by our College Data Analytics TeamThe production and selling of food is a huge industry and the majors available within this field of study reflect that. Students with a business bent may be interested in Agricultural Economics & Business, while those who are interested in raising livestock may choose a major in Animal Science. Others may be interested in studying Applied Horticulture or Food Science. There are many more majors in this field you can further explore.
Some Ag students grew up on or worked on a farm, however you don't need to have grown up on a farm in order to succeed in an agriculture career. Students in agriculture go on to find jobs in multiple areas. Many run their own farms or ranches; or they may manage a larger company's agricultural business. Others work for companies as food scientists or lab technicians, communication managers or public relation experts. Agriculture graduates also find work in environmental research for the public or private sector.
In 2020-2021, agriculture and agriculture operations was the 21st most popular major nationwide with 49,899 degrees awarded. This 1,401 less than the prior year, a decrease of 2.8%.
Our 2023 Best Agriculture & Agriculture Operations Schools ranking analyzes 133 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for agriculture and agriculture operations students. Explore this or one of our many other custom agriculture and agriculture operations rankings further below.
Because of the wide range of majors available, students of many different interests are drawn to and can succeed in this field. Strong science skills are recommended. Students may also want to gain work experience through part-time jobs, internships or co-op positions.
agriculture and agriculture operations degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. In addition to these basic agriculture and agriculture operations program qualifications, to serve in some agriculture and agriculture operations careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are various different levels of agriculture and agriculture operations degrees. You can get anything from a in agriculture and agriculture operations to the highest agriculture and agriculture operations degree, a . How long it takes to complete some common agriculture and agriculture operations degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to agriculture and agriculture operations, with approximately 26.3% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for agriculture and agriculture operations workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 24.4% |
| High School Diploma | 21.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 11.5% |
| Doctoral Degree | 9.9% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 8.6% |
About 58.0% of workers in careers related to agriculture and agriculture operations obtain at least associate degrees. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in agriculture and agriculture operations have received.
The education level required is different depending on the agriculture and agriculture operations career you are seeking.
Those in the agricultural field fill a variety of positions in both the public and private sector. We may traditionally think of the farmer managing his own farm, but there are many more opportunities. Individuals may work as horticulture specialists cultivating flowers, fruits and vegetables. This can also be a great field of study for those interested in environmental issues. Agriculture grads find positions as Environmental Analysts and Planners, Waste Coordinators, Water Resource Specialists, and Park Rangers and Foresters, or they may find jobs researching water quality and wildlife.
Fields in food science include researchers, food chemists and lab technicians. These individuals may work for large food companies or invent new flavors or methods of processing food.
As you can see, this is a diverse and fascinating field. What part of agriculture are you most passionate about? Whether it's finding more effective methods of growing crops, researching the health of soil and water, caring for livestock or running your own business there is a wide variety in the career field.
Want a job when you graduate with your agriculture and agriculture operations degree? Agriculture & Agriculture Operations careers are expected to grow 5.0% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to agriculture and agriculture operations.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Supervisors | 1,590,100 | 3.8% |
| Office and Administrative Support Worker Supervisors | 1,557,400 | 3.4% |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Agricultural Managers | 1,020,700 | -0.8% |
| Computer User Support Specialists | 708,700 | 11.3% |
| Animal Caretakers | 300,000 | 24.2% |
Recently graduated agriculture and agriculture operations students earned an average of $37,461 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $11,136 to as high as $83,341. As you might expect, salaries for agriculture and agriculture operations graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for agriculture and agriculture operations graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers agriculture and agriculture operations grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Economists | $116,020 |
| Forestry & Conservation Science Professors | $92,550 |
| Agricultural Sciences Professors | $90,890 |
| Microbiologists | $81,150 |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Agricultural Managers | $79,940 |
With over 4,612 different agriculture and agriculture operations degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased agriculture and agriculture operations school rankings to help you with this.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 8,646 |
| Animal Science | 8,294 |
| Agricultural Economics & Business | 8,098 |
| General Agriculture | 3,370 |
| Horticulture | 3,234 |
View All Agriculture & Agriculture Operations Related Majors >
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Computer & Information Sciences | 254,454 |
| Engineering | 198,468 |
| Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 177,778 |
| Engineering Technologies | 85,188 |
| Mathematics & Statistics | 52,396 |
View All Agriculture & Agriculture Operations Related Majors >
