# Plant Sciences

> A general program that focuses on the scientific principles that underlie the breeding, cultivation, and production of agricultural plants, and the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural plant products. Includes instruction in the plant sciences, crop cultivation and production, and agricultural and food products processing.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/plant-sciences
- CIP code: 01.11 (Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields)
- Colleges offering it: 85 at its most common degree level

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 55 | not reported | not reported | $14,000 |
| Associate's | 47 | $54,538 | $61,971 | $11,000 |
| Bachelor's | 85 | $44,702 | $56,447 | $18,500 |
| Master's | 53 | $69,885 | $72,128 | not reported |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Doctoral | 43 | $82,447 | not reported | not reported |
| First professional | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 13 | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo-slo-360) | San Luis Obispo, CA | $82,487 | $19,333 |
| [South Dakota State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/south-dakota-state-university-2445) | Brookings, SD | $78,494 | $20,500 |
| [California State University-Fresno](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-fresno-369) | Fresno, CA | $77,034 | $19,250 |
| [University of California-Davis](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-davis-2882) | Davis, CA | $72,335 | not reported |
| [California State University-Chico](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-chico-366) | Chico, CA | $68,629 | $12,767 |
| [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona-362) | Pomona, CA | $66,714 | not reported |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | College Station, TX | $66,513 | $18,500 |
| [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign-main-campus-2927) | Champaign, IL | $63,279 | not reported |
| [University of Missouri-Columbia](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-missouri-columbia-main-campus-2965) | Columbia, MO | $62,957 | $15,728 |
| [University of Nebraska-Lincoln](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-nebraska-lincoln-main-campus-2975) | Lincoln, NE | $61,946 | $18,750 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/forestry-and-conservation-science-teachers-postsecondary): $101,420 median pay
- [Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/agricultural-sciences-teachers-postsecondary): $98,700 median pay
- [Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/farmers-ranchers-and-other-agricultural-managers): $89,900 median pay
- [Soil and Plant Scientists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/soil-and-plant-scientists): $78,850 median pay
- [Conservation Scientists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/conservation-scientists): $73,010 median pay
- [Park Naturalists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/park-naturalists): $73,010 median pay
- [Range Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/range-managers): $73,010 median pay
- [Animal Scientists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/animal-scientists): $68,940 median pay
- [Farm and Home Management Educators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/farm-and-home-management-educators): $60,220 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-farming-fishing-and-forestry-workers): $59,320 median pay
- [Agricultural Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/agricultural-technicians): $49,630 median pay
- [Precision Agriculture Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/precision-agriculture-technicians): $49,630 median pay

## More in Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields

- [Agricultural Business and Management](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/agricultural-business-and-management): 232 colleges
- [Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/applied-horticulture-and-horticultural-business-services): 229 colleges
- [Agricultural Production Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/agricultural-production-operations): 187 colleges
- [Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/veterinary-animal-health-technologies-technicians): 183 colleges
- [Agriculture, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/agriculture-general): 111 colleges
- [Animal Sciences](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/animal-sciences): 99 colleges
- [Food Science and Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/food-science-and-technology): 76 colleges
- [Agricultural Mechanization](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/agricultural-mechanization): 57 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/