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Agriculture, General at South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD · Public · Bachelor's Degree

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $49,781/yr (23% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Small (6,800 openings/yr)

ROI 14.1x earnings multiple (10.2x out-of-state)

Ranked #15 of 47 Agriculture, General programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Agriculture, General graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$526K	$523K	$483K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.1x	14.1x	13.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	10.3x	10.2x	9.4x
Probability of Field Employment	43%	39%	29%
DegreeOutlook Score	44	43	35

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$37,196

Out-of-state: $51,236 (10.2x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$72,876

-96% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$19,500

4.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$47,334

Small cohort — data may not reflect typical outcomes

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $49,781 at South Dakota State University come in 23% above the national median of $40,365 for Agriculture, General programs.

The 14.1x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $49,781 far exceeding the $19,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #15 out of 47 programs, South Dakota State University's Agriculture, General offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

About South Dakota State University

South Dakota State University accepts 99% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 8,798 students in Brookings, SD.

See all programs and financial aid at South Dakota State University →

Top Career Paths

Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary $86,350/yr

Food scientists and technologists $85,310/yr

Animal scientists $79,120/yr

View all 5 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Agriculture, General at Other Schools

Other Majors at South Dakota State University

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does South Dakota State University's Agriculture, General program score?

This program scores 43/100 — on the lower end for Agriculture, General. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Agriculture, General to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Agriculture, General careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

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