Agricultural Engineering at Cornell University

Cornell's agricultural engineering program produces puzzling outcomes that don't match the university's elite reputation. Despite an 8% admission rate and average SAT scores of 1520, graduates earn $54,435 in their first year—significantly below the $65,396 national median for this field and ranking in just the 11th percentile nationally. The debt picture offers the program's only clear advantage: at $15,502, students borrow substantially less than the $22,936 national median.

The earnings trajectory improves dramatically over time, with median salaries jumping 63% to $88,538 by year four. This suggests that agricultural engineering careers may require longer ramp-up periods, or that Cornell graduates pursue advanced degrees or specialized roles that take time to pay off. Within New York state, the program performs better (60th percentile), though this comparison is limited since only two schools offer agricultural engineering in NY.

The small sample size here is critical—with fewer than 30 graduates reporting, a handful of career paths could skew the entire picture. For families paying Cornell's private university costs, these numbers warrant careful consideration. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 is manageable, but parents should understand their student may need patience—or graduate education—before seeing the returns typically associated with a Cornell degree.