2027 Best Value Agronomy & Crop Science Schools in the The Plains States Region

[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 best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for agronomy & crop science students.
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2027 Best Value Agronomy & Crop Science Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in agronomy & crop science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Agronomy & Crop Science Schools
For return on investment in agronomy & crop science, no school beat Northeast Community College this year. Northeast Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Norfolk. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,840, compared with $5,130 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for agronomy & crop science graduates is $11,937. Soon after graduation, agronomy & crop science degree recipients from Northeast Community College generally make around $49,481. That is a strong return on a $11,937 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at North Dakota State College Of Science earned it the #2 place for agronomy & crop science. North Dakota State College Of Science is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Wahpeton. Students from in state pay about $5,974 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,973 for out-of-state students. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates carry a median of $15,706 in student loans. Early-career agronomy & crop science graduates make about $48,989. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Mitchell Technical Institute came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value agronomy & crop science schools. Set in the town of Mitchell, Mitchell Technical Institute is a small public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,524. Students borrow a median of $12,730 to complete the agronomy & crop science program here. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates of Mitchell Technical Institute earn a median of $47,686 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,730 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in agronomy & crop science will find it at North Dakota State University Main Campus, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,910, compared with $15,564 for out-of-state students. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates carry a median of $25,153 in student loans. Soon after graduation, agronomy & crop science degree recipients from North Dakota State University Main Campus generally make around $49,048. That is a strong return on a $25,153 median debt. North Dakota State University Main Campus admits about 95% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwest Missouri State University earned it the #5 place for agronomy & crop science. Located in the town of Maryville, Northwest Missouri State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,611, with out-of-state students paying around $17,324. Students borrow a median of $23,818 to complete the agronomy & crop science program here. Early-career agronomy & crop science graduates make about $47,170. Set against $23,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northwest Missouri State University admits about 86% of applicants.
Missouri State University Springfield ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value agronomy & crop science schools. Set in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,502, while out-of-state students pay about $18,770. Students borrow a median of $18,487 to complete the agronomy & crop science program here. Early-career agronomy & crop science graduates make about $36,173. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of Nebraska Lincoln ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value agronomy & crop science schools. Located in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,434 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,584. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates carry a median of $21,875 in student loans. Soon after graduation, agronomy & crop science degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Lincoln generally make around $47,716. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Iowa State University landed the #8 spot for agronomy & crop science value this year. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, compared with $28,881 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the agronomy & crop science program here. Early-career agronomy & crop science graduates make about $61,550. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Kansas State University came in at #9 for value in agronomy & crop science this year. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates carry a median of $21,905 in student loans. Agronomy & Crop Science graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $50,115 early in their careers. Set against $21,905 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
South Dakota State University landed the #10 spot for agronomy & crop science value this year. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. In-state tuition and fees average $9,299, compared with $12,809 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,125 to complete the agronomy & crop science program here. Soon after graduation, agronomy & crop science degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $58,787. That is a strong return on a $23,125 median debt. The acceptance rate is 98%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.