2026 Best Value Agronomy & Crop Science Schools in California
[Agronomy & Crop Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/plant-sciences/agronomy-and-crop-science/) 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 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value agronomy & crop science schools.
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2026 Best Value Agronomy & Crop Science Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the agronomy & crop science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Agronomy & Crop Science Schools
California State University Monterey Bay earned the #1 spot for value among agronomy & crop science schools in California. California State University Monterey Bay is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Seaside. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,779, with out-of-state students paying around $20,379. Students borrow a median of $14,622 to complete the agronomy & crop science program here. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates of California State University Monterey Bay earn a median of $49,032 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,622 median debt. The acceptance rate is 97%.
California State University Chico is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agronomy & crop science, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Chico, California State University Chico is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,472 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,072. Students borrow a median of $15,000 to complete the agronomy & crop science program here. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates of California State University Chico earn a median of $43,944 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of California Davis one of the best values for agronomy & crop science. Set in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,804, while out-of-state students pay about $47,692. Typical student debt for agronomy & crop science graduates is $14,404. Early-career agronomy & crop science graduates make about $53,749. That is a strong return on a $14,404 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value agronomy & crop science schools. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,161, with out-of-state students paying around $33,230. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates carry a median of $16,666 in student loans. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of $63,129 early in their careers. Set against $16,666 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo admits about 31% of applicants.
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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 · 4 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.
