What an acre costs and the price it needs, crop by crop, from published 2026 university budgets. Each page breaks the cost down line by line and puts ten years of USDA prices next to it.
| Crop | Budget | Cost per acre | Breakeven price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corn | Iowa State University | $911.98 | $4.32/bu |
| Soybeans | Iowa State University | $679.11 | $11.13/bu |
| Rice | University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture | $1,304.74 | $17.06/cwt |
| Wheat | Kansas State University | $297.01 | $4.79/bu |
| Cotton | University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture | $1,450.12 | $1.21/lb |
| Grain sorghum | University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture | $814.94 | $7.76/bu |
Budgets differ by state, practice, and rent, so compare crops within your own numbers, not across these rows. Run your own in the free calculator.