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Agriculture · Agricultural Business Rank #13 of 77

Agricultural Businessat California State University-Chico

Graduates earn $47,937/yr in their first year — right at the national average. Base-case 10-year earnings $581K; scenarios range from $529K to $591K depending on AI disruption.

Chico, CA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
69 SOLID
70
Optimistic
62
Pessimistic
Earnings
$47,937
1-year post-graduation
ROI
20.1x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$581K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
50% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Chico State

California State University-Chico's Agricultural Business program produces graduates earning $47,937/yr — within striking distance of the $48,075 national average for this field.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 18.0x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Agricultural Business programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Agricultural Business's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 11% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $11,250 in median debt clears quickly against $47,937 in annual earnings.

At #13 of 77 nationally, this is a top-5% Agricultural Business program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.

Earnings grow from $47,937 to $67,962 over five years — a 42% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$529K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple16.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$581K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple18.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$591K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple18.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Chico State's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Agricultural Business graduates typically work

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.

1
Economics teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 1,200 openings/yr
$119,980/yr
Moderate
2
Economists
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 900 openings/yr
$115,440/yr
High
3
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
-1.3% 10-yr growth · 85,500 openings/yr
$87,980/yr
Moderate
4
Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary
+4.1% 10-yr growth · 800 openings/yr
$86,350/yr
High
5
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
+0.3% 10-yr growth · 114,800 openings/yr
$66,780/yr
High
6
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
-0.3% 10-yr growth · 144,500 openings/yr
$66,140/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Agricultural Business

How Chico State stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
70
DW Score
$92K
1-yr earn
3.9x
ROI
University of Nebraska at Kearney
NE · Public
71
DW Score
$61K
1-yr earn
17.9x
ROI
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
ND · Public
71
DW Score
$60K
1-yr earn
15.3x
ROI
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
IL · Public
71
DW Score
$56K
1-yr earn
12.8x
ROI
University of Arkansas
AR · Public
70
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
16.2x
ROI
Also at Chico State

Other top programs at Chico State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Chico State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Agricultural Business offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Agricultural Business trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Agricultural Business at Chico State

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Agricultural Business at California State University-Chico?

A score of 69/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Agricultural Business field.

Will AI replace Agricultural Business careers?

With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $528,829 in decade earnings vs $591,181 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes California State University-Chico's Agricultural Business program stand out?

Ranked #13 of 77 programs nationally, California State University-Chico lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.