Agricultural Business Degree in Chicago, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Agricultural Business degree analysis for Chicago, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$57K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$78K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.2 yrs
in Chicago
Cost of Living
109
index (100 = avg)
Agricultural Business in Chicago, IL Overview
Chicago is one of Illinois's top college towns, with 98 institutions and a student population of 177,322. Public tuition averages $14,816/year here — near the national average for public universities. Agricultural Business enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Farm Management and Commodity Markets. The adjusted starting salary in Chicago is approximately $56,680.
Category
Agriculture
Local Colleges
98
Public Tuition
$14,816/yr
Private Tuition
$62,666/yr
Room & Board
$9,117/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,009/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
63%
Agricultural Business Salary in Chicago (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Chicago's cost of living index of 109 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Agricultural Business salary: $52,000 starting, $72,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Chicago adjustment factor: 1.09x based on the local cost of living index.
Agricultural Business ROI Calculator for Chicago
Estimate your return on investment for a Agricultural Business degree using local Chicago tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,816 | Private avg: $62,666
Chicago avg aid: $16,009/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,732
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,530
vs HS diploma in Chicago
ROI Payback Period
5.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Chicago
$558,268
Lifetime earnings premium ($654,000) minus total education cost ($95,732)
Student Loan Payoff for Agricultural Business in Chicago
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Chicago for Agricultural Business
University of Chicago
private
$62,940/yr
$251,760 total
Northwestern University
private
$62,391/yr
$249,564 total
University of Illinois at Chicago
public
$14,816/yr
$59,264 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
City Colleges of Chicago
$3,918/yr
Top Employers for Agricultural Business in Chicago
Chicago offers opportunities in Agribusiness, Government agencies, Research institutes for Agricultural Business graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Chicago Hiring Sectors for Agriculture
Agribusiness
Government agencies
Research institutes
Food companies
Conservation orgs
Common Agricultural Business Job Titles
Agricultural Business in Nearby Illinois Cities
Aurora, IL
$48K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$56K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$53K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$47K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$41K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$48K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$54K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$47K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other Agriculture Majors in Chicago
Agricultural Business Degree in Chicago — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Agricultural Business ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Chicago.