Agricultural Engineering at Kansas State University

Kansas State's Agricultural Engineering program lands squarely in the middle of the pack nationally, but that modest national ranking masks solid in-state value. With median first-year earnings of $64,644 and debt under $23,000, graduates face a manageable 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning they could theoretically pay off their loans with about four months of gross salary. While earnings trail the national median by roughly $750, the program ranks in the 60th percentile among Kansas programs (though K-State is currently the only in-state option for this specific major).

The debt load here is reasonable, sitting right at the national median for agricultural engineering programs. This matters in a field where graduates typically enter practical, technical roles rather than research positions requiring advanced degrees. The 79% admission rate and moderate SAT scores suggest accessibility for capable students who know they want to work in agricultural technology and machinery systems.

The straightforward math works: graduates earn enough to make student debt payments comfortable while building careers in Kansas's significant agricultural sector. For families committed to this specialized field and preferring to stay in-state, K-State delivers predictable outcomes without the premium pricing or debt burden that could complicate early career decisions. It's not the highest-earning agricultural engineering program nationally, but the combination of reasonable cost and stable employment prospects makes it a defensible choice.