Agriculture at Cornell University

Cornell's agriculture program ranks in the 95th percentile nationally for earnings while carrying significantly less debt than the typical ag graduate—a rare combination that makes this one of the country's strongest values in the field. First-year graduates earn $53,465, roughly $14,000 more than the national median for agriculture majors, with debt of just $15,599 (about $5,000 below the national norm). That 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than three months' salary, putting them in an excellent position to start their careers.

The main concern is the earnings trajectory: graduates see a 9% decline from year one to year four, dropping to $48,476. This pattern might reflect graduates pursuing advanced degrees, transitioning to nonprofit agricultural work, or starting their own farming operations—all paths where initial income dips are common but don't necessarily indicate long-term career problems. Note that you're looking at data from the only agriculture program in New York that reports to the Department of Education, so state-level comparisons are limited.

For families who can afford Cornell's sticker price or qualify for its need-based aid, this represents exceptional preparation for agricultural careers at manageable debt levels. The combination of Cornell's elite agricultural network and relatively low borrowing creates strong fundamentals, even if the earnings path isn't straightforward in those early years.