Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 12 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs pays
Career outlook for Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs graduates
The job market for the occupations Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural technicians | 18,600 | +4.3% | $46,790 | Associate's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs vs similar majors
How Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs stacks up against the closest fields in Agriculture & Related Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs Agriculture & Related Sciences · this major | Veterinary Medicine | Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | Agricultural and Food Products Processing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 43 D | 80 A | 76 B | 75 B |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $59,260 | $120,579 | $84,630 | $71,906 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $30,624 | $100,829 | $55,544 | $76,052 |
| ROI vs cost | +77% | +460% | +343% | +234% |
| Typical debt | $23,978 | $172,552 | $47,703 | $23,250 |
| Colleges offering it | 12 | 28 | 6 | 2 |
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA | Associate's | $89,862 | $23,236 | +743% | Strong return |
| 2 | University of Delaware Newark, DE | Associate's | $75,647 | $24,750 | +587% | Strong return |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley Center Valley, PA | Associate's | $69,396 | $26,971 | +427% | Strong return |
| 4 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine Media, PA | Associate's | $69,396 | $26,971 | +344% | Strong return |
| 5 | The University of Findlay Findlay, OH | Associate's | $73,114 | $26,000 | +340% | Strong return |
| 6 | Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH | Associate's | $58,657 | — | +294% | Strong return |
| 7 | College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV | Certificate | $47,201 | — | +233% | Strong return |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA | Associate's | $69,396 | $26,971 | +223% | Strong return |
| 9 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ | Associate's | $57,295 | $16,799 | +212% | Strong return |
| 10 | PPG Technical College Caguas, PR | Certificate | $21,333 | — | -5,797% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.