Agricultural Production Operations at Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA · Public · Associate Degree
TradeSchoolWorth Score (Base Case)
59
Strong Growth
58
Base Case
54
Conservative
Earnings
$42,392/yr (25% vs median)
AI-Proof
Moderate (62% shielded)
Job Market
Very Large (132,800 openings/yr)
Future-Proof Earnings
Three scenarios modeling future earnings based on technology adoption rates and job market trends for Agricultural Production Operations graduates.
| Strong Growth Full Stability |
Base Case Moderate Changes |
Conservative Max Disruption |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $473K | $407K | $335K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 39.6x | 34.0x | 28.0x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 29.7x | 25.5x | 21.0x |
| Viable Career Paths | 10 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 10 of 10 |
| TradeSchoolWorth Score | 59 | 58 | 54 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as technology and market conditions evolve over time.
Program Tuition (In-State)
$11,960
Out-of-state: $15,936
Median Debt at Graduation
$9,530
2.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$46,670
10% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Agricultural Production Operations graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 132,800 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI-Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary | $100,830 | 100 | +4.0% | 52% |
| Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | $87,980 | 85,500 | -1.3% | 63% |
| Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary | $86,350 | 800 | +4.1% | 50% |
| Animal scientists | $79,120 | 200 | +5.8% | 47% |
| Soil and plant scientists | $71,410 | 1,700 | +5.4% | 51% |
| Conservation scientists | $67,950 | 2,500 | +3.4% | 48% |
| First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers | $59,330 | 8,500 | +2.5% | 72% |
| Farm and home management educators | $58,120 | 1,100 | -2.5% | 63% |
Compare & Explore
Agricultural Production Operations Overview
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TradeSchoolWorth Score for Agricultural Production Operations at Kirkwood Community College?
This program scores 58/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 54 (conservative) to 59 (strong growth) depending on market conditions.
How AI-proof is a career in Agricultural Production Operations?
We model three scenarios: Strong Growth (full career stability), Base Case (moderate changes), and Conservative (maximum disruption). In the base case, Agricultural Production Operations graduates retain 10 of 10 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $335,167 (conservative) to $473,470 (strong growth).
How many job openings are there for Agricultural Production Operations graduates?
The career paths mapped to Agricultural Production Operations have roughly 132,800 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a very large job market.
Is Agricultural Production Operations at Kirkwood Community College worth it?
In the Base Case, this program earns 34.0x its tuition over 10 years. Even in the Conservative scenario, the multiple is 28.0x. The narrow spread between scenarios shows how stable trade careers are compared to desk jobs.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios model earnings resilience using AI exposure data and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2026.