Best institutions to study Plant Sciences
Compare 132 U.S. colleges offering Plant Sciences by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 47 states.
Plant Sciences programs report a median of $43,873 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 01.11 and the Soil and Plant Scientists occupation (BLS SOC).
About Plant Sciences programs
The Plant Sciences program focuses on the study of plants, their growth, reproduction, and evolution, encompassing a wide range of topics within agricultural, animal, and veterinary sciences. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding plant biology and its applications in agriculture, horticulture, and environmental management.
Students in the Plant Sciences program will gain core skills in biology, chemistry, and environmental science, alongside practical knowledge in areas such as agronomy, horticultural science, and plant protection. Coursework may include topics like plant breeding, soil management, and pest management.
Top 49 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $63,129 | 76 | 86% | — | $16,666 |
| 2 | California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $60,443 | 72 | 57% | — | $13,000 |
| 3 | South Dakota State University Brookings, SD Public · Bachelor's degree | $58,787 | 55 | 62% | — | $23,125 |
| 4 | University of Minnesota - Crookston Crookston, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $57,915 | 13 | 50% | — | $23,793 |
| 5 | Kansas State University Manhattan, KS Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,115 | 98 | 71% | — | $21,905 |
| 6 | Arkansas State University Jonesboro, AR Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,536 | 15 | 55% | — | $15,125 |
| 7 | Northeast Community College Norfolk, NE Public · Associate degree | $49,481 | 11 | 56% | — | — |
| 8 | Iowa State University Ames, IA Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,393 | 134 | 75% | — | $20,500 |
| 9 | North Dakota State University - Main Campus Fargo, ND Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,048 | 32 | 64% | — | — |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin - River Falls River Falls, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,791 | 15 | 57% | — | $22,251 |
| 11 | Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,546 | 5 | 58% | — | $15,789 |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin - Platteville Platteville, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,910 | 9 | 56% | — | $19,125 |
| 13 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,716 | 99 | 67% | — | $21,875 |
| 14 | Washington State University Pullman, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,531 | 23 | 60% | — | $17,539 |
| 15 | Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,170 | 14 | 54% | — | $23,818 |
| 16 | University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,627 | 52 | 75% | — | $17,983 |
| 17 | Clemson University Clemson, SC Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,395 | 40 | 87% | — | $21,724 |
| 18 | California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,152 | 36 | 68% | — | $13,500 |
| 19 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,994 | 27 | 67% | — | $20,311 |
| 20 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,411 | 56 | 85% | — | $15,750 |
| 21 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,163 | 54 | 84% | — | $21,654 |
| 22 | University of Idaho Moscow, ID Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,559 | 27 | 57% | — | — |
| 23 | California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt Arcata, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,038 | 9 | 49% | — | — |
| 24 | California State University - Chico Chico, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,944 | 36 | 63% | — | $15,000 |
| 25 | University of California - Davis Davis, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,873 | 59 | 86% | — | — |
| 26 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,861 | 62 | 86% | — | $20,687 |
| 27 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,712 | 53 | 88% | — | $16,105 |
| 28 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,008 | 111 | 85% | — | $22,156 |
| 29 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,794 | 61 | 90% | — | — |
| 30 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,355 | 74 | 74% | — | $22,564 |
| 31 | University of Delaware Newark, DE Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,362 | 25 | 81% | — | $24,336 |
| 32 | Auburn University Auburn, AL Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,024 | 100 | 82% | — | $20,500 |
| 33 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,397 | 111 | 70% | — | $25,096 |
| 34 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,716 | 13 | 54% | — | — |
| 35 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,454 | 55 | 65% | — | $25,000 |
| 36 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MA Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,170 | 41 | 83% | — | $27,000 |
| 37 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,980 | 126 | 67% | — | $20,750 |
| 38 | Chadron State College Chadron, NE Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,558 | 12 | 50% | — | $15,989 |
| 39 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,372 | 124 | 91% | — | $12,281 |
| 40 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,362 | 23 | 84% | — | $17,881 |
| 41 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,173 | 49 | 58% | — | $18,487 |
| 42 | University of Wyoming Laramie, WY Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,062 | 23 | 59% | — | — |
| 43 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,701 | 37 | 81% | — | $24,250 |
| 44 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,216 | 62 | 85% | — | $15,391 |
| 45 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville Kingsville, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,744 | 15 | 42% | — | $21,000 |
| 46 | Montana State University Bozeman, MT Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,311 | 49 | 57% | — | $20,500 |
| 47 | University of Vermont Burlington, VT Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,221 | 40 | 79% | — | — |
| 48 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $32,236 | 68 | 95% | $17,613 | $15,990 |
| 49 | University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Mayaguez, PR Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,053 | 49 | 49% | — | $9,200 |
Offered across 47 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-1013, Soil and Plant Scientists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Plant Sciences program can pursue a variety of careers in agriculture, research, and environmental management. The job outlook for this field is faster than average, with an estimated 1,700 annual openings and a median wage of $71,410, typically requiring a bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Plant Sciences
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 01.11.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 01.11 (Plant Sciences) maps to 9 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-9013 | Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers |
| 19-1011 | Animal Scientists |
| 19-1013 | Soil and Plant Scientistsprimary |
| 19-1031 | Conservation Scientists |
| 19-4012 | Agricultural Technicians |
| 25-1041 | Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1043 | Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-9021 | Farm and Home Management Educators |
| 45-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Plant Sciences programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
- Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.
- Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion.
- Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates.
- Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.
- Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity.
Concentrations within Plant Sciences
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Plant Sciences, GeneralCIP 01.1101
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 agricult
- Agronomy and Crop ScienceCIP 01.1102
A program that focuses on the chemical, physical, and biological relationships of crops and the soils nurturing them
- Horticultural ScienceCIP 01.1103
A program that focuses on the scientific principles related to the cultivation of garden and ornamental plants, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and landscape and nursery crops
- Agricultural and Horticultural Plant BreedingCIP 01.1104
A program that focuses on the application of genetics and genetic engineering to the improvement of agricultural plant health, the development of new plant varieties, and the selective improvement of
- Plant Protection and Integrated Pest ManagementCIP 01.1105
A program that focuses on the application of scientific principles to the control of animal, insect and weed infestation of domesticated plant populations and other settings, including agricultural cr
- Range Science and ManagementCIP 01.1106
A program that focuses on the scientific study of rangelands, arid regions, grasslands, and other areas of low productivity, as well as the principles of managing such resources for maximum benefit an
- ReservedCIP 01.1180
Reserved for use by Statistics Canada
- Plant Sciences, OtherCIP 01.1199
Any instructional program in plant sciences not listed above.
Common questions
What is the focus of the Plant Sciences program?+
The program focuses on the study of plant growth, reproduction, and evolution, as well as their applications in agriculture and environmental management.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
Students will develop skills in reading comprehension, scientific analysis, critical thinking, and effective communication.
What careers can I pursue with a degree in Plant Sciences?+
Graduates can work in agriculture, research, environmental management, and related fields.
What is the job outlook for Plant Sciences graduates?+
The job outlook is faster than average, with approximately 1,700 annual openings and a median wage of $71,410.
How much do Plant Sciences graduates earn?+
Plant Sciences graduates report median earnings of $43,873 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Soil and Plant Scientists occupation pays about $87,720 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Plant Sciences?+
Plant Sciences maps to CIP 01.11 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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