Agricultureat Berea College
Graduates earn $25,912/yr in their first year — about 36.0% below the national Agriculture average. Base-case 10-year earnings $484K; scenarios range from $454K to $483K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Berea College
While Berea’s unique tuition-free model is a huge advantage, the financial outcomes for this specific degree are tied to its regional focus. An agriculture degree here is deeply rooted in the Appalachian economy, preparing you for careers in smaller-scale farming, community food systems, and local extension services. These are vital roles, but they don't command the high salaries you'd find in corporate agribusiness hubs like the Midwest. The program emphasizes stewardship and sustainability over high-tech commercial production, which shapes your career path away from large corporations like Bayer or Cargill. The career paths listed on this page often require a graduate degree, which may not be the immediate next step for many graduates.
Your key action item: If your goal is a high-paying corporate agriculture career, you must aggressively pursue internships outside of the immediate region to build a network in the commercial sector.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Berea College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Agriculture
How Berea College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Berea College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Berea College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Agriculture offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Agriculture trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Agriculture at Berea College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Agriculture at Berea College?
A score of 12/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Agriculture. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Agriculture careers?
With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $454,224 in decade earnings vs $483,181 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Agriculture from Berea College?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.
Is Berea College a hidden gem for Agriculture?
After financial aid, the average student pays $17,932 over four years — 91% below the $197,304 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.