Plant Sciencesat University of Vermont
Graduates earn $33,221/yr in their first year — about 22.0% below the national Plant Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $446K; scenarios range from $426K to $441K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Vermont
While the career paths listed have high earning potential, they often require a Ph.D. or significant startup capital, which isn’t reflected in undergraduate-level outcomes. A UVM Plant Sciences degree often leads to roles in Vermont’s distinct agricultural economy, which is centered on smaller-scale, sustainable, and organic operations rather than large corporate agribusiness. This means your work might be in conservation, land management, or supporting local food systems—fields driven more by passion than high salaries. The hands-on nature of this work also faces disruption from automation and data-driven farming techniques.
To boost your financial return, you must specialize early. Seek out internships in high-growth sectors like controlled environment agriculture (hydroponics), cannabis science, or crop genetics with a company like Driscoll's or a research institute, giving you a competitive edge beyond the regional job market.
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 Vermont'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 Vermont stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Vermont
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Vermont, 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 Vermont
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Plant Sciences at University of Vermont?
A score of 32/100 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 $426,385 in decade earnings vs $440,939 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Plant Sciences from University of Vermont?
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.