Agricultural Business and Management: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Agricultural Business and Management graduates earn a median $66,647 four years after finishing — $18,287/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 3.7 years. Federal data pools 121 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 4,825 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Agricultural Business and Management ranks #83 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 59% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornell University | NY | $145,218 |
| 2 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $88,396 |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $86,646 |
| 4 | University of Missouri-Columbia | MO | $82,831 |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | $81,655 |
| 6 | University of Idaho | ID | $80,690 |
| 7 | Montana State University | MT | $79,621 |
| 8 | Mississippi State University | MS | $78,998 |
| 9 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $78,577 |
| 10 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $77,479 |
| 11 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus | ND | $77,296 |
| 12 | University of Georgia | GA | $75,921 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Agricultural Business and Management pay grow after graduation?
From $45,435 one year out to $66,647 four years out — a $21,212 climb, or 47% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Agricultural Business and Management each year?
About 4,825 bachelor's graduates a year across 121 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.