Best Online Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture Degree Programs

Badge for BEST ONLINE BACHELOR'S IN AGRICULTURE & AGRIBUSINESS

Published: Sep 17, 2021
Updated: Feb 7, 2024

Find top-ranked online bachelor’s in agribusiness and agriculture degree programs for students wanting to work in fields like farming and ranching, farm real estate appraisal, food brokering, and landscape contracting.

Top 10 Online Bachelor's in Agriculture and Agribusiness

State University of New York at Oswego
North Carolina A&T State University
Murray State University
Austin Peay State University
Arkansas Tech University
Illinois College
Iowa Wesleyan University
University of Tennessee at Martin
Chadron State College
University of Mount Olive

State University of New York at Oswego
Murray State University
Illinois College
University of Tennessee at Martin
North Carolina A&T State University
Central Methodist University
Austin Peay State University
Chadron State College
Iowa Wesleyan University
Arkansas Tech University

Central Methodist University 98%
State University of New York at Canton 95%
Austin Peay State University 94%
Arkansas Tech University 94%
Greenville University 94%
University of Tennessee at Martin 88%
Murray State University 84%
State University of New York at Oswego 83%
Iowa Wesleyan University 81%
Illinois College 77%

North Carolina A&T State University 19 to 1
Arkansas Tech University 18 to 1
State University of New York at Canton 18 to 1
Oklahoma Panhandle State University 17 to 1
Murray State University 16 to 1
Chadron State College 16 to 1
University of Mount Olive 16 to 1
State University of New York at Oswego 16 to 1
University of Tennessee at Martin 15 to 1
Austin Peay State University 14 to 1

Doane University $38,990
Illinois College $36,346
Iowa Wesleyan University $34,700
Greenville University $30,548
Central Methodist University $27,140
University of Mount Olive $23,591
University of Tennessee at Martin $8,378
Murray State University $8,196
Chadron State College $7,834
State University of New York at Canton $7,070

University of Mount Olive $18,300
State University of New York at Oswego $11,310
University of Tennessee at Martin $9,278
Murray State University $9,144
Illinois College $9,000
Greenville University $8,784
Doane University $8,743
Austin Peay State University $8,226
Iowa Wesleyan University $6,420
Oklahoma Panhandle State University $5,520

Doane University
State University of New York at Canton
Greenville University
Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Central Methodist University
University of Mount Olive
Chadron State College
University of Tennessee at Martin
Iowa Wesleyan University
Illinois College

Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Greenville University
State University of New York at Canton
Doane University
University of Mount Olive
Arkansas Tech University
Iowa Wesleyan University
Chadron State College
Austin Peay State University
Central Methodist University

North Carolina A&T State University 56%
University of Mount Olive 75%
Doane University 76%
Illinois College 77%
Iowa Wesleyan University 81%
State University of New York at Oswego 83%
Murray State University 84%
University of Tennessee at Martin 88%
Greenville University 94%
Arkansas Tech University 94%

Doane University 10 to 1
Illinois College 12 to 1
Greenville University 12 to 1
Central Methodist University 13 to 1
Iowa Wesleyan University 13 to 1
Austin Peay State University 14 to 1
University of Tennessee at Martin 15 to 1
Murray State University 16 to 1
Chadron State College 16 to 1
University of Mount Olive 16 to 1

North Carolina A&T State University $3,540
Oklahoma Panhandle State University $3,840
Arkansas Tech University $5,820
Austin Peay State University $6,816
State University of New York at Canton $7,070
State University of New York at Oswego $7,070
Chadron State College $7,834
Murray State University $8,196
University of Tennessee at Martin $8,378
University of Mount Olive $23,591

Chadron State College $4,650
North Carolina A&T State University $4,745
Arkansas Tech University $5,481
Oklahoma Panhandle State University $5,520
Iowa Wesleyan University $6,420
Austin Peay State University $8,226
Doane University $8,743
Greenville University $8,784
Illinois College $9,000
Murray State University $9,144

Key Takeaways

An agribusiness degree (a business related to agriculture) plays a crucial role in growing and sustaining the farming and agricultural sectors.
Offering agricultural knowledge, the field of agribusiness offers you some of the most rewarding career options, including livestock and farm management, agricultural and rural policy, commodity marketing, economic development, and foreign trade. It is also one of the most popular degrees for animal-loving students.
Agricultural students and agribusiness students are well-versed in the latest farming techniques and technologies to improve production and yield.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Why An Online Agribusiness and Agriculture Bachelor’s Program Is Ideal For You

Agribusiness is any business that is related to agriculture. Farms are classic examples of agribusiness. But how do you look at agribusiness in the bigger picture? The salespeople or the tractor brand are in agribusiness, as are veterinarians and chemists.

Understanding agriculture deeper is the starting point to comprehending what agribusiness management is. Agriculture involves crops and animal science, and is often related to farming, although it involves other things than farming.

Agribusiness is also seen as one entire business of farming—from planting to harvesting to distributing, and embraces the principles of business management.

Choosing the Right Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture

There are levels of degrees in an agriculture program. You can earn a certificate in a specific area of agriculture from an accredited junior college that you can complete in roughly a year or two. Some four-year schools offer this as well. Beyond that, you can opt for a BA or Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture (on-campus or online), a traditional four-year college program.

An on-campus or online bachelor’s degree in agribusiness and agriculture is more focused on management and other areas of agriculture other than farming. An Agriculture degree program focuses on business, while others emphasize the management of farming operations.

The agribusiness online program includes science courses such as involve livestock management, agricultural industry, agricultural economics, microeconomics, food and marketing, research, and statistics.

Online Bachelor’s Degree Program in Agribusiness and Agriculture Careers

Agronomy Salesperson: You need to have intensive business knowledge and thorough know-how of agricultural processes. Agronomy salespersons are hired as crop specialists (e.g., corn or potato) in a specific area or region.

They help farmers in the agribusiness industry by giving them specialized services to boost their crop production yield. For instance, they provide soil quality analysis. They can also help livestock and grain buyers and commodity purchasing agents make informed decisions when buying supplies like grains, seeds, fertilizer, and large farming equipment.

Renewable Energy Analysts: These professionals help farmers switch and adapt to more sustainable farming alternatives and practices, such as using renewable energy (solar energy).

Renewable energy analysts calculate the energy efficiency of machinery, systems, and equipment and analyze how farms can utilize these energies. From the information gathered, they can help farmers create and operate sustainably by making energy models for structures and even suggesting process or system improvements and technical assistance.

Agricultural Managers: Graduates of the online bachelor of agribusiness and agriculture can become agricultural managers. Whether you are self-employed or you prefer to work within a bigger industrial setup, you carry the critical task of ensuring the food supply by making sure food and agricultural production sites are constantly running smoothly.

Dairy Economists: Dairy economists monitor and forecast dairy and milk prices, develop and suggest policies that benefit the dairy industry, and check dairy trade on a local to global local scale. Dairy farmers strongly rely on dairy economists, especially on milk production outlook, forecast of daily prices, and projection of dairy sales in the coming years.

Agricultural Operations Specialists: These professionals often go hand in hand with agriculture managers, providing general assistance in a farm’s day-to-day operations. They may be assigned to work on farms, ranches, or laboratories. Agriculture operations specialists must provide hands-on support in crop analysis, staff supervision, or managing individual tasks.

Agricultural Accountants: These professionals are experts at budgeting, record-keeping, and analysis. They are usually employed at insurance companies and agricultural lending banks. Their services are also invaluable for maintaining an agricultural business’s fiscal health.

Agricultural accountants have strong knowledge and background in accounting, mathematics, economics, and agricultural operations. They help farms in different areas, such as providing recommendations for updating and improving systems, minimizing a farm’s tax liability, updating systems, bookkeeping, tax compliance, funding documentation, and VAT administration.

To become an agricultural accountant, complete an online degree program in business administration, accounting, or agricultural business. It also helps to have experience working on a farm, especially balancing books or keeping records.

Agricultural and Agribusiness online education isn’t always expensive. There are financial aid options and the ROI is a strong point, with numerous career opportunities in agricultural business firms.

Frequently Asked Questions About Finance Degrees

Students interested in studying business, economics and marketing in the context of agriculture, food production and animal sciences can earn their bachelor’s degree in agribusiness either online or on campus.

This four-year degree usually consists of about 120 credits and offers courses in topics like microeconomics, agribusiness entrepreneurship, finance, real estate appraisal, management, horticulture, and soil and crop sciences. Students will also study leading agricultural technology and current best practices.

Graduates will qualify to work in fields like farming and ranching, farm real estate appraisal, food brokering, and landscape contracting.

Learn more about how to major in business.

How do we determine the best online agribusiness and agriculture bachelor's degree programs?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Agribusiness Degree

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Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $9,783
Avg. Expenses*: $15,473
Avg. Starting Salary*: $44,744
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $55,391
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 10 years
Job Growth: -4.49%
Number of Jobs: 933,000
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Economists	6.25%	$108,366
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary	4.05%	$104,688
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary	3.96%	$85,519
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers	-4.58%	$78,815
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	0.68%	$61,950
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers	-5.16%	$58,638
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers	2.65%	$56,120
Computer User Support Specialists	4.99%	$54,237
Farm and Home Management Educators	-2.06%	$52,633

Average Career Salaries

Bottom 10%	Median	Top 10%
$44,985	$73,730	$117,944

Promising Job Markets

State	Cost of Living	Avg. Salary
#2 Michigan	15% higher than average	$91,266
#3 Indiana	11% higher than average	$93,044
#4 Alabama	13% higher than average	$84,245
#5 Georgia	13% higher than average	$82,737
#6 Tennessee	14% higher than average	$78,051
#7 North Carolina	11% higher than average	$80,241
#8 Illinois	7% higher than average	$83,527
#9 Kansas	9% higher than average	$81,426
#10 Idaho	7% higher than average	$78,306
#11 North Dakota	average	$84,046
#12 Montana	3% higher than average	$78,914
#13 Missouri	16% higher than average	$66,817
#14 Texas	10% higher than average	$71,180
#15 Minnesota	4% higher than average	$75,018
#16 Pennsylvania	5% higher than average	$74,345
#17 Arkansas	16% higher than average	$65,785
#18 California	26% higher than average	$96,541
#19 Washington	7% higher than average	$81,978
#20 Ohio	14% higher than average	$65,808
#21 Iowa	9% higher than average	$69,331
#22 New York	5% higher than average	$78,785
#23 South Carolina	8% higher than average	$68,813
#24 Nebraska	6% higher than average	$70,189
#25 Oregon	11% higher than average	$82,614
#26 Louisiana	9% higher than average	$67,319
#27 New Mexico	7% higher than average	$69,018
#28 Wisconsin	7% higher than average	$68,894
#29 Kentucky	14% higher than average	$61,924
#30 Arizona	5% higher than average	$68,702
#31 Mississippi	18% higher than average	$59,040
#32 Virginia	5% higher than average	$68,070
#33 New Jersey	13% higher than average	$80,372
#34 Maine	9% higher than average	$75,890
#35 Utah	4% higher than average	$66,059
#36 New Hampshire	13% higher than average	$76,843
#37 Oklahoma	13% higher than average	$58,433
#38 Massachusetts	24% higher than average	$82,506
#39 Delaware	2% higher than average	$67,831
#40 Colorado	3% higher than average	$68,295
#41 Maryland	18% higher than average	$76,900
#42 Connecticut	18% higher than average	$76,489
#43 Florida	6% higher than average	$60,730
#44 Vermont	13% higher than average	$72,412
#45 South Dakota	7% higher than average	$58,470
#46 West Virginia	11% higher than average	$55,141
#47 District of Columbia	49% higher than average	$90,060
#48 Rhode Island	20% higher than average	$68,913
#49 Wyoming	2% higher than average	$54,342
#50 Nevada	5% higher than average	$57,281
#51 Alaska	23% higher than average	$61,032
#52 Hawaii	40% higher than average	$66,594

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Economists	$108,366
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary	$104,688
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary	$85,519
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers	$78,815
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	$61,950
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers	$58,638
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers	$56,120
Computer User Support Specialists	$54,237
Farm and Home Management Educators	$52,633

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Not sure what you want to study? Check out our rankings of the best online bachelors degrees in music, Christian counseling, or strategic communications.

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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Best Online Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture Degree Programs

Top 10 Online Bachelor's in Agriculture and Agribusiness

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Why An Online Agribusiness and Agriculture Bachelor’s Program Is Ideal For You

Choosing the Right Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture

Online Bachelor’s Degree Program in Agribusiness and Agriculture Careers

Frequently Asked Questions About Finance Degrees

Why get a bachelor’s in agribusiness?

What courses are taken while getting a bachelor’s in agribusiness?

What can you do with a bachelor’s in agribusiness?

Best Online Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at State University of New York at Oswego

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at North Carolina A&T State University

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Murray State University

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Austin Peay State University

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Arkansas Tech University

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Illinois College

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Iowa Wesleyan University

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Concentrations

Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at University of Tennessee at Martin

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Concentrations

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Chadron State College

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at University of Mount Olive

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Central Methodist University

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Concentrations

Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Oklahoma Panhandle State University

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Greenville University

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at State University of New York at Canton

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Career Outlook for Agribusiness degree at Doane University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Students with Agribusiness Degree

Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Career Salaries

Average Career Salaries

Promising Job Markets

Top Industries

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier than campus-based college?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

Will I be able to transfer my online college degree?+

Will employers respect my online degree?+

What are the disadvantages of online classes?+

What are the advantages of online classes?+

Resources for Online College-Bound Students