International Agriculture Major

International agriculture is a major that typically falls into the Agriculture category.

There are 0 programs available throughout the country that offer an associate’s degree in international ag, 7 that offer a bachelor’s degree, and 6 that offer a master’s degree.

Who Is Getting an International Ag Degree?

International agriculture is one of the least chosen majors in the country, ranked #280 in popularity. About 100 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in the field in 2017. This major is dominated by women with about 72.9% of recent graduates being female.

Racial Distribution

At the countrywide level, the racial distribution of international ag majors is as follows:

• Asian: 5.7%
• Black or African American: 4.3%
• Hispanic or Latino: 10%
• White: 65.7%
• Non-Resident Alien: 5.7%
• Other Races: 8.6%

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in international ag. About 5.7% of those graduating in 2017 were international students. The most popular countries sending international ag majors to the U.S. are China, Japan and Mexico.

What Will You Learn as an International Agriculture Major?

An O*NET survey asked people with careers related to international ag to rate how important certain subject areas were to their job. The following are some of the results of that survey. Importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for International Ag Majors

A major in international ag should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

Skills for International Ag Majors

International ag majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

Abilities for International Ag Majors

A major in international ag will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

What Can You Do With an International Ag Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with international ag:

Careers Related to International Agriculture

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Agricultural Sciences Professors	7.9%	$84,640
Food Scientists and Technologists	5.9%	$65,300

International Agriculture Major Salary

Average salaries range from $73,000 to $91,000 for careers related to international ag. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, the typical high school graduate makes between $29,000 and $57,000 a year. The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $44,000 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,000 and $120,000.

The area of the country you choose to work in will also affect your career and salary prospects. Getting a graduate degree may open up more options with higher salary potential.

Amount of Education Required for International Agriculture Major Jobs

Some careers associated with international ag require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much education do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to international ag have obtained the following education levels.

Education Levels for Careers Associated With International Agriculture

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Less Than a High School Diploma	0%
High School Diploma or Equivalent	0%
Post-Secondary Certificate	0%
Some College Courses	0%
Associate's Degree or Equivalent	0.7%
Bachelor's Degree	37.9%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	2.1%
Master's Degree	17%
Post-Master's Certificate	0.4%
First Professional Degree	0%
Doctoral Degree	30.5%
Post-Doctoral Training	12.9%

Online International Agriculture Programs

There are 7 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in international agriculture, with 0 of them offering at least some courses online.

Online learners must listen or watch video lectures, participate in group chats or forums, submit papers and assignments electronically, take tests, and meet deadlines.

Many learners are drawn to online programs due to the ease of use and flexibility. Students should be warned that those who enroll in online programs can take longer to graduate than average and are more likely to drop out.

Is an International Agriculture Major Worth It?

The median salary for an international ag grad is $73,000 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 87% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $673,400 after 20 years!

Related Majors

• General Agriculture
• Agricultural Economics
• Agricultural Mechanization
• Agricultural Production
• Food Processing
• Animal Services
• Horticulture
• International Agriculture
• Agricultural Public Services
• Animal Science
• Food Science Technology
• Plant Sciences
• Soil Sciences
• Other Agriculture

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
O*NET Online
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