Agribusiness Schools and Programs in The United States

Agribusiness Studies in The United States

Agribusiness is the business side of food and farming. The degree combines economics, management, finance and marketing with a working knowledge of agricultural production, and it prepares students for the companies that supply farms, trade and process their products, and finance them, as well as for running a farm or ranch. In the United States the subject is usually taught in a college or department of agriculture. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that most state university systems have at least one land-grant college or university with a school of agriculture, and that their programmes of study include agricultural economics and business.

Degrees and levels

• Certificate or associate degree (AA, AS or AAS in Agribusiness): up to two years at a community college, for direct entry to work or transfer to a university
• Bachelor's degree (BS in Agribusiness, Agribusiness Management or Agricultural Business): usually four years of full-time study
• Master's degree: usually up to two years of further specialisation
• Doctorate (PhD): five to eight years, typically in agricultural economics, for research and university teaching

US degrees are built from credits, and each institution sets the number needed to graduate. Undergraduates take general courses in other subjects alongside the major.

The schools' own pages show how the degree is organised. Penn State describes its Agribusiness Management major as a business degree focused on the agriculture, food and fibre industries: students take marketing, management, finance and accounting courses at the university's Smeal College of Business and must develop a 12-credit specialisation, for example in animal science, international agriculture or entrepreneurship. Colorado State University's Agricultural Business major teaches the operating techniques and business skills used in the food and fibre industry and is aimed at managing small and medium-sized businesses in agriculture and allied industries. At Illinois State University, the Agribusiness sequence prepares students for careers in agribusiness marketing, management and finance, with classes in the Department of Agriculture and in the College of Business. Middle Tennessee State University offers a BS in Agribusiness that covers agribusiness management, commodity trading and agricultural policy.

Community colleges offer shorter, applied routes. Northeast Community College has a two-year Associate of Applied Science in Agribusiness (63-64 credits) that can be completed in person or remotely; its students also learn on the college's 500-acre farm. The College of Southern Idaho offers an Associate of Arts in Agribusiness and an Intermediate Technical Certificate.

Admission and visa

For a bachelor's degree, international applicants usually send their secondary school diploma and transcripts with English translations, any national final exams, recommendation letters and an essay or personal statement. US universities require an English proficiency test. Applications are typically due between November and January for a start the following September. Community colleges may have a more flexible admissions process, and in the "2+2" model two years at a community college are followed by two years at a university to complete a bachelor's degree.

Students must first be accepted by a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and then apply for the F-1 student visa, which covers study at an accredited college or university. The academic year usually runs from August to May, and international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Where to study agribusiness in the United States

No city on this page has more than one school. Universities include the Ohio State University, Purdue University, Penn State, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Colorado State University, Illinois State University, West Virginia University, Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee Tech University and Morehead State University. Community colleges include Northeast Community College, Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Central Community College, Laramie County Community College and Williston State College. There is no official ranking of US universities, so compare the curriculum, the internships on offer and the transfer agreements of each college.

Careers

Penn State says its graduates work in agricultural businesses and banks, insurance companies and government, and Middle Tennessee State University lists roles such as farm manager, grain merchandiser, market analyst and agricultural policy analyst.

According to the BLS, farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers held about 788,700 jobs in 2025, and the median annual wage was $89,900 in May 2025. Employment is projected to decline 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, but about 70,800 openings a year are expected as people leave the occupation. The BLS adds that a high school diploma and work experience are the typical requirement, and that postsecondary education helps as farm and land management becomes more complex.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between agribusiness and agricultural science?

Agribusiness is a business degree applied to agriculture: economics, finance, marketing and management, with some production courses. Agricultural science degrees such as animal science or plant science concentrate on production itself.

How long does an agribusiness degree take in the United States?

A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study. An associate degree takes two years; Northeast Community College's AAS in Agribusiness, for example, has 63-64 credits.

Can I start at a community college?

Yes. Community colleges offer two-year agribusiness degrees, and with a transfer agreement the credits count towards a bachelor's degree at a university in the 2+2 model.