by our College Data Analytics Team
[Crop Production](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/agricultural-production/crop-production/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong crop production education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for crop production students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in crop production, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in crop production, no school beat Lake Land College this year. Set in the rural area of Mattoon, Lake Land College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,415 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,301. Typical student debt for crop production graduates is $7,769. Early-career crop production graduates make about $30,294. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in crop production will find it at Black Hawk College, which ranked #2. Black Hawk College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Moline. Students from in state pay about $4,920 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,100. Students borrow a median of $11,340 to complete the crop production program here. Crop Production graduates of Black Hawk College earn a median of $44,286 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,340 median debt.
Ivy Tech Community College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value crop production schools. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,154, while out-of-state students pay about $9,935. Typical student debt for crop production graduates is $11,889. Early-career crop production graduates make about $40,734. That is a strong return on a $11,889 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College earned it the #4 place for crop production. Located in the town of Rice Lake, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,926 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,169 for out-of-state students. Crop Production graduates carry a median of $11,384 in student loans. Soon after graduation, crop production degree recipients from Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College generally make around $35,981. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Chippewa Valley Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in crop production, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,844, while out-of-state students pay about $7,087. Crop Production graduates carry a median of $14,234 in student loans. Crop Production graduates of Chippewa Valley Technical College earn a median of $45,531 early in their careers. Set against $14,234 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College earned the #6 position for value in crop production this year. Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Fennimore. Students from in state pay about $4,904 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,147. Typical student debt for crop production graduates is $12,112. Crop Production graduates of Southwest Wisconsin Technical College earn a median of $42,087 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute earned the #7 position for value in crop production this year. Located in the town of Wooster, Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,584, with out-of-state students paying around $36,362. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the crop production program here. Crop Production graduates of Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute earn a median of $33,940 early in their careers. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Michigan State University came in at #8 for value in crop production this year. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,079 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Crop Production graduates carry a median of $11,000 in student loans. Early-career crop production graduates make about $35,978. That is a strong return on a $11,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.