Agricultural Sciences
The agricultural industry has evolved over recent decades with a growing concentration of large firms accounting for an ever-increasing proportion of output. In fact, self-employment has been declining in recent decades, making up less than 4 in 10 occupations, while industrial farms supply over 75% of output. The gains from technology have made a degree in agriculture increasingly important for those seeking to enter the industry, as large firms draw upon technical advances to improve efficiency.
Agriculture sciences allow students who graduate opportunities in farm management, production agriculture, or research and development. Usually, students tend to focus on either animal or plant agriculture and gain employment relating to their focus. The courses focus on Life and Physical Sciences, Animal Science, and Plant Science.
Graduates have the opportunity to work in education, business, government or the non-profit sector. Approximately fourteen percent of graduates take positions in one of the three levels of government. As the quality and quantity of our food continues to be a hot issue, our economy will continue to focus on the products being generated by Agricultural sciences graduates, and job opportunities under this focus will continue to be between good and excellent, especially for those willing to gain their masters or PhD.
Workers within the field can expert to earn roughly $25,000 to $50,000 with a degree, depending on the particular skill set they bring to the market. Those seeking improved job prospects should focus on developing technical skills that will allow them to remain valuable to employers even during non-harvesting seasons.
