TRADES Zone 5: Extensive Preparation

Agricultural Sciences Teachers

Agricultural Sciences Teachers earn $98,700 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $66,410 and $126,850. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.

About Agricultural Sciences Teachers

Teach courses in the agricultural sciences. Includes teachers of agronomy, dairy sciences, fisheries management, horticultural sciences, poultry sciences, range management, and agricultural soil conservation. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.


Median Wage
$98,700
Employed Nationally
9K
Openings / Year
800
Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Job Zone
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation

Also known as:

Adjunct Instructor Agribusiness Instructor Agribusiness Professor Agricultural Economics Professor Agricultural Education Professor

How Much Do Agricultural Sciences Teachers Make?

Agricultural Sciences Teachers earn $98,700 nationally, well above the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $66,410 and $126,850. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.

$98,700
National Median (Annual)

Well above average for college graduates.

$66K–$127K
Middle 50% Range

25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.


Earnings Range

What Do Agricultural Sciences Teachers Do?

O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Agricultural Sciences Teachers roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.

What You'll Do

  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
  • Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
  • Supervise laboratory sessions and field work and coordinate laboratory operations.
  • Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.

Core Skills Employers Look For

Instructing Learning Strategies Speaking Reading Comprehension Active Listening

Who Thrives Here

S
Social

Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.

I
Investigative

This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.

R
Realistic

Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.

Where Do Agricultural Sciences Teachers Work?

What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.

Work Setting
Mixed

Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.

Physical Demands
Light

Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.

Stress Level
Moderate

Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.

What Is the Job Outlook for Agricultural Sciences Teachers?

The BLS projects +4.1% employment change for Agricultural Sciences Teachers through 2034, roughly in line with the national average of +5%. About 800 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.

↗ +4.1%
10-Year Growth (2024–2034)

About as fast as average.

800
Annual Openings

New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.

9K
Currently Employed

Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.

Where the Jobs Are

The five states below employ the most Agricultural Sciences Teachers professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $98,700 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.

# State Jobs Median Wage vs. National
1 Texas 1,290 $102,190 +3.5%
2 California 460 $100,060 +1.4%
3 North Carolina 450 $100,720 +2.0%
4 Oklahoma 410 $63,960 -35.2%
5 Illinois 350 $100,210 +1.5%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →

How to Get Here

Most Agricultural Sciences Teachers positions require a doctoral or professional degree to qualify. The 10 programs below are the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.

Doctoral or professional degree
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation

Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.


Degree Programs That Lead Here

# Program Graduates/yr 4yr Median Colleges
1 Teaching Specific Subjects 40,101 $51,389 1,276
2 Animal Sciences 8,396 $49,634 157
3 Agricultural Business and Management 8,085 $66,647 380
4 Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business 3,932 $58,494 286
5 Agricultural Production Operations 3,522 $53,588 283
6 Plant Sciences 3,307 $56,567 157
7 Agriculture 3,256 $53,676 188
8 Food Science and Technology 2,181 $70,873 162
9 Agricultural Mechanization 1,402 $71,278 90
10 Agricultural and Domestic Animal 1,217 $40,334 75

Top Colleges for Aspiring Agricultural Sciences Teachers

Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.

# College UCD Score Net Price Salary 10yr
1 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 93 $12,548 $82,511
2 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 93 $12,470 $84,943
3 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 93 $13,481 $92,446
4 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 93 $6,541 $71,588
5 University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA 92 $14,251 $80,735
6 Rice University Houston, TX 91 $13,370 $89,718

Plan Your Path

Once you've sized up Agricultural Sciences Teachers, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.

Agricultural Sciences Teachers Pros & Cons

The data on Agricultural Sciences Teachers shows 3 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.

PROS
  • Very high median salary The national median of $98,700 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
  • Steady job outlook The BLS projects +4.1% growth through 2034, keeping pace with the national average. Demand is stable and annual openings remain consistent.
  • High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $126,850 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
CONS
  • High education requirement Most employers require a doctoral or professional degree, typically 6 to 10+ years of higher education before earning full wages. Factor tuition costs into your ROI calculation.
  • Entry-level pay well below the national median The 25th percentile wage of $66,410 is considerably below the $98,700 median. Early-career workers typically spend 5 or more years building toward typical pay. Factor this into any program ROI calculation.

Agricultural Sciences Teachers Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Agricultural Sciences Teachers professionals earn?
The national median annual wage for Agricultural Sciences Teachers is $98,700, above the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $66,410 and $126,850. Pay varies by employer size, industry sector, specialization, and geography. National figures are a starting point, not a guarantee.
Is Agricultural Sciences Teachers a good career?
Yes, for the right person, but the commitment is significant. The $98,700 median wage reflects years of training most workers invest, and the path to a first career-level role typically spans 8 to 12 or more years. Job growth of +4.1% through 2034 means demand is real. The harder question is whether the education investment at your specific program will pay off. School selection matters enormously at this preparation level.
How long does it take to become a Agricultural Sciences Teachers?
Plan on 8 to 12 or more years of combined education and supervised training before qualifying for career-level roles. A doctoral or professional degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Teaching Specific Subjects are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $98,700 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Is a doctoral or professional degree worth it to become a Agricultural Sciences Teachers?
For in-state public programs, generally yes. The margin tightens significantly at private schools with heavy debt loads. A $98,700 median may take 15 to 20 years to recover at high-cost programs. School choice (specifically tuition cost and your expected local job market) matters as much as the credential itself.
What is the job outlook for Agricultural Sciences Teachers?
The BLS projects +4.1% employment change for Agricultural Sciences Teachers through 2034, about as fast as average compared to all occupations. About 800 job openings per year are projected, including new positions and replacements for workers who retire or change careers. 9K people currently work in this occupation nationwide (BLS May 2024).
Why do Agricultural Sciences Teachers salaries vary so widely?
The $60,440 gap between the 25th ($66,410) and 75th ($126,850) percentile reflects how much employer type, industry, specialization, and geography affect pay. Entry-level roles and lower-demand markets cluster near the bottom; senior, specialized, or high-cost-metro positions push the top. In fields with this much spread, where you work and what you specialize in often matters more than years of experience.
What skills do Agricultural Sciences Teachers professionals need?
O*NET data identifies the core skills employers consistently prioritize for Agricultural Sciences Teachers roles: Instructing, Learning Strategies, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, and Active Listening. These develop through formal education and hands-on work. Programs with internship or co-op requirements give you a meaningful head start on the ones that take time to build.

Continue Exploring

Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.