Plant Sciences graduates from Iowa State University earn $116,149 median salary — above the national average for this program.
Plant Sciences at Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Plant Sciences at Iowa State University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Iowa State University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Plant Sciences at the master'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 28 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Iowa State University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $116,149 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 $70,722 across all institutions offering Plant Sciences, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Iowa State University, the mean median-earnings figure is $68,699, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa State University (this school) | $116,149 | — |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $97,965 | — |
| University of Florida | $92,076 | — |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | $73,346 | — |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | $70,911 | — |
| Auburn University | $69,054 | — |
| University of Georgia | $64,305 | — |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus | $59,359 | — |
| Texas A&M University-Kingsville | $59,219 | — |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | $41,565 | — |
Other Programs at Iowa State University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineering | $139,590 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $136,132 | $30,724 |
| Statistics | $130,131 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $123,109 | $22,707 |
| Plant Sciences (current) | $116,149 | — |
| Veterinary Medicine | $111,742 | $138,980 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $106,245 | $25,300 |
| Computer Engineering | $105,753 | $23,750 |
| Computer Science | $104,211 | $21,775 |
| Construction Engineering | $100,676 | $19,609 |
Other Schools with Plant Sciences
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
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.