Uncertain where to apply your college education? Try agriculture

May 11, 2015

Close to 60,000 jobs are available every year

According to a new report, there are 57,900 job openings annually in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and environmental fields in the United States and those employers are looking for graduates with degrees in agricultural programs.

Graduates throwing caps

The Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources, and the Environment, United States, 2015–2020 was released by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Purdue University. It shows there’s an average of 35,400 American graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher working in ag-related fields. That’s 22,500 short of the available jobs.

"There is incredible opportunity for highly-skilled jobs in agriculture," said Secretary Vilsack. "Those receiving degrees in agricultural fields can expect to have ample career opportunities. Not only will those who study agriculture be likely to get well-paying jobs upon graduation, they will also have the satisfaction of working in a field that addresses some of the world's most pressing challenges. These jobs will only become more important as we continue to develop solutions to feed more than 9 billion people by 2050."

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack

The report breaks down the employment opportunities like this, approximately:

About 46% in management or business
27% in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
15% in food and biomaterials production
12% in education, communication and government

The report also shows that women make up more than half of the graduates with higher education in the food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and environmental sector.

Other report highlights include:

There could be a strong employment market for e-commerce managers, marketing agents, crop advisors and pest control specialists.
Job opportunities in STEM are expected to increase, especially for plant, food and water scientists, engineers and veterinarians.

Sites like AgCareers.com make it easy for people to find and apply for agriculture-related jobs that allow new grads to put their education to use.

Join the conversation and tell us your thoughts about the newly released report. Does it encourage you to know there are jobs available in the agriculture field?

Video: Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. David Rosero from Iowa State University explores the critical aspects of fat quality and oxidation in swine diets. He discusses how different types of lipids affect pig performance and provides actionable insights on managing lipid oxidation in feed mills. Don’t miss this episode—available on all major platforms.

Highlight quote: "Increasing levels of oxidized fats in swine diets reduced the efficiency of feed utilization, increased mortality, and led to more pigs being classified as culls, reducing the number of full-value pigs entering the finishing barns."

Meet the guest: Dr. David Rosero / davidrosero is an assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University. His research program focuses on conducting applied research on swine nutrition and the practical application of smart farming. He previously served as the technical officer for The Hanor Company, overseeing nutrition, research, and innovation efforts.