Horticultureat Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Graduates earn $51,005/yr in their first year — about 25.0% above the national Horticulture average. Base-case 10-year earnings $533K; scenarios range from $498K to $535K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Colorado State University-Fort Collins
While the earnings data looks solid, it doesn't capture the whole picture. CSU isn't just a university; it's Colorado’s premier land-grant institution, meaning its roots and resources in agriculture run deep. You're not just studying theory; you're plugging into a statewide network of research stations, extension offices, and established industry partners. The program's business focus prepares you for the modern green industry, which in a booming, eco-conscious state like Colorado, means high-end landscape design firms, massive commercial nurseries supplying new housing developments, and advanced controlled-environment agriculture. Your peers won't just be future farmers; they'll be future supply chain managers and entrepreneurs. To maximize this, your key action is to secure an internship with a Front Range commercial grower or a landscape management company before your senior year—it’s your most direct path to a management-track job offer.
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 Colorado State University-Fort Collins'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 Horticulture
How Colorado State University-Fort Collins stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Colorado State University-Fort Collins, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Horticulture offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Horticulture trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Horticulture at Colorado State University-Fort Collins
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Horticulture at Colorado State University-Fort Collins?
A score of 62/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Horticulture field.
What makes Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Horticulture program stand out?
Ranked #2 of 9 programs nationally, Colorado State University-Fort Collins lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.