Agriculture at New Mexico State University-Main Campus

New Mexico State's agriculture program shows surprisingly weak first-year earnings of $26,666—placing it in just the 5th percentile nationally, where typical ag graduates earn $39,438. That's a $13,000 gap that should concern any parent financing this degree. The debt load of $23,000 isn't outrageous, but combined with those earnings, it creates a debt-to-income ratio of 0.86 that will make those first years financially tight.

Here's the complicating factor: this program ranks at the 60th percentile among New Mexico agriculture programs, which sounds decent until you realize there are only two schools in the state offering this degree. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes these numbers less reliable—a few graduates pursuing low-paying internships or graduate school could drag the average down significantly. Still, the massive gap versus national earnings suggests something more systemic than statistical noise.

If your child is set on agriculture and staying in New Mexico, this may be the practical choice given limited in-state options. But if they're willing to look out of state, they should. The typical ag graduate elsewhere earns 48% more right out of the gate, and that gap compounds over a career. For families borrowing to finance this degree, that $13,000 annual earnings difference represents the entire loan balance they'd need to make up.