Agricultural Business and Management at University of Idaho

University of Idaho graduates enter agricultural business careers earning nearly identical to the national median, but there's a concerning detail: they're trailing the only other Idaho program by about $1,600 annually. In a state with just two options for this major, that gap matters—especially since both programs carry similar debt loads around $18,000. The 5% earnings growth over four years is modest, and the fact that graduates hit 40th percentile within Idaho suggests this program isn't positioning students for the state's highest-paying ag business opportunities.

The positive news? A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 means graduates can manage their loans, which is better than many programs nationally. Students are starting around $48,000 and clearing about $50,500 by year four—solid middle-class wages in Idaho's cost of living environment. For students committed to staying in-state agriculture, this represents a manageable financial path, just not necessarily the most lucrative one.

The practical reality: If your child is set on agricultural business in Idaho, this degree won't bury them in debt. But if maximizing agricultural career earnings matters, BYU-Idaho's program shows stronger outcomes with nearly identical debt. That $1,600 annual difference compounds over a career, and the relatively flat earnings trajectory here suggests graduates may not be accessing the higher-paying ag management positions that drive the field's upper earnings ranges.