2026 Best Value General Agriculture Schools in the Far Western Region
[General Agriculture](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/general-agriculture/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 33 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general agriculture students.
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2026 Best Value General Agriculture Schools in the Far Western Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general agriculture, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Agriculture Schools
For return on investment in general agriculture, no school beat California State University Stanislaus this year. Located in the suburb of Turlock, California State University Stanislaus is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,242, compared with $20,842 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general agriculture graduates is $14,813. General Agriculture graduates of California State University Stanislaus earn a median of $43,101 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,813 median debt. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Students looking for strong value in general agriculture will find it at California State University Fresno, which ranked #2. California State University Fresno is a very large public school located in the city of Fresno. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,341, compared with $19,941 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,598 to complete the general agriculture program here. Early-career general agriculture graduates make about $49,502. That is a strong return on a $15,598 median debt. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Students looking for strong value in general agriculture will find it at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Pomona, California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,781, compared with $20,381 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general agriculture graduates is $17,226. Early-career general agriculture graduates make about $49,427. Set against $17,226 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Washington State University earned it the #4 place for general agriculture. Washington State University is a very large public school located in the town of Pullman. Students from in state pay about $13,391 in tuition and fees, compared with $29,950 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general agriculture graduates is $21,903. Early-career general agriculture graduates make about $85,908. Set against $21,903 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at California State University Chico earned it the #5 place for general agriculture. Located in the city of Chico, California State University Chico is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,472, compared with $21,072 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,000 to complete the general agriculture program here. Soon after graduation, general agriculture degree recipients from California State University Chico generally make around $45,591. Set against $15,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Chico admits about 93% of applicants.
University Of Hawaii At Hilo placed #6 among the best values for general agriculture. Set in the town of Hilo, University Of Hawaii At Hilo is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,838, compared with $20,798 for out-of-state students. General Agriculture graduates carry a median of $26,345 in student loans. General Agriculture graduates of University Of Hawaii At Hilo earn a median of $35,378 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 61%.
University Of Nevada Reno earned the #7 position for value in general agriculture this year. Located in the city of Reno, University Of Nevada Reno is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,578, compared with $27,720 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general agriculture graduates is $19,918. Early-career general agriculture graduates make about $50,691. Set against $19,918 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Nevada Reno admits about 74% of applicants.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo placed #8 among the best values for general agriculture. Located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,161, while out-of-state students pay about $33,230. General Agriculture graduates carry a median of $21,903 in student loans. Early-career general agriculture graduates make about $64,786. Set against $21,903 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 31%.
Oregon State University landed the #9 spot for general agriculture value this year. Set in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,400 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $38,190. Typical student debt for general agriculture graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, general agriculture degree recipients from Oregon State University generally make around $39,145. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
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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 · 33 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
