by our College Data Analytics Team
[Plant Sciences](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/plant-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying plant sciences schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose plant sciences graduates go on to earn the most.
For graduate earnings in plant sciences, no school beat University Of Wisconsin Platteville this year. University Of Wisconsin Platteville is a public school located in the town of Platteville. Students who complete the plant sciences program here go on to a median salary of roughly $63,694.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign produces some of the highest-paid graduates in plant sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a public institution. After graduating, plant sciences degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign typically earn about $67,313 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Wisconsin River Falls earned it the #3 place for plant sciences. Located in the town of River Falls, University Of Wisconsin River Falls is a public institution. Early-career plant sciences graduates from University Of Wisconsin River Falls make a median of around $53,374 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in plant sciences will find them at Ohio State University Main Campus, which ranked #4. Ohio State University Main Campus is a public school located in the city of Columbus. Students who complete the plant sciences program here go on to a median salary of roughly $53,324.
Strong graduate earnings at Michigan State University earned it the #5 place for plant sciences. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a public institution. Students who complete the plant sciences program here go on to a median salary of roughly $46,604.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their plant sciences graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.