Plant Sciences at Purdue University-Main Campus

Purdue's Plant Sciences bachelor's carries an estimated $20,500 in debt—a manageable figure that roughly matches the national median for this field. With first-year earnings pegged around $42,800 based on comparable programs nationwide, graduates would face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48, meaning about six months of gross income to cover what they borrowed. That's a reasonable starting point for a specialized agricultural science degree, particularly from a university with Purdue's reputation in agriculture and land-grant research.

The challenge is that these estimates tell us about the Plant Sciences field generally, not about Purdue's specific outcomes. As Indiana's sole Plant Sciences program at this level, there's no in-state comparison to gauge whether Purdue delivers above or below typical results. The program draws academically strong students (median SAT of 1342), which often correlates with better career outcomes, but we're working without the school's actual graduate data to confirm whether that advantage materializes in earnings.

For families deciding whether to invest here, the estimated debt load is low enough that even if actual earnings come in below the national median, repayment shouldn't be crushing. Still, dig into what career paths interest your student—agribusiness, research, farming operations—and what Purdue's placement track record looks like in those areas, since the Department of Education's suppressed data means we can't verify results directly.