Plant Sciencesat Utah State University
Graduates earn $28,091/yr in their first year — about 34.0% below the national Plant Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $591K; scenarios range from $538K to $602K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Utah State University
The lower early-career earnings for Utah State graduates reflect the program's deep connection to the regional economy. As a land-grant university, USU's curriculum is heavily focused on the practical needs of Intermountain West agriculture—think rangeland management, water conservation, and crop science for arid climates, not necessarily high-paying corporate R&D. Many graduates take vital roles with state and federal agencies like the USDA or the Bureau of Land Management, or work for local growers and family-run agricultural businesses. These careers offer stability and impact but have different salary structures than private-sector biotech hubs. To maximize your financial outcome, your key action is to aggressively pursue internships with national agribusiness firms or research labs outside the region, building a network that can pull you into higher-paying markets after graduation.
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 Utah 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 Plant Sciences
How Utah State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Utah State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Utah State University, 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 Utah State University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Plant Sciences at Utah State University?
A score of 42/100 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 $537,500 in decade earnings vs $602,096 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Plant Sciences from Utah State University?
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.