 Truman State University · $50,198 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $62,459 Fresno State · $74,567 Kentucky State University · $45,979 University of Hawaii at Hilo · $42,987 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $54,966 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $49,696 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff · $52,698 McNeese State University · $49,125 Texas Tech University · $58,148 Tennessee State University · $46,064 Louisiana State University · $52,293 University of Delaware · $56,585 Louisiana Tech University · $65,308 Western Illinois University · $64,353 University of California, Santa Cruz · $56,059 Farmingdale State College · $56,375 University of Vermont · $44,922 Oklahoma State University · $61,969 University of Arkansas · $51,779 University of Rhode Island · $47,949 University of Idaho · $61,931 University of Tennessee, Martin · $53,983 Prairie View A&M University · $62,955 University of Missouri · $66,443 Eastern Kentucky University · $56,637 Middle Tennessee State University · $45,156 University of New Hampshire · $50,018 Arkansas State University · $66,586 Oregon State University · $57,369 Southeast Missouri State University · $58,673 Tennessee Technological University · $54,541 Angelo State University · $57,764 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $73,967 University of Maryland Eastern Shore · $51,153 University of Nevada, Reno · $67,235 Michigan State University · $60,416 Stephen F. Austin State University · $55,623 University of Arizona · $59,086 Mississippi State University · $71,010 Morehead State University · $55,598 Murray State University · $70,146 Cal State Stanislaus · $59,994 Fort Hays State University · $57,602 South Dakota State University · $73,954 University of Maine · $60,946 West Virginia University · $56,511 Northern Michigan University · $52,929 Northwest Missouri State University · $57,185 Illinois State University · $68,936 University of Wisconsin - River Falls · $60,070 Washington State University · $66,966 Temple University · $34,779 University of Minnesota - Crookston · $68,702 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $57,829 Iowa State University · $70,757 University of Cincinnati · $58,651 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $49,943 University of Wisconsin - Platteville · $66,292 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $56,837 Virginia State University · $46,973 Northern Arizona University · $55,984 University of Montana · $65,754 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point · $61,801 Texas A&M University - Kingsville · $58,958 Southwest Minnesota State University · $54,987 Chico State · $67,588 Texas State University · $74,768 Western Kentucky University · $56,268 North Dakota State University · $87,315 Pennsylvania State University - Schuylkill · $60,671 Utah State University · $61,898 Missouri State University - Springfield · $48,904 Cal Poly - Humboldt · $64,409 University of Kentucky · $66,183 Sam Houston State University · $69,521 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $58,749 Kansas State University · $74,937 Sul Ross State University · $47,037 University of Wyoming · $59,394 Austin Peay State University · $44,947 Dickinson State University · $53,884 Montana State University · $58,666 Cameron University · $43,117 Chadron State College · $57,538 Dine College · $45,798 Langston University · $52,233 New Mexico Highlands University · $50,660 University of Arkansas at Monticello · $53,942 University of Maine at Presque Isle · $45,564 Warner University · $57,416 Emmanuel University · $50,850 Andrews University · $62,354 Brigham Young University · $72,932 Concordia University - Nebraska · $57,478 Concordia University Wisconsin · $60,145 Morningside University · $71,448 Loyola University Chicago · $63,973 Grace College and Theological Seminary · $48,042 University of Mount Olive · $56,788 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $43,656 Trine University · $58,596 Delaware Valley University · $55,232 University of Florida · $53,718 Berea College · $45,461 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $72,933 University of California, Berkeley · $68,074 Florida A&M University · $42,707 Cornell University · $67,921 College of the Ozarks · $53,469 Art & Music: mean $55,164 STEM, Business & Military: mean $62,293 Liberal Arts: mean $56,085 Public University: mean $58,223 Religious University: mean $58,644 Private University: mean $56,914 20–30%: mean $57,371 10–20%: mean $55,391 0–10%: mean $60,695 All colleges: p10 $46,149 All colleges: p90 $69,521
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Plant & Agricultural Systems 153 6,211 52% / 48% 1% $60,882 94%
Agriculture 72 1,704 41% / 59% 1% $56,808 95%
Forestry 29 778 73% / 27% 1% $64,053 97%
Horticultural Science 25 468 39% / 61% 4% $56,705 94%
Plant Science 23 419 47% / 53% 1% $56,957 94%
Agronomy and Crop Science 25 418 64% / 36% 1% $61,851 94%
Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture 19 191 38% / 62% 6% $53,806 93%
Agricultural Science 2 172 41% / 59% 1% $62,872 94%
Horticulture 11 165 44% / 56% 0% $62,190 94%
Soil Science 13 159 48% / 52% 3% $65,741 94%
Agricultural Mechanization 9 112 88% / 12% 1% $75,212 100%
Plant and Wildlife Sciences 1 111 70% / 30% 2% $73,382 75%
Forest Sciences and Biology 5 109 61% / 39% 0% $61,691 96%
Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management 3 106 65% / 35% 1% $60,671 94%
Range, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management 1 79 58% / 42% 1% $55,635 92%
Crop Science 1 76 39% / 61% 0% $73,470 96%
Agronomy 3 73 74% / 26% 0% $83,119 96%
Forest Management/Forest Resources Management 3 67 85% / 15% 0% $69,524 99%
Landscape Management 2 63 25% / 75% 5% $56,806 80%
Forest Biomaterials 1 49 53% / 47% 0% $93,717 98%
Plant Sciences 3 45 44% / 56% 7% $58,514 98%
Range Science and Management 7 44 39% / 61% 2% $65,240 94%
Forest Resources and Conservation 1 44 57% / 43% 0% $55,731 98%
Plant Pathology 2 42 38% / 62% 0% $60,225 98%
Plant and Soil Science 1 41 49% / 51% 0% $62,989
Agroecology 1 37 43% / 57% 0% $41,037 100%
Crop and Soil Sciences 2 35 66% / 34% 3% $60,660 94%
Forest Management 2 35 74% / 26% 0% $66,990 97%
Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations 3 33 61% / 39% 0% $64,024 91%
Turfgrass Science 3 33 91% / 9% 0% $64,692 98%
Agricultural Sciences 2 30 57% / 43% 0% $56,208 94%
Agricultural Production Operations 4 29 76% / 24% 0% $57,700 97%
Applied Horticulture/Horticultural Business Services 2 28 57% / 43% 0% $53,190 86%
Crop and Soil Science 1 24 50% / 50% 0% $59,128 90%
Range and Wildlife Management 1 24 75% / 25% 0% $53,902
Urban Forestry 3 23 43% / 57% 0% $57,910
Plant and Environmental Soil Science 1 23 78% / 22% 0% $70,932 91%
Agricultural Operations 1 20 50% / 50% 0% $79,095 100%
Crop and Weed Sciences 1 20 80% / 20% 0% $89,685 96%
Ornamental Horticulture 1 20 40% / 60% 0% $47,545 84%
Sustainable Agriculture 3 19 74% / 26% 0% $67,953 96%
Soil Chemistry and Physics 2 19 32% / 68% 0% $74,140 93%
Sustainable Food and Farming Systems 1 17 35% / 65% 0% $66,069
Agricultural Processing 1 16 94% / 6% 0% $71,448 100%
Sustainable Plant and Soil Systems 1 15 33% / 67% 0% $53,972 95%
Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 1 13 54% / 46% 0% $59,685 100%
Urban Horticulture 1 13 31% / 69% 0% $55,164
Landscape Contracting 1 12 100% / 0% 0% $71,674 100%
Soil Sciences 3 11 45% / 55% 0% $60,300
Plant Nursery Operations and Management 1 11 45% / 55% 0% $66,157
Agronomy and Soils 1 10 70% / 30% 0% $55,984 92%
Forest Resources Management 1 10 70% / 30% 0% $68,935 100%
Plant Science and Technology 1 9 44% / 56% 11% $67,201 95%
Rangeland Resources Science 1 9 56% / 44% 0% $44,833 94%
Landscaping and Groundskeeping 2 8 75% / 25% 0% $68,124 98%
Forest Science 1 7 43% / 57% 0% $59,846
Integrated Agriculture Technologies 1 7 0% / 100% 0% $61,399 100%
Turf and Turfgrass Management 3 6 100% / 0% 0% $67,350 95%
Crop Production 2 6 50% / 50% 0% $55,530
Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding 1 6 33% / 67% 17% $73,677 87%
Golf Course Operation and Grounds Management 1 6 100% / 0% 0% $58,596
Sustainable Plant Systems 1 6 50% / 50% 0% $43,311 94%
Forest Biology 1 5 40% / 60% 0% $71,921 100%
Forest Operations 1 5 40% / 60% 0% $70,512 93%
Turf Management and Science 1 5 100% / 0% 0% $67,100
Turfgrass Science and Management 1 4 100% / 0% 0% $54,779 93%
Integrated Science (Agriculture) 1 3 100% / 0% 0% $71,030
Food Systems 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $45,608
Forest Resources Production 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $64,937 100%
Plant Sciences, Other 1 1 100% / 0% 100% $70,013
Turfgrass Management 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $66,204
Soil Science and Agronomy 2 0 $63,298
Turf Management 2 0 $64,528 100%
Wildlife and Wildlands Management 2 0 $60,143 100%
Ecological Landscape Planning and Design 1 0 $41,037 100%
Livestock Management 1 0 $61,541 96%
Rangeland Ecology and Management 1 0 $70,932 91%