by our College Data Analytics TeamIf 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. Read on to learn the key facts every general agriculture major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering general agriculture programs.
Nationwide, general agriculture is a popular field of study, with 3,276 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best General Agriculture Schools ranking analyzes these 151 schools to determine the best overall colleges for general agriculture students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of general agriculture programs later in this article.
Coursework for General Agriculture emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations general agriculture graduates commonly enter.
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.
The skill set developed in a general agriculture program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a general agriculture major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several general agriculture degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 113 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 859 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,903 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 395 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 5 |
People currently working in careers related to general agriculture tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| 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% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in general agriculture careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
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.
Studying general agriculture prepares you for many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to general agriculture.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general agriculture.
| 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% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of general agriculture graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $42,537 |
| 4 years | $46,139 |
| 5 years | $53,130 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for general agriculture graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers general agriculture grads often go into.
| 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 |
With 151 different general agriculture programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased general agriculture school rankings to help you.
Those considering general agriculture, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, General | 3,276 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 9,051 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 8,612 |
| Animal Sciences | 8,295 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 4,164 |
| Veterinary Medicine | 3,756 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 3,608 |
| Plant Sciences | 3,261 |
| Food Science and Technology | 2,269 |
| Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services | 1,424 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | 1,378 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
