2026 Best Value Agricultural Production Operations Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Agricultural Production Operations](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/agricultural-production/agricultural-production-operations-other/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong agricultural production operations education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value agricultural production operations schools.
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2026 Best Value Agricultural Production Operations Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the agricultural production operations degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Agricultural Production Operations Schools
Our analysis ranked Indian Hills Community College the best value for a degree in agricultural production operations in the The Plains States Region. Set in the town of Ottumwa, Indian Hills Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,040, compared with $6,120 for out-of-state students. Agricultural Production Operations graduates carry a median of $15,390 in student loans. Agricultural Production Operations graduates of Indian Hills Community College earn a median of $49,626 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Kirkwood Community College one of the best values for agricultural production operations. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,176, with out-of-state students paying around $8,220. Students borrow a median of $10,000 to complete the agricultural production operations program here. Early-career agricultural production operations graduates make about $41,681. That is a strong return on a $10,000 median debt.
Ellsworth Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agricultural production operations, landing the #3 spot this year. Ellsworth Community College is a small public school located in the town of Iowa Falls. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,496, while out-of-state students pay about $6,504. Agricultural Production Operations graduates carry a median of $17,062 in student loans. Agricultural Production Operations graduates of Ellsworth Community College earn a median of $40,503 early in their careers. Set against $17,062 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
