by our College Data Analytics Team
[Agriculture](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/general-agriculture/agriculture/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong agriculture education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for agriculture students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the agriculture degrees they offer, see the list below.
Kaskaskia College earned the #1 spot for value among agriculture schools in Illinois. Set in the rural area of Centralia, Kaskaskia College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,800 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,570. Typical student debt for agriculture graduates is $7,875. Early-career agriculture graduates make about $45,658. Set against $7,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Western Illinois University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value agriculture schools. Set in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,572. Agriculture graduates carry a median of $18,969 in student loans. Early-career agriculture graduates make about $48,509. That is a strong return on a $18,969 median debt. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in agriculture will find it at Illinois State University, which ranked #3. Illinois State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,410, compared with $26,058 for out-of-state students. Agriculture graduates carry a median of $18,750 in student loans. Agriculture graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $47,295 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants.
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This ranking is produced 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.