Plant Sciences at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

UMass Amherst's Plant Sciences program starts graduates at $37,170—below the national median but exactly at the state average. Here's the critical context: this is literally the only bachelor's program in plant sciences in Massachusetts, so the "state average" is just this program. More meaningfully, these graduates earn about $5,600 less than the typical plant sciences graduate nationally, landing in just the 27th percentile. For a flagship state university, that's a weaker showing than parents might expect.

The upside? Debt is remarkably low at $27,000, placing graduates in the 5th percentile nationally for borrowing. That translates to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73, meaning graduates owe less than a year's salary—a reasonable threshold. Monthly loan payments would run roughly $300, which is feasible even on that starting salary.

The major caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances heavily influence these numbers. One graduate taking a gap year or pursuing graduate school could skew the entire picture. If your child is genuinely passionate about plant sciences and wants the research opportunities at a flagship university, the modest debt makes this a defensible choice. Just understand they're not choosing this path for the paycheck—at least not initially.