Agricultural Engineering at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Nebraska's agricultural engineering program produces first-year earnings of $73,907—placing it in the 95th percentile nationally for this degree. That's roughly $8,500 more than the typical agricultural engineering graduate earns and well above the national 75th percentile. While debt figures are estimated from similar programs at UNL (around $23,000), the resulting debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 suggests graduates could realistically pay off their loans within four to five years if they commit 15-20% of their gross income.

The strong earnings performance makes practical sense given Nebraska's agricultural industry and the technical nature of the degree. Agricultural engineers design equipment, manage irrigation systems, and solve food production challenges—skills in high demand where agriculture drives the economy. The one caveat: Nebraska has only one program offering this degree, so the 60th percentile state ranking is meaningless as a comparison point. What matters is how these graduates perform against the national market, and on that measure, they're excelling.

For a family considering this program, the combination of strong first-year earnings and manageable estimated debt creates a favorable financial picture. Even accounting for the uncertainty in debt figures, graduates earning nearly $74,000 in their first year have substantial room to handle loan payments while building their careers in a field where Nebraska employers actively recruit.