Plant Sciences at University of Delaware

University of Delaware's Plant Sciences bachelor's presents a cautious but defensible choice, though the small graduating class—fewer than 30 students—means these numbers could shift dramatically year to year. First-year earnings of $39,362 trail the national median by about $3,400, placing graduates in the 36th percentile nationally. However, the debt picture is notably favorable: at $24,336, graduates carry less than two-thirds of their first-year salary in loans and rank in just the 5th percentile for debt nationally—meaning 95% of Plant Sciences programs saddle students with more debt.

The state comparison offers limited insight since Delaware has only one program in this field, making University of Delaware both the median and the outlier. For context, this debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62 is manageable by most standards—graduates would need to dedicate roughly 7% of their gross income over ten years to repay federal loans under standard terms. That's well below concerning thresholds.

The real question is whether your student is committed to plant sciences specifically or exploring options. With the small cohort size, outcomes could vary significantly based on individual career paths, graduate school plans, or agricultural sector employment patterns in any given year. If your child is passionate about agriculture, horticulture, or crop science and knows this is their path, the low debt load provides flexibility for graduate school or entry-level positions in the field. If they're uncertain, consider that the below-average earnings might reflect the specialized nature of this degree rather than program quality issues.