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Agriculture

2 schools compared · Average earnings $38,182/yr

Quick Facts: Agriculture Training

Where it's offered

Agriculture programs are offered at 2 schools across 2 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 $38,182/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 1 registered apprenticeship pathway related to Agriculture — earn-while-you-learn alternatives to traditional schooling. See apprenticeship.gov for the federal registry.

Program quality benchmark

Across the 2 schools we analyze, the average TradeSchoolOutlook Score is 37/100. 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 Agriculture Graduates Do

Your career in agriculture often starts where the action is: in the field, greenhouse, or lab. As an agricultural technician, you might spend your days collecting soil samples, operating drones to monitor crop health, or maintaining automated irrigation systems. From there, a common path is to advance into a scientist role. As a soil or plant scientist, you’ll design and run experiments to improve crop yields, develop drought-resistant varieties, or find new ways to manage pests.

Read more

This progression from technician to specialist offers a clear ladder for your earnings to grow, moving from a solid starting salary to a significantly higher income with experience. Demand is steady across the board, with roles in food and animal science growing especially fast as the world seeks sustainable food solutions. While AI tools will help you analyze data and model outcomes, the core hands-on work—calibrating equipment, conducting physical experiments, and making real-world observations—will remain your domain.

Closely-related paths include Plant Sciences, Animal Sciences, and Agricultural Production, which share overlapping job markets and training components.

Schools Offering
2
Avg Grad Earnings
$38,182/yr
Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score
37/100
Apprenticeship Paths
1
View pathways ↓

Registered Apprenticeship Pathways

The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 1 registered apprenticeship occupation related to Agriculture. 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
Horticulturist
RAPIDS 236 		6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs 		Time $58K – $71,410 – $98K 5.4%

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 Agriculture Programs in Your State

Trade and community college programs are local decisions — most students pick a school within driving distance. Agriculture is offered at 2 schools across 2 states. Click your state to see all trade programs offered locally.

Indiana (1) North Carolina (1)

Top Agriculture Programs Nationally

For context, here are the highest-scoring Agriculture 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.

2 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and career analysis.

# School Score Earnings ROI
1 Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN		 52
45–54		 $39,261/yr 50.6x
2 North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC		 42
37–44		 $37,103/yr 19.9x

Highest Earning Agriculture Programs

Schools where Agriculture graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School 1-Year Earnings Score
Ivy Tech Community College $39,261/yr 52
North Carolina State University at Raleigh $37,103/yr 42

Best ROI for Agriculture

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Agriculture.

School ROI Multiple Earnings Score
Ivy Tech Community College 50.6x $39,261/yr 52
North Carolina State University at Raleigh 19.9x $37,103/yr 42

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Business Operations Support Accounting Business Administration Clinical Laboratory Science Allied Health Professions Medical Assisting Health Administration Dental Assisting Welding & Metalworking Vehicle Repair Technology HVAC Technology Criminal Justice

Considering a 4-Year Degree?

Compare the trade route with a bachelor's degree. See how Agriculture degree programs stack up on earnings and ROI.

Compare Agriculture degree programs on DegreeOutlook →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Agriculture graduates earn?
The median first-year salary across 2 Agriculture programs is $38,182. School selection matters — the gap between the lowest ($37,103) and highest ($39,261) earning programs is significant.
How AI-proof is a career in Agriculture?
Agriculture is rated "Resilient" for AI resilience — 50% of job tasks involve hands-on work shielded from AI automation. That means most career tasks in this field rely on skills AI cannot replicate.
Which school has the best Agriculture program?
Our data ranks Ivy Tech Community College first among 2 Agriculture programs. Its score of 52/100 reflects strong outcomes across earnings ($39,261/yr), return on investment, and career durability.
Is Agriculture worth it?
Typical graduates earn 35.2 times what they paid in tuition within a decade. This is a strong return on investment. Look at per-school ROI in the table above — averages can mask significant variation.
Data from College Scorecard, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034, and DOL RAPIDS. Methodology & sources →