Agronomy major
Agronomy: courses, careers, and where to study
Agronomy applies soil science and crop science to managing field crops and the soils that feed them, training you to improve yield, plant nutrition, and land productivity.
Agronomy centers on the chemistry, physics, and biology that link field crops to the soils that nourish them. Coursework moves from soil formation, texture, and structure into nutrient cycling, soil pH and cation exchange, fertility management, and tissue and soil testing. Students study crop physiology and growth stages, plant breeding and variety development, seed quality, weed and pest pressure, and integrated approaches to managing them. Lab and field work involve soil sampling and lab analysis, plot trials, irrigation and drainage, tillage and cover-crop systems, and tools such as GPS-guided equipment, yield monitors, and GIS for site-specific management. Where Agricultural Science surveys crops, livestock, and food systems broadly, agronomy stays on row and forage crops and soils. Horticulture focuses on garden, nursery, and greenhouse crops, while Botany studies plant life and ecosystems as basic science rather than production fields.
Many students enter through a bachelor's degree in agronomy or crop and soil science, often with internships on farms, at seed and fertilizer companies, cooperative extension offices, or USDA agencies. Hands-on hires may start as crop scouts, lab technicians, or field agronomists and advance with experience and added coursework. A widely recognized credential is the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) program offered through the American Society of Agronomy, and the Certified Professional Agronomist designation; some states regulate fertilizer or pesticide recommendations, and applying restricted-use products typically requires a state pesticide applicator license. Graduate study supports research and breeding roles. Pay, demand, and the mix of fieldwork and analysis vary by region, crop, employer, and growing season, so a program is preparation for the field, not a guarantee of a particular role or salary.
In federal data for the closely related occupation of soil and plant scientists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $71,410 and projects employment to grow about 5.4% from 2024 to 2034; a bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Agronomy maps to CIP 01.1102, Agronomy and Crop Science, within the AGRICULTURAL/ANIMAL/PLANT/VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS family. The official definition:
A program that focuses on the chemical, physical, and biological relationships of crops and the soils nurturing them. Includes instruction in the growth and behavior of agricultural crops, the development of new plant varieties, and the scientific management of soils and nutrients for maximum plant nutrition, health, and productivity.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Agronomy is awarded as
Of the 1,186 Agronomy credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate8%97
- Associate6%70
- Bachelor's57%678
- Graduate29%341
CampusPin does not have enough states reporting this field to say whether the mix changes from state to state. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Soil science fundamentals: soil formation, texture, structure, water-holding capacity, and classification
- Soil fertility and plant nutrition: nutrient cycling, soil pH, cation exchange, and fertilizer recommendations
- Soil and plant tissue sampling and laboratory analysis to diagnose deficiencies
- Crop physiology, growth staging, and management of major row and forage crops
- Plant breeding, variety selection, seed quality, and trait development
- Integrated weed, insect, and disease management, including pesticide selection and label compliance
- Tillage, cover crops, crop rotation, and conservation practices for soil health and erosion control
- Irrigation, drainage, and water management for field crops
- Precision agriculture tools: GPS-guided equipment, yield monitoring, and GIS for site-specific management
Typical careers
- Agronomist
- Soil and plant scientist
- Crop consultant or field agronomist
- Crop scout
- Plant breeding or seed technician
- Certified Crop Adviser
Typical salary range: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 soil and plant scientists median $71,410).Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Agronomy, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | $87,980 | 85,500 | -1.3% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $59,330 | 8,500 | +2.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Agricultural Technicians | $46,790 | 2,900 | +4.3% | Associate's degree |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $71,410 | 1,700 | +5.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Farm and Home Management Educators | $58,120 | 1,100 | -2.5% | Master's degree |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $86,350 | 800 | +4.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 6 of these 6 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Agronomy does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Agronomy major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Agronomy program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Agronomy department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Agronomy program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Agronomy credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Iowa State UniversityIA · 108
- University of Nebraska-LincolnNE · 77
- West Texas A & M UniversityTX · 75
- Texas Tech UniversityTX · 63
- Kansas State UniversityKS · 57
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA · 49
- Pennsylvania State University-World CampusPA · 45
- North Carolina State University at RaleighNC · 40
- West Virginia UniversityWV · 40
- South Dakota State UniversitySD · 39
- California State University-ChicoCA · 33
- California State University-Monterey BayCA · 32
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Agronomy credentials were awarded
2 states have a distinct enough set of Agronomy colleges to be worth its own page.
Related majors
Agricultural Science
Agricultural Science studies how crops, livestock, and soils are produced and improved, for students who want to apply biology and chemistry to farming and food systems.
Horticulture
Horticulture applies plant science to growing garden, food, ornamental, landscape, and nursery crops, from propagation and breeding to greenhouse and field production.
Botany
Botany is the science of plant life and the plant-allied organisms and ecosystems tied to it, suited to students who want lab and fieldwork on how plants grow, evolve, and shape ecosystems.
Agribusiness
Agribusiness pairs farming and agricultural science with business management, preparing students to run the operations, finances, and markets that move food and crops from field to buyer.
Food Science
Food science applies chemistry, biology, and physics to how food is processed, preserved, and kept safe, suiting students who like lab work and want food to be their subject.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Agronomy degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Science & Research careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Education & Library careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Agronomy degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Agronomy path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.