Agricultureat South Dakota State University
Graduates earn $49,781/yr in their first year — about 23.0% above the national Agriculture average. Base-case 10-year earnings $523K; scenarios range from $483K to $526K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at South Dakota State University
First-year earnings of $49,781 at South Dakota State University come in 23% above the national median of $40,365 for Agriculture programs.
The 14.1x 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 — 47% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $49,781 far exceeding the $19,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #15 out of 47 programs, South Dakota State University's Agriculture offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at South Dakota State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at South Dakota 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 South Dakota State University
How does South Dakota State University's Agriculture program score?
This program scores 43/100 — on the lower end for Agriculture. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Agriculture to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Agriculture careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.