2026 Best Value Plant Sciences Schools in California
[Plant Sciences](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/plant-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 19 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for plant sciences students.
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2026 Best Value Plant Sciences Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in plant sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Plant Sciences Schools
California State University Fresno tops our 2026 list of the best value plant sciences schools in California. Located in the city of Fresno, California State University Fresno is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,341, with out-of-state students paying around $19,941. Typical student debt for plant sciences graduates is $13,000. Plant Sciences graduates of California State University Fresno earn a median of $60,443 early in their careers. Set against $13,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Fresno admits about 95% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes California State Polytechnic University Pomona one of the best values for plant sciences. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $20,381. Typical student debt for plant sciences graduates is $13,500. Plant Sciences graduates of California State Polytechnic University Pomona earn a median of $46,152 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in plant sciences will find it at Humboldt State University, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Arcata, Humboldt State University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,397, with out-of-state students paying around $20,997. Students borrow a median of $19,129 to complete the plant sciences program here. Plant Sciences graduates of Humboldt State University earn a median of $44,038 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Humboldt State University admits about 98% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes California State University Monterey Bay one of the best values for plant sciences. California State University Monterey Bay is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Seaside. Students from in state pay about $7,779 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,379. Students borrow a median of $14,622 to complete the plant sciences program here. Plant Sciences graduates of California State University Monterey Bay earn a median of $49,032 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,622 median debt. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
California State University Chico came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value plant sciences schools. Set in the city of Chico, California State University Chico is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,472, while out-of-state students pay about $21,072. Typical student debt for plant sciences graduates is $15,000. Plant Sciences graduates of California State University Chico earn a median of $43,944 early in their careers. Set against $15,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Chico admits about 93% of applicants.
University Of California Davis came in at #6 for value in plant sciences this year. Located in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,804 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $47,692. Typical student debt for plant sciences graduates is $14,404. Early-career plant sciences graduates make about $43,873. Set against $14,404 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of California Davis admits about 42% of applicants.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo came in at #7 for value in plant sciences this year. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo. Students from in state pay about $12,161 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,230 for out-of-state students. Plant Sciences graduates carry a median of $16,666 in student loans. Early-career plant sciences graduates make about $63,129. Set against $16,666 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo admits about 31% of applicants.
University Of California Santa Cruz ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value plant sciences schools. Set in the city of Santa Cruz, University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,035 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $46,923. Typical student debt for plant sciences graduates is $18,559. Plant Sciences graduates of University Of California Santa Cruz earn a median of $40,920 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,559 median debt. University Of California Santa Cruz admits about 66% of applicants.
More Plant Sciences Rankings
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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 · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
