Agriculture at Missouri State University-Springfield

Missouri State's agriculture program sits squarely in the middle of the state's offerings but trails behind University of Missouri-Columbia by nearly $7,000 in first-year earnings. At the 40th percentile among Missouri ag programs, graduates here earn about $2,000 less than the state median, though the debt burden of $20,625 creates a manageable 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio. Nationally, the picture is less favorable—the program ranks at just the 26th percentile, with earnings falling about $3,700 below what agriculture graduates typically make nationwide.

The real limitation here is the program's small size, with fewer than 30 recent graduates in the data. This makes it difficult to assess whether these earnings represent a consistent pattern or just reflect the particular careers of a handful of individuals. Agriculture earnings can vary enormously based on whether graduates pursue farm management, agribusiness sales, or other specialized paths.

If your student is committed to agriculture and wants to stay in Missouri, this program offers reasonable value with debt that won't be overwhelming. However, if they can gain admission to Mizzou's well-established agriculture program—which produces earnings 18% higher—that's likely worth the extra effort. The smaller program here might offer more personalized attention, but you're trading that for potentially weaker industry connections and lower earning outcomes than the state's flagship can deliver.