2026 Best Value Agronomy & Crop Science Associate’s Degree Schools

[Agronomy & Crop Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/plant-sciences/agronomy-and-crop-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong agronomy & crop science education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 79 schools to find the best return on investment for agronomy & crop science students.
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2026 Best Value Agronomy & Crop Science Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in agronomy & crop science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Agronomy & Crop Science Schools
Leading the list is Chippewa Valley Technical College, our #1 best value for agronomy & crop science in the United States. Set in the city of Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,844, with out-of-state students paying around $7,087. Typical student debt for agronomy & crop science graduates is $14,234. Early-career agronomy & crop science graduates make about $45,531. Set against $14,234 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in agronomy & crop science will find it at Mitchell Technical Institute, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Mitchell, Mitchell Technical Institute is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,524. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates carry a median of $12,730 in student loans. Soon after graduation, agronomy & crop science degree recipients from Mitchell Technical Institute generally make around $47,686. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agronomy & crop science, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Wooster, Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $9,584 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $36,362. Typical student debt for agronomy & crop science graduates is $11,717. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates of Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute earn a median of $34,898 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Other Agronomy & Crop Science Degree Levels
Explore the best-value agronomy & crop science schools at other degree levels:
View All Agronomy & Crop Science Rankings >
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 · 79 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.