Agricultureat Illinois State University
Graduates earn $47,295/yr in their first year — about 17.0% above the national Agriculture average. Base-case 10-year earnings $566K; scenarios range from $515K to $573K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Illinois State University
Illinois State's strength comes from its deep roots in the heart of American agribusiness. You're not just studying agriculture in a classroom; you're immersed in the industry itself. The university sits squarely within a hub of global leaders like Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Caterpillar, and John Deere, creating direct and powerful recruiting pipelines for graduates. This proximity means your education is practical, tied to the real-world needs of employers seeking talent in everything from precision farming technology to crop science and supply chain management. The "high AI risk" isn't just a threat; it's a signal of a rapidly modernizing field where your value will come from managing complex data and automated systems, not just traditional farm work. To maximize your advantage, aggressively pursue internships with these major regional players to build connections that lead directly to high-demand, well-paying careers right after graduation.
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 Illinois State 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 Agriculture
How Illinois State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Illinois State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Illinois State University, 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 Illinois State University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Agriculture at Illinois State University?
A score of 45/100 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 $514,655 in decade earnings vs $573,123 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes Illinois State University's Agriculture program stand out?
Ranked #7 of 47 programs nationally, Illinois State University lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.