Agricultural Teacher Education: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Designed for aspiring educators, this program equips future instructors with the specialized knowledge and practical skills needed to lead vocational agricultural education across secondary and postsecondary institutions. Graduates are prepared to inspire the next generation of agricultural professionals through comprehensive, hands-on teaching methods grounded in real-world applications.
- Agribusiness Management: Explores principles of running agricultural enterprises, including budgeting, marketing, and strategic planning for farm and agri-related businesses.
- Soil and Water Conservation: Focuses on sustainable practices that protect natural resources, emphasizing responsible land use and environmental stewardship in agricultural systems.
- Animal Science: Covers animal nutrition, reproduction, genetics, and health, preparing educators to teach modern livestock production and care techniques.
- Plant Science and Crop Production: Provides in-depth instruction on crop growth cycles, soil fertility, pest management, and the latest advancements in sustainable and high-yield farming.
- Teaching Methodologies in Agricultural Education: Develops pedagogical strategies tailored to vocational learning environments, emphasizing experiential education and student engagement.
- Leadership and Supervision in FFA and Youth Programs: Trains educators to guide student organizations like the Future Farmers of America, fostering leadership, teamwork, and career readiness.
- Curriculum Development and Assessment: Teaches how to design, implement, and evaluate standards-aligned agricultural education programs that meet state and national benchmarks.
Agricultural Teacher Education Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Agricultural Teacher Education Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Agricultural Teacher Education degrees, including Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, Education Teachers, Postsecondary and Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 297,590 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1041 | $86,350 | $49,080 - $160,870 | 8,700 | N/A |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1081 | $72,090 | $38,650 - $126,450 | 59,090 | N/A |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School 25-2032 | $63,910 | $48,840 - $98,720 | 104,450 | N/A |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School 25-2023 | $63,620 | $47,090 - $98,430 | 14,200 | N/A |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1194 | $61,490 | $38,680 - $106,580 | 111,150 | $29.56 |
Agricultural Teacher Education Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $52,450 in Hawaii to $87,134 in Washington—a 66% difference. The highest-paying states include Washington, Michigan, and Massachusetts. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 297,590 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Agricultural Teacher Education by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 62 institutions offering Agricultural Teacher Education programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Agricultural Teacher Education is found at University of Florida (UF) (85 graduates), California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo (60 graduates), California State University, Fresno (52 graduates), Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) (51 graduates), and Murray State University (MSU) (50 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,051 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Florida (UF) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
85 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) |
Master's
|
60 | San Luis Obispo, California | Public | calpoly.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
52 | Fresno, California | Public | fresnostate.edu |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) |
Bachelor's
|
51 | Tifton, Georgia | Public | abac.edu |
| Murray State University (MSU) |
Master's
|
50 | Murray, Kentucky | Public | murraystate.edu |
| South Dakota State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
44 | Brookings, South Dakota | Public | sdstate.edu |
| Oklahoma State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Public | okstate.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| Iowa State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
|
35 | Ames, Iowa | Public | iastate.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
34 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| California State Polytechnic University (CPP) |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Pomona, California | Public | cpp.edu |
| New Mexico State University (NMSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
33 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Public | nmsu.edu |
| North Carolina A & T State University (NC A&T) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
33 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | ncat.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
33 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
31 | Columbia, Missouri | Public | missouri.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNL) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
29 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | unl.edu |
| Montana State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
23 | Bozeman, Montana | Public | montana.edu |
| Kansas State University (K‑State) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Manhattan, Kansas | Public | k-state.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
17 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Mississippi State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | Mississippi State, Mississippi | Public | msstate.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | River Falls, Wisconsin | Public | uwrf.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| North Carolina State University (NC State) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Public | ncsu.edu |
| University of Arkansas (U of A) |
Master's
|
14 | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Public | uark.edu |
| North Dakota State University (NDSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
14 | Fargo, North Dakota | Public | ndsu.edu |
| California State University |
Master's
|
13 | Chico, California | Public | csuchico.edu |
| University of Idaho (U of I) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
13 | Moscow, Idaho | Public | uidaho.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
13 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| Northwest Missouri State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | Maryville, Missouri | Public | nwmissouri.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Platteville, Wisconsin | Public | uwplatt.edu |
| Southern Arkansas University (SAU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Magnolia, Arkansas | Public | saumag.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute |
Associate's
|
10 | Wooster, Ohio | Public | ati.osu.edu |
| Utah State University (USU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
10 | Logan, Utah | Public | usu.edu |
| Washington State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Pullman, Washington | Public | wsu.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPRM) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
9 | Mayaguez, Puerto Rico | Public | uprm.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
8 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| University of Mount Olive (UMO) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Mount Olive, North Carolina | Private | umo.edu |
| Arkansas Tech University (ATU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Russellville, Arkansas | Public | atu.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Master's
|
6 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Clemson University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
6 | Clemson, South Carolina | Public | clemson.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
6 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| State University of New York |
Master's
|
5 | Oswego, New York | Public | oswego.edu |
| Southern Illinois University |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Carbondale, Illinois | Public | siu.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Crookston, Minnesota | Public | crk.umn.edu |
| College of the Ozarks (C of O) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Point Lookout, Missouri | Private | cofo.edu |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Alva, Oklahoma | Public | nwosu.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College (Co-Lin) |
Associate's
|
3 | Wesson, Mississippi | Public | colin.edu |
| University of Wyoming (UW) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Laramie, Wyoming | Public | uwyo.edu |
| Huntington University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Huntington, Indiana | Private | huntington.edu |
| Morningside University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Sioux City, Iowa | Private | morningside.edu |
| Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Cape Girardeau, Missouri | Public | semo.edu |
| University of Nevada (UNR) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Reno, Nevada | Public | unr.edu |
| Ithaca College (IC) |
Master's
|
2 | Ithaca, New York | Private | ithaca.edu |
| Northeastern Junior College (NJC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Sterling, Colorado | Public | njc.edu |
| Emmanuel University |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Franklin Springs, Georgia | Private | ec.edu |
| Southwestern Community College (SWCC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Creston, Iowa | Public | swcciowa.edu |
| Empire State University |
Master's
|
1 | Saratoga Springs, New York | Public | sunyempire.edu |
| Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OPSU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Goodwell, Oklahoma | Public | opsu.edu |
| Northwest College (NWC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Powell, Wyoming | Public | nwc.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Agricultural Teacher Education programs
How much can I earn with a Agricultural Teacher Education degree?
Salaries for Agricultural Teacher Education graduates vary by role and location. Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $86,350 annually, while Education Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $72,090. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Washington average $87,134 compared to $52,450 in Hawaii. Approximately 297,590 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Agricultural Teacher Education programs?
Currently 62 accredited institutions offer Agricultural Teacher Education degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Florida (UF) (85 graduates), California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo (60 graduates), and California State University, Fresno (52 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Agricultural Teacher Education growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 971 in 2010 to a peak of 1,148 in 2020, before declining slightly to 1,051 in 2023-24. This represents a 8% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Agricultural Teacher Education degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, Education Teachers, Postsecondary, and Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School. Related occupations employ approximately 297,590 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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