Plant Sciencesat Cornell University
Graduates earn $32,236/yr in their first year — about 25.0% below the national Plant Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $523K; scenarios range from $485K to $526K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Cornell University
Don't let the early-career earnings figures mislead you. Cornell is a global powerhouse in agricultural and life sciences, but this degree isn't a direct pipeline to a high-paying corporate job. Instead, it’s a premier launchpad for careers in research, conservation, and academia. Many graduates immediately enter Ph.D. programs, where they earn modest stipends, or take foundational roles at government agencies like the USDA or in the growing AgTech sector around upstate New York. The program’s value is in its world-class faculty and unparalleled research opportunities, which build scientific capital, not immediate cash. Your earnings potential unlocks later, often after graduate school, when you can lead a research lab or a major agricultural enterprise.
Actionable advice: If you're passionate about the science, plan on graduate school from day one to maximize this degree's long-term financial and intellectual payoff.
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 Cornell University'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 Plant Sciences
How Cornell University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Cornell University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Cornell University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Plant Sciences offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Plant Sciences trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Plant Sciences at Cornell University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Plant Sciences at Cornell University?
A score of 23/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Plant Sciences. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Plant Sciences careers?
With 45% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $485,172 in decade earnings vs $526,199 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Plant Sciences from Cornell 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.
Is Cornell University a hidden gem for Plant Sciences?
After financial aid, the average student pays $129,348 over four years — 51% below the $264,056 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.