Animal Sciences at Sul Ross State University

Starting near $28,000 annually puts Sul Ross graduates roughly $7,000 behind the typical Texas animal sciences graduate and $6,000 below the national median—a significant gap that matters when you're earning less than $30,000 per year. While the program ranks at the 40th percentile statewide (middle of the pack among Texas schools), it falls to just the 10th percentile nationally, and every comparable Texas program—from Texas A&M to Stephen F. Austin—delivers notably higher first-year earnings.

The debt load of $20,000 is slightly better than state and national averages, yielding a manageable 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio. That means graduates aren't drowning in payments, but they're also not building much financial momentum on sub-$30,000 salaries. For context, Texas A&M animal sciences graduates start nearly $8,000 higher annually with similar debt burdens, creating substantially better financial positioning early in their careers.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so outcomes could vary considerably depending on career paths and individual circumstances. If your child is passionate about ranching or agricultural work specifically in West Texas and values Sul Ross's location and accessibility (96% admission rate, serving a predominantly Pell-eligible population), this program provides a foothold. But if financial stability is the priority, the earnings gap compared to other Texas programs is too large to ignore, especially when the debt is comparable.