Applied Horticulture at Lake Land College
Mattoon, IL · Public · Certificate · Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
TradeSchoolWorth Score (Base Case)
48
Strong Growth
47
Base Case
45
Conservative
Earnings
$7,972/yr (-74% 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 | $91K | $78K | $67K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.4x | 18.1x | 15.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 6.6x | 5.6x | 4.8x |
| Viable Career Paths | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 |
| TradeSchoolWorth Score | 48 | 47 | 45 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as technology and market conditions evolve over time.
Program Tuition (In-State)
$4,280
Out-of-state: $13,906
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
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TradeSchoolWorth Score for Applied Horticulture at Lake Land College?
This program scores 47/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 45 (conservative) to 48 (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 $66,812 (conservative) to $91,391 (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 Lake Land College worth it?
In the Base Case, this program earns 18.1x its tuition over 10 years. Even in the Conservative scenario, the multiple is 15.6x. 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.