Agriculture at Prairie View A & M University

Prairie View A&M's agriculture program graduates enter the workforce near typical starting salaries but then see their earnings decline by 11% over four years—dropping from $38,063 to $33,817. This puts graduates well behind their Texas peers: the program ranks in just the 25th percentile statewide, with median Texas ag graduate earnings of $45,000. Compare that to nearby Texas A&M College Station ($59,625) or even Texas State ($44,994), and the earnings gap becomes stark.

The one bright spot is manageable debt. At $28,500, graduates owe more than the national average but less than many of their classmates at other institutions—this debt load represents about 9 months of first-year salary. However, that calculation becomes less favorable as earnings actually shrink instead of grow. The university serves predominantly first-generation and lower-income students (62% receive Pell grants), which makes the weak earnings trajectory particularly concerning for families counting on agriculture as a path to financial stability.

If your child is set on agriculture in Texas, this program's below-median performance within the state suggests exploring other options first. The earnings data indicates graduates may struggle to advance in the field compared to peers from other Texas agriculture programs.