Plant Sciencesat University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Graduates earn $35,216/yr in their first year — about 18.0% below the national Plant Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $487K; scenarios range from $458K to $486K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Minnesota
While the University of Minnesota is a world-class research institution, a bachelor's in Plant Sciences can present a challenging financial path. The low early-career earnings reflect a market reality: the most lucrative roles, like research scientist or professor, almost always require a Ph.D. Many bachelor's-level jobs are in lower-paying field technician, greenhouse management, or government agency roles. While Minnesota's strong agricultural economy offers opportunities with giants like Cargill or Land O'Lakes, these corporate paths are competitive. Success here often hinges on specializing in high-demand areas like data science, genetics, or sustainable agriculture to stand out.
Your key action: treat your undergraduate degree as a stepping stone. You must plan for either graduate school or gain significant, specialized internship experience in an area like agricultural tech or business to access higher-paying careers.
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 University of Minnesota'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 University of Minnesota stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Minnesota
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Minnesota, 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 University of Minnesota
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Plant Sciences at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities?
A score of 34/100 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 $457,539 in decade earnings vs $486,121 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Plant Sciences from University of Minnesota-Twin Cities?
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.