2026 Best Value Agriculture Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Agriculture](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/general-agriculture/agriculture/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value agriculture schools.
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2026 Best Value Agriculture Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in agriculture, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Agriculture Schools
For return on investment in agriculture, no school beat Southern Utah University this year. Located in the town of Cedar City, Southern Utah University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,962 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,192. Typical student debt for agriculture graduates is $12,886. Soon after graduation, agriculture degree recipients from Southern Utah University generally make around $41,071. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southern Utah University admits about 82% of applicants.
Utah State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agriculture, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Logan, Utah State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,560, compared with $24,993 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for agriculture graduates is $12,000. Agriculture graduates of Utah State University earn a median of $50,348 early in their careers. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Utah State University admits about 92% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Colorado State University Fort Collins one of the best values for agriculture. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,373, with out-of-state students paying around $35,061. Students borrow a median of $22,843 to complete the agriculture program here. Soon after graduation, agriculture degree recipients from Colorado State University Fort Collins generally make around $57,773. Set against $22,843 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
