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Agriculture · Agricultural Production Operations Rank #15 of 17

Agricultural Production Operationsat Clemson University

Graduates earn $30,825/yr in their first year — about 23.0% below the national Agricultural Production Operations average. Base-case 10-year earnings $467K; scenarios range from $441K to $465K depending on AI disruption.

Clemson, SC Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
33 AT RISK
33
Optimistic
29
Pessimistic
Earnings
$30,825
1-year post-graduation
ROI
5.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$467K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Clemson University

While Clemson is a top-tier public university, this specific degree prepares you for the challenging realities of modern agriculture. The financial outcomes reflect that entry-level roles often involve hands-on production work on farms and in agribusiness facilities across the Southeast, rather than immediate management positions. The high-paying careers listed, like farm manager or agricultural scientist, typically require either significant capital investment and years of experience or an advanced graduate degree. This bachelor’s program is a starting point, but not a direct path to those senior roles. Given the high risk of automation in production-focused jobs, your key to success will be specialization. Proactively seek out internships in high-tech areas like precision agriculture, drone technology, or sustainable farming systems to build a skillset that sets you apart from purely operational roles and makes you indispensable.

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
$441K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score29/100
Earnings Multiple7.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$467K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score33/100
Earnings Multiple7.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$465K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score33/100
Earnings Multiple7.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Agricultural Production Operations 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
Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 100 openings/yr
$100,830/yr
Moderate
2
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
-1.3% 10-yr growth · 85,500 openings/yr
$87,980/yr
Moderate
3
Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary
+4.1% 10-yr growth · 800 openings/yr
$86,350/yr
High
4
Animal scientists
+5.8% 10-yr growth · 200 openings/yr
$79,120/yr
High
5
Soil and plant scientists
+5.4% 10-yr growth · 1,700 openings/yr
$71,410/yr
Moderate
6
Conservation scientists
+3.4% 10-yr growth · 2,500 openings/yr
$67,950/yr
High
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 Production Operations

How Clemson University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
ND · Public
68
DW Score
$63K
1-yr earn
15.7x
ROI
Purdue University-Main Campus
IN · Public
57
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
13.2x
ROI
Washington State University
WA · Public
60
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
10.8x
ROI
Utah State University
UT · Public
53
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
11.8x
ROI
University of Mount Olive
NC · Private nonprofit
42
DW Score
$42K
1-yr earn
3.0x
ROI
Also at Clemson University

Other top programs at Clemson University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Clemson University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

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

Compare Agricultural Production Operations trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Agricultural Production Operations at Clemson University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Agricultural Production Operations at Clemson University?

A score of 33/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Agricultural Production Operations. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Agricultural Production Operations careers?

With 38% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $441,427 in decade earnings vs $464,972 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Agricultural Production Operations from Clemson University?

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.