Agricultural Economics

Types of Degrees Agricultural Economics Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many agricultural economics graduations there were in 2019-2020 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	1,566
Master’s Degree	350
Doctor’s Degree	130
Basic Certificate	66
Associate Degree	29

What Agricultural Economics Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, ag economics majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Ag Economics Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in ag economics should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Ag Economics Majors

ag economics majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Ag Economics Majors

As a ag economics major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Agricultural Economics Major?

People with a ag economics degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Economists	6.1%	$104,340
Environmental Economists	6.1%	$104,340

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Economics?

This major attracts more men than women. About 65% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of ag economics majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	76
Black or African American	64
Hispanic or Latino	139
White	1,135
International Students	76
Other Races/Ethnicities	76

Geographic Diversity

Ag Economics appeals to people across the globe. About 4.9% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Agricultural Economics Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Ag Economics majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $90,890 to $116,020 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Agricultural Economics

Some degrees associated with ag economics may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to ag economics have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.4%
Bachelor’s Degree	3.1%
Master’s Degree	24.6%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	3.0%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	1.4%
Doctoral Degree	57.7%
Post-Doctoral Training	9.7%

Online Agricultural Economics Programs

In the 2019-2020 academic year, 55 schools offered some type of agricultural economics program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	7	0
Bachelor’s Degree	1	1
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	40	1
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	25	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Agricultural Economics Worth It?

The median salary for a ag economics grad is $90,890 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 128% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,019,800 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Agricultural Economics

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to ag economics.

Major	Number of Grads
Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations	3,122
Agricultural Business	2,193
Farm/Farm & Ranch Management	439
Agricultural/Farm Supplies Retailing and Wholesaling	401
Agricultural Business & Management	143
Agricultural Business Technology	65

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By {} under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.