Key Takeaways:
- Our #1 ranking school for a low-cost degree in sustainable agriculture is California State University-Stanislaus, followed by University Hawaii-West Oahu.
- The article ranks the most affordable U.S. programs in sustainable agriculture based on net price.
- These programs typically include hands-on learning, focusing on environmental responsibility and practical skills in agriculture.
Welcome to our affordability ranking of the Top 20 Sustainable Agriculture Degree Programs by Net Price.
The last decade has seen a explosion of interest in everything sustainable as an effort is made to care responsibly for earth’s resources. One fascinating area of the sustainability movement touching higher education is that of sustainable agriculture and food production.
Featured Programs
Featured Single Course Offering:
Sustainable Agricultural Land Management
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To find the best sustainable agriculture programs, we consulted the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture Education Directory to determine which schools have become serious about environmental responsibility. To make our initial pool of candidates offering a bachelor’s degree, a college had to feature some aspect of sustainable agriculture or food production either in the name of the major itself or in the name of the specialization/concentration of the major. Our initial pool of 54 U.S. colleges was narrowed down to the 20 most affordable based on net price for full-time beginning students, as given by the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator.
1. California State University-Stanislaus – Turlock, CA
Website Agricultural Studies (B.A.) with Sustainable Agriculture concentration
The remarkably inexpensive bachelor’s in agricultural studies from CSU-Stanislaus comes in at #1 among our most affordable sustainable agriculture degrees.
The sustainable agriculture concentration will appeal to future farmers as well as those interested in land use, natural resources, and community development. The capstone course in Permaculture evidences the program’s integrative approach to long-term sustainability.
Net price: $6,340
2. University of Hawaii-West Oahu – Kapolei, HI
Website Bachelor of Applied Science with Sustainable Community Food Systems Concentration
The U of H at West Oahu has taken an interesting approach to sustainability by emphasizing community food systems. Learning is intentionally hands-on and practical, encouraging students to advance in their understanding of what is environmentally responsible by solving problems.
Healthy salaries are projected in ranch management, soil science, and environmental engineering careers for an inexpensive initial investment of less than $8,000 net price per academic year.
Net price: $7,820
3. West Virginia University – Morgantown, WV
Website Agroecology (B.S.)
WVU students may take a B.S. in Agroecology in the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences. In this program, students will learn to create and manage food and animal operations that are economically and environmentally responsible in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. Expert faculty guidance makes this program a steal at just over $9,000 annually.
Net price: $9,380
4. University of Hawaii-Hilo – Hilo, HI
Website Agriculture (B.S.) with Tropical Plant Sciences and Agroecology specialization
Two of our top five finalists are from Hawaii. The U of H at Hilo offers a unique angle of tropical plant sciences for those wishing to labor in tropical zones. At just $10,000 annual net price, students can prepare themselves for a great diversity of careers in the tropical context, whether government or private sector.
Net price: $10,229
5. University of North Carolina-Pembroke – Pembroke, NC
Website B.S. in Environmental Science, Sustainable Agriculture Track
The Department of Biology at UNC Pembroke administers this ultra-affordable, sustainable agriculture degree. In addition to the expected gen. ed. classes and science courses in chemistry, biology, and math, students take several courses specific to issues in environmental science and sustainable agriculture, giving a balance of theoretical scientific foundation with industry-specific inquiry.
Net price: $10,686
6. Appalachian State University – Boone, NC
Website Sustainable Development (B.S.) with a concentration in Agroecology and Sustainability
Students in the Agroecology and Sustainability concentration at Appalachian State can work at the school’s research and practice farm in nearby Fleetwood.
Along with learning low-input farming methods, students are also encouraged to reflect upon the economic, ecological, and philosophical underpinnings of contemporary food systems. Appalachian State is a solid offering at a very affordable net price.
Net price: $11,508
7. University of Wyoming – Laramie, WY
Website Agroecology (B.S.)
The University of Wyoming’s Department of Plant Sciences and Department of Ecosystem Science and Management calls its interdisciplinary Agroecology degree the first of its kind in the country.
By considering agricultural production from an ecosystem standpoint, students fully consider the diversity of players, including soil, plants, microbes, insects, and animals.
Potential students will want to note the net price under $12,000 and that the Agroecology program boasts a well-heeled scholarship fund.
Net price: $11,856
8. University of Wisconsin-River Falls – River Falls, WI
Website Crop and Soil Science Sustainable Agriculture Option
Under the Crop and Soil Science degree rubric, University of Wisconsin-River Falls students can focus on sustainable production, marketing, and land stewardship. Interesting courses include World Food and Population, Sociology of Rural Life, and Forage Management.
Future sustainable farmers can get the ball rolling at U of W at a very reasonable price among sustainable agriculture degrees.
Net price: $12,505
9. Purdue University – West Lafayette, IN
Horticulture Science (B.S.) with a Concentration in Sustainable Food and Farming Systems
Horticulture (B.S.) with Organic Systems Option
Are you itching to design and maintain a small-scale farming enterprise? The Sustainable Food and Farming concentration will teach you how to do that without chemical inputs in pest control and soil development.
Or maybe you want to learn to grow plants in an environmentally responsible way in the Organic Systems option. A definite learning advantage at Purdue is the University’s Student Farm, and the bottom line is easy to swallow.
Net price: $13,081
10. The University of Montana – Missoula, MT
Website Sustainable Food and Farming Focus within Environmental Studies (B.A.)
The Sustainable Food and Farming focus will teach students how to create and maintain sustainable food systems at a remarkable annual net price of just over $13,000. One special feature is a supervised internship in a program called Ecological Agriculture and Society.
Missoula-based U of M offers so much about the great outdoors to students already enthusiastic about connecting with nature.
Net price: $13,112
11. University of Georgia – Athens, GA
Website Horticulture (B.S.A.) with Sustainable Food Production emphasis
Within the Horticulture major, students at the University of Georgia may choose to emphasize Sustainable Food Production. Here, students will learn about growing fruits and vegetables organically or sustainably.
Courses are not limited to fruits and vegetables, however, as students may branch out and study sustainability in relation to animals, field crops, and aquaculture. This inexpensive program would well train those who want to manage a farm, community garden, or own their own outfit.
Net price: $13,287
12. North Carolina State University – Raleigh, NC
Website Plant and Soil Sciences (B.S.) with a concentration in Agroecology
The Agroecology concentration at NC State communicates the latest research and innovations in the field of sustainability through field trips, hands-on work, and classroom learning. In addition to classes directly related to agricultural production, students also study the social and economic facets of the discipline with titles like Humans and the Environment and US Agricultural Policy.
NC State’s program is a top consideration for affordable quality, especially considering the size of our initial pool of sustainable agriculture degrees.
Net price: $13,579
13. Evergreen State College – Olympia, WA
At Evergreen, each student crafts his or her area of emphasis from more than 60 subjects. The Practice of Organic Farming program allows students to study small-scale farming sustainability over the spring, summer, and fall semesters.
During this time, students get hands-on experience at the Evergreen Organic Farm. Evergreen is a unique program at a very affordable price among sustainable agriculture degree options.
Net price: $13,630
14. Iowa State University – Ames, IA
Website Agronomy (B.S.) with Agroecology option
At under $14,000 annual net price, the Agronomy bachelor’s at Iowa State is worth a good look. Students specializing in the Agroecology option can take interesting and stretching classes in World Food Issues, Watershed Hydrology, and Weed Identification.
Net price: $13,899
15. Montana State University – Bozeman, MT
Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems (B.S.) with Agroecology option
Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems (B.S.) with Sustainable Crop Production option
Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems (B.S.) with Sustainable Food Systems option
Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems (B.S.) with Sustainable Livestock Production option
Montana State offers no less than four degree options under the Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems degree. Suppose you are interested in the ecologically responsible production, distribution, and consumption of food. In that case, any of these four will give you a hands-on and collaborative education at a super price. And the field experiences in the great outdoors of beautiful Montana would also be hard to beat.
Net price: $14,326
16. University of Idaho – Moscow, ID
The University of Idaho in Moscow offers three relevant sustainable agriculture degrees: Soil and Land Resources, Sustainable Cropping Systems, and Sustainable Food Systems. Students looking to study sustainable agriculture in a beautiful rural setting in the great Northwest will want to take a close look at the University’s affordable tuition.
Net price: $14,445
17. University of California-Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz, CA
Website Environmental Studies (B.A.) with Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture focus
Environmental Studies majors at UC Santa Cruz can specialize in agroecology. This field examines agricultural production at the intersection of ecology, economics, policy, and society. UC Santa Cruz graduates are poised to become influential educators, researchers, and analysts. The affordability of UC Santa Cruz means that graduates will have less debt as they get started in those roles.
Net price: $14,759
18. University of Florida – Gainesville, FL
Website Horticultural Science (B.S.) with Organic and Sustainable Crop Production
Website Plant Science (B.S.) with Sustainable Food Production specialization
The University of Florida has two inexpensive types of sustainable agriculture degrees. Horticultural science majors can concentrate on organic and sustainable crop production, emphasizing the ecological and economic balance needed in any crop system, organic or otherwise. Future options for majors include careers in fields like fruit/vegetable marketing or greenhouse production. A second major is the B.S. in Plant Science with sustainable food production specialization, where a host of interesting courses are offered in pest management, plant improvement, management and sales, and more. Thus, Florida offers two different types of degrees at a net price worthy of careful consideration.
Net price: $14,786
19. Michigan State University – East Lansing, MI
Website Horticulture (B.S.) with Sustainable and Organic Horticulture option
The Department of Horticulture at Michigan State emphasizes the hands-on nature of the learning required for this undergraduate degree, encouraging interactive, collaborative field work throughout. Students steering into the Sustainable and Organic option will enjoy preparing for careers in farm production, community food systems, and urban agriculture.
Net price: $14,791
20. University of Kentucky – Lexington, KY
Sustainable Agriculture Degree (B.S.)
We begin our ranking of sustainable agriculture degrees with a solid and affordable offering from the University of Kentucky. The College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment offers the B.S. in Sustainable Agriculture, one of the few degrees specifically and wholly devoted to the topic on this list. The Apprenticeship in Sustainable Agriculture requires 250 hours of hands-on field work during one summer and fall.
Net price: $14,842
This concludes our ranking of the Top 20 Sustainable Agriculture Degree Programs by Net Price.
By CVO Staff
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