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Applied Horticulture at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $51,005/yr (25% vs median)

AI Risk Moderate (28% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (408,500 openings/yr)

ROI 10.3x earnings multiple (3.9x out-of-state)

Ranked #2 of 9 Applied Horticulture programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Applied Horticulture graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$535K	$533K	$498K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.4x	10.3x	9.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.0x	3.9x	3.7x
Probability of Field Employment	42%	40%	35%
DegreeOutlook Score	62	62	58

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$51,584

Out-of-state: $135,004 (3.9x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$81,328

-58% less than sticker · See by income

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$58,189

14% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Applied Horticulture graduates start at $51,005/yr — above the $40,808 national average, though not by a wide margin.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 10.3x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Applied Horticulture programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Applied Horticulture's typical career paths, with 28% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 7% gap from the optimistic case.

This program is one of 9 schools offering Applied Horticulture in our dataset — a specialized field with limited comparison points.

Five-year earnings of $58,189 are relatively flat compared to the $51,005 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

About Colorado State University-Fort Collins

A 90% acceptance rate means Colorado State University-Fort Collins is accessible to most applicants, with 25,148 students enrolled in Fort Collins, CO.

See all programs and financial aid at Colorado State University-Fort Collins →

Top Career Paths

Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers $87,980/yr

Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary $86,350/yr

First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers $59,330/yr

View all 9 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Applied Horticulture at Other Schools

Other Majors at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Applied Horticulture at Colorado State University-Fort Collins?

A score of 62/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Applied Horticulture field.

What makes Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Applied Horticulture program stand out?

Ranked #2 of 9 programs nationally, Colorado State University-Fort Collins lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →