Agricultural Business
Quick Facts: Agricultural Business Training
Where it's offered
Agricultural Business programs are offered at 18 schools across 9 states. Most students attend a school within driving distance of home — use the state picker below to see programs near you.
Earnings expectations
Graduates earn approximately $36,298/year on average one year after completion, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Pay scales with experience, certifications, and regional cost-of-living.
Apprenticeship pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 4 registered apprenticeship pathways related to Agricultural Business — earn-while-you-learn alternatives to traditional schooling. See apprenticeship.gov for the federal registry.
Program quality benchmark
Across the 18 schools we analyze, the average TradeSchoolOutlook Score is 54/100. Higher-scoring programs combine strong graduate earnings, manageable cost, and strong job-market demand — see the leaderboard further down for the highest-rated options.
What Agricultural Business Graduates Do
Your office could be the cab of a pickup truck, where you’ll spend your days checking irrigation systems, analyzing soil data on a tablet, and negotiating prices for your crops. Or you might be on the road as a wholesale sales representative, visiting farms and co-ops to demonstrate new seed varieties, manage client accounts, and write up orders.
Read more
Many graduates begin as first-line supervisors of farming crews, learning the business from the ground up. With a few years of experience, you can advance into a full agricultural manager role or build a lucrative sales territory. Top earners often manage large-scale commercial farms or become senior economists specializing in agricultural markets. While overall growth is modest, the high number of annual openings for managers and sales reps creates consistent demand for new talent.
You’ll likely use AI-powered software for planning tasks like crop yield forecasting or optimizing supply chains. However, the hands-on work of managing land, leading teams, and building relationships with suppliers remains firmly in human hands.
Closely-related paths include Animal Sciences, Plant Sciences, and Agricultural Production, which share overlapping job markets and training components.
Registered Apprenticeship Pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 4 registered apprenticeship occupations related to Agricultural Business. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.
| Apprenticeship | Training Hours | Type | Salary RangeSalary | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Beekeeper
RAPIDS 886 |
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs |
Time | $68K – $87,980 – $115K | -1.3% |
|
Bison Herd Manager
RAPIDS 1136 |
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs |
Time | $48K – $59,330 – $77K | 2.5% |
|
Dairy Grazier
RAPIDS 2019HY |
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs |
Hybrid | $68K – $87,980 – $115K | -1.3% |
|
Farmer, General (Agric)
RAPIDS 177 |
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs |
Time | $68K – $87,980 – $115K | -1.3% |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.
Find Agricultural Business Programs in Your State
Trade and community college programs are local decisions — most students pick a school within driving distance. Agricultural Business is offered at 18 schools across 9 states. Pick your state to see a local comparison (states with fewer programs link to the state hub).
Top Agricultural Business Programs Nationally
For context, here are the highest-scoring Agricultural Business programs in the country. Most students attend a school within 60 miles of home, so your state list above is usually more actionable — but these are the benchmarks others compete against.
18 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and career analysis.
| # | School | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ridgewater College Willmar, MN |
79 73–82 |
| 2 | Southeast Community College Area Lincoln, NE |
75 70–77 |
| 3 | Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar, IA |
73 70–76 |
| 4 | North Dakota State College of Science Wahpeton, ND |
72 68–74 |
| 5 | Bismarck State College Bismarck, ND |
71 63–74 |
| 6 | Northeast Community College Norfolk, NE |
71 64–74 |
| 7 | Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA |
70 67–72 |
| 8 | Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA |
70 64–73 |
| 9 | Lake Area Technical College Watertown, SD |
66 62–69 |
| 10 | Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA |
66 63–68 |
| 11 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC |
64 60–67 |
| 12 | Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute Wooster, OH |
60 54–62 |
| 13 | Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH |
58 52–61 |
| 14 | North Central Missouri College Trenton, MO |
55 52–57 |
| 15 | Crowder College Neosho, MO |
53 49–55 |
| 16 | Stautzenberger College-Maumee Maumee, OH |
46 41–48 |
| 17 | Stautzenberger College-Brecksville Brecksville, OH |
46 41–48 |
| 18 | Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College Rockford, IL |
46 41–48 |
Highest Earning Agricultural Business Programs
Schools where Agricultural Business graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State College of Science | $48,646/yr | 72 |
| Hawkeye Community College | $47,472/yr | 70 |
| Ridgewater College | $44,875/yr | 79 |
| Southeast Community College Area | $42,642/yr | 75 |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $41,966/yr | 64 |
| Lake Area Technical College | $41,340/yr | 66 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | $40,955/yr | 73 |
| Kirkwood Community College | $40,835/yr | 66 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | $40,506/yr | 70 |
| Bismarck State College | $38,623/yr | 71 |
Best ROI for Agricultural Business
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Agricultural Business.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgewater College | 90.3x | $44,875/yr | 79 |
| Southeast Community College Area | 66.9x | $42,642/yr | 75 |
| Northeast Community College | 66.6x | $36,223/yr | 71 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | 61.1x | $40,955/yr | 73 |
| Bismarck State College | 56.0x | $38,623/yr | 71 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | 49.1x | $40,506/yr | 70 |
| North Dakota State College of Science | 43.3x | $48,646/yr | 72 |
| Hawkeye Community College | 36.3x | $47,472/yr | 70 |
| Lake Area Technical College | 34.6x | $41,340/yr | 66 |
| Kirkwood Community College | 33.1x | $40,835/yr | 66 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Considering a 4-Year Degree?
Compare the trade route with a bachelor's degree. See how Agricultural Business degree programs stack up on earnings and ROI.