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Agricultural Business and Management at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $48,557/yr (1% vs median)

AI Risk High (48% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (398,100 openings/yr)

ROI 9.9x earnings multiple (4.2x out-of-state)

Ranked #36 of 77 Agricultural Business and Management programs Top 50%

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	$624K	$611K	$552K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.1x	9.9x	8.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.3x	4.2x	3.8x
Probability of Field Employment	41%	37%	28%
DegreeOutlook Score	65	65	57

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$61,912

Out-of-state: $146,776 (4.2x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$95,160

-54% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$22,999

5.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$73,750

52% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $48,557/yr, roughly in line with the $48,075 national median for Agricultural Business and Management. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.9x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

Some AI exposure exists in Agricultural Business and Management's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 12% gap from the optimistic case.

With first-year pay of $48,557 far exceeding the $22,999 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

At #36 of 77 Agricultural Business and Management programs, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Five-year earnings of $73,750 show a 52% jump from the $48,557 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

A 57% admission rate makes Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University accessible to a wide range of qualified students, one of the larger campuses at 30,435 students in Blacksburg, VA.

See all programs and financial aid at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University →

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

Agricultural Business and Management at Other Schools

Other Majors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Agricultural Business and Management at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?

A score of 65/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Agricultural Business and Management field.

Will AI replace Agricultural Business and Management careers?

With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $551,638 in decade earnings vs $624,068 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →