Plant Sciences graduates from California State University-Chico earn $68,629 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $13,826.
Plant Sciences at California State University-Chico
Chico, California • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Plant Sciences at California State University-Chico
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for California State University-Chico and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Plant Sciences at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 15 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at California State University-Chico, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $68,629 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $51,003 across all institutions offering Plant Sciences, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at California State University-Chico, the mean median-earnings figure is $65,400, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Plant Sciences graduates at California State University-Chico is $13,826, which translates to roughly $115 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.20 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Plant Sciences at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $82,487 | $15,000 |
| South Dakota State University | $78,494 | $22,125 |
| California State University-Fresno | $77,034 | $11,731 |
| University of California-Davis | $72,335 | — |
| California State University-Chico (this school) | $68,629 | $13,826 |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | $66,714 | $11,375 |
| Texas A&M University-College Station | $66,513 | $17,249 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $63,279 | $15,750 |
| University of Missouri-Columbia | $62,957 | $17,924 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | $61,946 | $18,875 |
Other Programs at California State University-Chico
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $127,498 | $20,000 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $117,543 | $16,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $109,161 | $18,750 |
| Construction Management | $108,021 | $19,341 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $106,225 | $18,822 |
| Engineering, Other | $103,272 | $22,500 |
| Computer Engineering | $97,345 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | $93,555 | $22,353 |
| Civil Engineering | $92,472 | $21,125 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $91,059 | $18,972 |
Other Schools with Plant Sciences
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.