Plant Sciences at University of California-Davis

UC Davis, despite its reputation as an agricultural powerhouse, sees its Plant Sciences graduates earning $43,873 in their first year—notably behind the state's top programs at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo ($63,129) and Fresno State ($60,443). While debt appears manageable at an estimated $14,250 (based on comparable programs at UC Davis), the earnings gap is substantial: graduates are making roughly $17,000 less annually than peers from Cal Poly SLO, which compounds significantly over a career.

The program sits squarely in the middle nationally (56th percentile) but falls below the state median for Plant Sciences programs. This is puzzling given UC Davis's agricultural credentials and extensive research facilities. It's possible graduates are pursuing advanced degrees or accepting positions in research or nonprofit sectors that pay less initially but offer different long-term trajectories. Still, when Cal State programs are producing significantly higher early earnings, parents should ask pointed questions about career outcomes and whether the UC premium translates to employment advantages in this field.

The debt burden won't be crushing—a 0.32 debt-to-earnings ratio is reasonable—but you're potentially paying UC tuition for outcomes that lag behind less expensive Cal State alternatives. Before committing, verify where recent graduates actually land and whether UC Davis's advantages in this specific major justify the performance gap against its in-state competitors.