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Agricultural Business and Management at Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree
70 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
71
Optimistic
70
Base Case
63
Pessimistic
Earnings $52,804/yr (10% vs median)
AI Risk High (48% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (398,100 openings/yr)
ROI 14.7x earnings multiple (5.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #12 of 77 Agricultural Business and Management programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Agricultural Business and Management graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $600K $589K $535K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.0x 14.7x 13.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.2x 5.1x 4.6x
Probability of Field Employment 41% 37% 28%
DegreeOutlook Score 71 70 63

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$39,968
Out-of-state: $115,176 (5.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$55,780
-40% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$15,753
3.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$71,087
35% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $52,804 per year, Agricultural Business and Management graduates from Purdue University-Main Campus earn slightly above the $48,075 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

The 14.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 48% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $15,753 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #12 out of 77 programs, Purdue University-Main Campus's Agricultural Business and Management program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $52,804 to $71,087 shows 35% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About Purdue University-Main Campus

Purdue University-Main Campus accepts 50% of applicants, balancing access with selectivity, with 39,637 students enrolled in West Lafayette, IN.

See all programs and financial aid at Purdue University-Main Campus →

Top Career Paths

Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980/yr
Economists $115,440/yr
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers $87,980/yr
View all 9 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 77 schools offering Agricultural Business and Management →

Agricultural Business and Management at Other Schools

Cornell University ($92,163) University of Nebraska at Kearney ($61,152) North Dakota State University-Main Campus ($59,953) University of Missouri-Columbia ($58,335) Michigan State University ($57,023) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ($55,934) University of Arkansas ($54,783) University of Wisconsin-Platteville ($54,473)

Other Majors at Purdue University-Main Campus

Computer Science ($94,786) Computer Engineering ($89,965) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($84,300) Industrial Engineering ($81,379) Chemical Engineering ($81,105) Mechanical Engineering ($80,374) Materials Engineering ($78,265) Construction Engineering ($76,966)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Agricultural Business and Management trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Purdue University-Main Campus's Agricultural Business and Management program score?
A score of 70/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Purdue University-Main Campus's Agricultural Business and Management graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Agricultural Business and Management to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Agricultural Business and Management careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 48% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does Purdue University-Main Campus rank so high for Agricultural Business and Management?
The #12 ranking out of 77 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →