by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 144 U.S. colleges awarded 3,002 degrees and certificates in General Agriculture. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 59% of graduates. College Factual ranks 80 schools in its 2027 Best General Agriculture Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $42,537 one year after completing, rising to $54,565 after four years.
If you enjoy working outdoors to maintain crops and livestock, a degree in General Agriculture might be for you.
While working towards this degree, you will take a wide array of classes. You will learn how to grow and maintain crops through the use of machinery and physical labor along with the environmental, scientific, and political issues around feeding the general population. Since agriculture is such a wide major, many schools often require students to narrow their area of study and focus on a specific section of agriculture. Possible areas of focus include horticulture, agricultural economics, entomology, and animal science.
A major in General Agriculture covers Agriculture, General.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, general agriculture is a popular field of study, with 3,002 degrees awarded annually. 144 colleges award general agriculture degrees, an average of 21 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 133.
By level, the 3,002 awards include 50 certificates, 772 associate degrees, 1,772 bachelor’s degrees, 397 master’s degrees and 8 doctorates.
Women earned 59% of general agriculture degrees and certificates in the latest year (1,768 of 3,002). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (1,972) and Black or African American (374), and international students earned 82.
College Factual ranks 80 schools in its 2027 Best General Agriculture Schools ranking, including 22 for associate degrees, 51 for bachelor’s degrees and 17 for master’s degrees. It also ranks general agriculture schools within 29 states. In all, 144 colleges offer general agriculture programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value General Agriculture Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common general agriculture credential is the bachelor’s degree: 1,772 of the 3,002 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to general agriculture call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Speaking, and for knowledge of Biology, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Comprehension.
Those who pursue a career in agriculture enjoy working outdoors and getting their hands dirty. Agriculture is a physically strenuous job and can require long hours. It often does not follow the typical 40-hour work week. Employers are looking for hard workers who are willing to put in the time and effort necessary to ensure a successful harvest. You will be required to work directly with the different crops or animals and implement different techniques for growing and harvesting food.
This field will require knowledge of heavy machinery used in farming along with the ability to perform physical, labor-intensive tasks. A science background would be beneficial to understand the properties of crops and how they interact with certain chemicals. If you plan on working with livestock, you must have a background in animal science.
Since many jobs in agriculture come with on-the-job training, a degree is not always necessary. However, if you plan to work as an animal breeder or with livestock, employers will require either extensive experience and training or a degree. Before deciding on a career in agriculture, it is best to experience the career through a summer job, internship, Co-op or work abroad program.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a general agriculture degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 50 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 772 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,772 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 397 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 8 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to general agriculture, at 25.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 25.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 22.0% |
| Master’s degree | 13.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 10.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 7.6% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 5.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.8% |
| Some college courses | 1.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.1% |
| First professional degree | 0.9% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
6 occupations are related to General Agriculture, with an average median salary of $62,866; the strongest outlook belongs to Agricultural Technicians, at 8.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Research Scientist, Scientist, Precision Agronomist and Technical Agronomist.
A degree in Agriculture will provide you with a wide array of skills to perform the tasks necessary to ensure the successful operation of a farm. Agricultural workers will work directly with livestock or crops under the guidance of the agricultural manager. You will operate the necessary machinery to plant, grow, and harvest crops while working with others to ensure all tasks are performed successfully and efficiently.
The occupation related to general agriculture with the most projected jobs is Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, at 297,433.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 297,433 | 4.5% |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 172,528 | 3.7% |
| Precision Agriculture Technicians | 167,331 | 6.9% |
| Agricultural Technicians | 142,810 | 8.4% |
| Animal Scientists | 77,353 | -1.4% |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 76,219 | -4.2% |
General Agriculture graduates earn a median $42,537 one year after completing their program, $54,565 after four years and $53,130 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $42,537 |
| 4 years | $54,565 |
| 5 years | $53,130 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to general agriculture is Animal Scientists, with a median salary of $93,823.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Animal Scientists | $93,823 |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $66,903 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $59,587 |
| Precision Agriculture Technicians | $56,932 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | $55,930 |
| Agricultural Technicians | $44,022 |
General Agriculture includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Agriculture, General (3,002). It has 18 similar majors in the Agriculture field, which together award 51,131 degrees a year; the largest are Agricultural Business and Management (8,920), Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians (8,916) and Animal Sciences (8,777). Browse all Agriculture majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, General | 3,002 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | 8,920 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 8,916 |
| Animal Sciences | 8,777 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 4,242 |
| Veterinary Medicine | 3,882 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 3,822 |
| Plant Sciences | 3,510 |
| Food Science and Technology | 2,250 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | 1,491 |
| Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services | 1,217 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
