Agricultural Engineering at Purdue University-Main Campus

Purdue's Agricultural Engineering program starts graduates at $72,168—well above the $65,396 national median for this degree and matching the 75th percentile nationally. The $20,000 median debt is modest, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 that signals strong financial footing from day one. With steady 8% earnings growth to $77,760 by year four, this program shows the kind of stable trajectory you want from an engineering degree.

As Indiana's only Agricultural Engineering program, state-level comparisons are limited, but Purdue's standing speaks for itself: this is a flagship engineering school with deep connections to Indiana's agricultural industry. The combination of manageable debt and above-average starting salaries makes this particularly attractive for in-state students, though the 50% admission rate means your child will need solid academics to get in (average SAT around 1340).

The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) means these numbers reflect real outcomes, not outliers. For families considering agricultural engineering, this program delivers what matters most—immediate employability at competitive wages without crushing debt. It's the kind of straightforward value proposition that makes engineering degrees appealing in the first place.