2026 Best Value Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management Bachelor’s Degree Schools

[Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/plant-sciences/plant-protection-and-integrated-pest-management/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 24 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value plant protection & integrated pest management schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in plant protection & integrated pest management, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management Schools
California State University Fresno earned the #1 spot for value among plant protection & integrated pest management schools in the United States. Set in the city of Fresno, California State University Fresno is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,341, while out-of-state students pay about $19,941. Students borrow a median of $13,000 to complete the plant protection & integrated pest management program here. Early-career plant protection & integrated pest management graduates make about $60,443. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
California State Polytechnic University Pomona came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value plant protection & integrated pest management schools. California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a very large public school located in the suburb of Pomona. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,781, with out-of-state students paying around $20,381. Students borrow a median of $13,500 to complete the plant protection & integrated pest management program here. Early-career plant protection & integrated pest management graduates make about $46,152. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
University Of Georgia came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value plant protection & integrated pest management schools. Located in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,450, compared with $31,688 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for plant protection & integrated pest management graduates is $21,792. Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management graduates of University Of Georgia earn a median of $40,794 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,792 median debt. University Of Georgia admits about 38% of applicants.
University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez is a great value for students pursuing a degree in plant protection & integrated pest management, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Mayaguez, University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,274 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for plant protection & integrated pest management graduates is $9,200. Soon after graduation, plant protection & integrated pest management degree recipients from University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez generally make around $30,053. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 56%.
A rank of #5 makes Washington State University one of the best values for plant protection & integrated pest management. Set in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,391, while out-of-state students pay about $29,950. Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management graduates carry a median of $17,539 in student loans. Soon after graduation, plant protection & integrated pest management degree recipients from Washington State University generally make around $54,697. Set against $17,539 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value plant protection & integrated pest management schools. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public school located in the city of Raleigh. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,799, with out-of-state students paying around $32,847. Students borrow a median of $22,156 to complete the plant protection & integrated pest management program here. Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of $59,622 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value plant protection & integrated pest management schools. The University Of Tennessee is a very large public school located in the city of Knoxville. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, with out-of-state students paying around $33,256. Students borrow a median of $22,564 to complete the plant protection & integrated pest management program here. Early-career plant protection & integrated pest management graduates make about $40,355. Set against $22,564 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio State University Main Campus placed #8 among the best values for plant protection & integrated pest management. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, while out-of-state students pay about $40,022. Typical student debt for plant protection & integrated pest management graduates is $16,105. Soon after graduation, plant protection & integrated pest management degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $42,712. That is a strong return on a $16,105 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Colorado State University Fort Collins landed the #9 spot for plant protection & integrated pest management value this year. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management graduates carry a median of $20,750 in student loans. Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management graduates of Colorado State University Fort Collins earn a median of $36,980 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,750 median debt. Colorado State University Fort Collins admits about 88% of applicants.
Montana State University landed the #10 spot for plant protection & integrated pest management value this year. Set in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,460, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the plant protection & integrated pest management program here. Early-career plant protection & integrated pest management graduates make about $47,703. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Other Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management rankings across degree levels:
View All Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 24 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.