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Engineering · Agricultural Engineering Rank #20 of 21

Agricultural Engineeringat Oregon State University-Cascades Campus

Graduates earn $54,095/yr in their first year — about 17.0% below the national Agricultural Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $580K; scenarios range from $535K to $586K depending on AI disruption.

Bend, OR Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
49 AVERAGE
50
Optimistic
48
Pessimistic
Earnings
$54,095
1-year post-graduation
ROI
9.7x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$580K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
51% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at OSU Cascades

Studying Agricultural Engineering at OSU-Cascades presents a unique set of challenges you should thoroughly understand. While Bend offers a vibrant lifestyle, it's not a primary hub for large-scale agricultural operations or equipment manufacturing, which are traditional employers for this specialization. This can mean fewer local internship and entry-level job opportunities directly aligned with your degree, potentially requiring relocation or a broader job search. The smaller campus, compared to OSU's main Corvallis location, might also have fewer established recruiting pipelines or specialized research facilities for such a niche engineering field. Given the industry's increasing automation, adaptability is key. Before committing, rigorously investigate the career services support for this specific program and how they connect students with relevant employers beyond the immediate Bend area.

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
$535K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score48/100
Earnings Multiple10.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$580K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score49/100
Earnings Multiple11.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$586K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score50/100
Earnings Multiple11.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Agricultural Engineering 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
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
3
Agricultural engineers
+5.9% 10-yr growth · 100 openings/yr
$84,630/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 Engineering

How OSU Cascades stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
VA · Public
65
DW Score
$75K
1-yr earn
12.0x
ROI
Texas A & M University-College Station
TX · Public
67
DW Score
$75K
1-yr earn
14.5x
ROI
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
70
DW Score
$73K
1-yr earn
19.3x
ROI
Iowa State University
IA · Public
68
DW Score
$72K
1-yr earn
17.5x
ROI
Purdue University-Main Campus
IN · Public
70
DW Score
$72K
1-yr earn
20.4x
ROI
Also at OSU Cascades

Other top programs at OSU Cascades

Other highest-scoring programs offered at OSU Cascades, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Agricultural Engineering at OSU Cascades

What does a 49/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Agricultural Engineering at Oregon State University-Cascades Campus?

At 49/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Agricultural Engineering programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.

Should I worry about AI if I study Agricultural Engineering at Oregon State University-Cascades Campus?

The 45% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.

Is Oregon State University-Cascades Campus a good choice for Agricultural Engineering despite lower starting pay?

Starting salary is one data point. If Oregon State University-Cascades Campus's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.