Plant Sciences at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

UIUC's Plant Sciences program delivers solid early returns with manageable debt, though the limited sample size means these numbers should be interpreted carefully. Starting at $45,411 and climbing 24% to $56,340 by year four, graduates earn above the national median for this major. The debt load of $15,750 is notably lighter than the typical $20,500 nationally—translating to a 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio that puts monthly payments well within comfortable territory.

What's harder to assess is how competitive this program truly is. With only two Illinois schools offering Plant Sciences degrees, the state comparison lacks depth, and UIUC's numbers happen to match the state median exactly. The 60th percentile ranking suggests this program sits comfortably in the middle tier nationally, though whether that reflects program quality or simply career paths chosen by graduates with fewer than 30 data points isn't clear.

For families weighing agricultural science careers, the fundamentals work: relatively low debt, steady earnings growth, and outcomes from a well-regarded research institution. But the small cohort size means individual career choices could be skewing these numbers significantly. If your student is genuinely drawn to plant sciences and considering graduate school or agricultural research—fields where UIUC's reputation carries weight—the investment makes sense. Just recognize you're making this decision with less statistical certainty than you'd have for larger programs.