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Soil Sciences at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree
50 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
51
Optimistic
50
Base Case
44
Pessimistic
Earnings $55,076/yr (10% vs median)
AI Risk High (47% exposed)
Job Market Small (7,100 openings/yr)
ROI 10.5x earnings multiple
Ranked #2 of 6 Soil Sciences programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Soil Sciences graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $563K $557K $509K
Earnings Multiple 10.6x 10.5x 9.6x
Probability of Field Employment 46% 42% 31%
DegreeOutlook Score 51 50 44

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$52,976
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$64,708
-22% less than sticker · See by income
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$63,144
15% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $55,076 at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale come in 10% above the national median of $50,153 for Soil Sciences programs.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 10.5x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Soil Sciences programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Soil Sciences's typical career paths, with 47% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 10% gap from the optimistic case.

This program is one of 6 schools offering Soil Sciences in our dataset — a specialized field with limited comparison points.

Five-year earnings of $63,144 are relatively flat compared to the $55,076 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

About Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale accepts 90% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, enrolling 8,116 students in Carbondale, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale →

Top Career Paths

Microbiologists $87,330/yr
Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary $86,350/yr
Soil and plant scientists $71,410/yr
View all 4 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 6 schools offering Soil Sciences →

Soil Sciences at Other Schools

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ($55,322) Michigan State University ($50,770) University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point ($50,046) Colorado State University-Fort Collins ($46,287) Oklahoma State University-Main Campus ($43,421)

Other Majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Fire Protection ($104,017) Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($73,283) Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($72,495) Computer Science ($70,053) Mechanical Engineering ($69,454) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($69,021) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($68,670) Civil Engineering ($65,269)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Soil Sciences at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
A score of 50/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Soil Sciences field.
Will AI replace Soil Sciences careers?
With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $509,337 in decade earnings vs $563,401 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →