Applied Horticulture at Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA · Public · Associate Degree · Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
TradeSchoolWorth Score (Base Case)
65
Strong Growth
64
Base Case
62
Conservative
Earnings
$35,900/yr (15% vs median)
AI-Proof
Resilient (72% shielded)
Job Market
Very Large (408,500 openings/yr)
Future-Proof Earnings
Three scenarios modeling future earnings based on technology adoption rates and job market trends for Applied Horticulture graduates.
| Strong Growth Full Stability |
Base Case Moderate Changes |
Conservative Max Disruption |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $417K | $351K | $301K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 34.9x | 29.4x | 25.2x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 26.2x | 22.0x | 18.9x |
| Viable Career Paths | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 |
| TradeSchoolWorth Score | 65 | 64 | 62 |
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
$11,000
3.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$40,840
14% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Applied Horticulture graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 408,500 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI-Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | $87,980 | 85,500 | -1.3% | 63% |
| Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary | $86,350 | 800 | +4.1% | 50% |
| 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% |
| First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers | $56,170 | 23,200 | +2.3% | 65% |
| First-line supervisors of retail sales workers | $47,320 | 125,100 | -5.0% | 51% |
| Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation | $45,200 | 4,100 | +3.8% | 94% |
| Forest and conservation workers | $43,680 | 2,000 | -4.7% | 96% |
Compare & Explore
Applied Horticulture Overview
Applied Horticulture at Other Schools
Other Majors at Kirkwood Community College
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TradeSchoolWorth Score for Applied Horticulture at Kirkwood Community College?
This program scores 64/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 62 (conservative) to 65 (strong growth) depending on market conditions.
How AI-proof is a career in Applied Horticulture?
We model three scenarios: Strong Growth (full career stability), Base Case (moderate changes), and Conservative (maximum disruption). In the base case, Applied Horticulture graduates retain 9 of 9 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $300,877 (conservative) to $416,816 (strong growth).
How many job openings are there for Applied Horticulture graduates?
The career paths mapped to Applied Horticulture have roughly 408,500 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a very large job market.
Is Applied Horticulture at Kirkwood Community College worth it?
In the Base Case, this program earns 29.4x its tuition over 10 years. Even in the Conservative scenario, the multiple is 25.2x. 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.