How to Get an Online Agriculture Degree, Schools, Cost & Certifications

Online agriculture degree; Careers in agriculture constitute one of the largest industries and sources of long-term employment in the world today. The agricultural sector continues to offer job seekers ample career opportunities.

If you want to meet the growing demand for qualified professionals, then you need a proper education. With an agriculture degree, you can become a leader in this growing industry.

There are many schools that offer agricultural certifications. We will connect you to the top ten. As you carefully review your school options, you’ll definitely find a program that meets your needs and career aspirations.

What is Agriculture?

A lot of people limit Agriculture to being just farming(growing of crops). That is a small fraction of the Agriculture profession.

Agriculture, by definition, is a science that deals with the production of crops and the raising of animals for the purpose of providing food.

Agriculture has so many branches which include:

In the world today, agriculture acts as an important source of income for individuals, governments, and organizations. People resort to various agricultural practices, such as fishing and ranching.

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However, if you want to deal with agriculture at an advanced level, you may need to consider enrolling in an agricultural school.

Where Do Agriculturists Work?

Agriculture has varieties of options including Livestock and farming. Agriculturists who focus on-farm practices can work outside on fields, pastures, and also the botanical gardens.

Those into Livestock and breeding of animals can work in the Zoo or in research labs. Others work in universities and colleges, government departments or private entities, farming, and breeding associations.

 Additionally, earning an online agriculture degree can provide the credentials you need to pursue a wide range of careers, including, Agricultural business and finance, Production management, Agricultural product development, and Land and resource management.

Why Study Agricultural Science?

The world cannot function without people working in the agriculture and forestry sector.

However, with today’s technology, agricultural science is proven to be a high-level profession to consider and interesting to be involved in.

Veterinary medicine, food production, plant science, property management, environmental conservation, horticulture, and zoology courses are all areas you can explore in agriculture.

So, if you are considering taking a degree in agriculture, you are taking the right decision.

Studying agriculture in a place like the United State means that you’ll be working in an important industry that is both considered to be fast-moving and high-tech.

Similarly, the biotechnology sector offers various career paths for agriculture graduates Including the consultancy role at a large firm.

However, a position as an auditor or regulator in a biotechnological field ensures you as a potential candidate for another position.

Similarly, the biotechnology sector offers diverse career paths for agricultural graduates, including the consulting role of a large company.

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However, a position as an auditor or regulator in a biotechnological field ensures you as a potential candidate for another position.

Additionally, the agricultural profession creates an area of progress in many ways, ranging from business administration, agricultural journalism, data analysis, public recreation, social investigation, and many other areas.

Why Agricultural Online?

Distance learning is a study method that which the source of information and the students are separated by time and distance or both. Students can study most or all courses without attending a campus-based institution.

The online classroom in Agriculture uses a learning management system.

Communicate with the Instructor and other students via email, online forums, video conferencing, chat rooms, bulletin boards, instant messaging, and other forms of computer interaction.

During online classes, you receive your study materials, lectures, and assignments by email or some form of the file transfer system.

You can post course assignments through LMS by posting in discussion forums and posting assignments through the appropriate links.

Another option for online classes involves the use of an online proctoring service.

This helps monitor students during their work. It also enables certification candidates to take assessments away from campus and also gives schools confidence that students have honestly earned their degrees.

If you exhibit any form of fraud or misconduct, the service can alert the school. In addition, the tuition fees for distance education differ from one institution to another in the country.

How Can I Become A professional Agriculturist?

The first step in an agricultural career is to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Therefore, if you’re an ambitious agriculturist, you may need to register with an accredited institution.

However, to get the best out of this profession, you need to think about the best agricultural schools in the world, like Cornell University.

You’ll need to take classes in soil and plant science, chemistry, technical agriculture, farm mechanics, and livestock.

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Additionally, earning a bachelor’s degree in the field is a prerequisite for obtaining a professional certificate.

Therefore, as an ambitious agricultural consultant, it is advisable you take a course load heavy in natural sciences.

To be successful in agriculture, you can acquire basic skills and also learn about the principles of agricultural economics if you want to participate in agribusiness operations to solve problems effectively.

What Skills Do I Need To Be successful in Agricultural Science?

If you really want to get the most out of your agricultural career, then you need outstanding skills like good communication skills.

In addition to your degree, you must develop a strong interest in agriculture and the environment. Other skills necessary to become a successful farmer include;

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Now let’s get down to the list of online agricultural schools you can study from home.

10 Best Agriculture Schools In The World

We have created a list of top online agriculture degrees including Distance-learning master’s options. Courses in these categories may provide many opportunities for career advancement.

So, you can choose a school that fits your demands.

The basics of our selection of these schools are the ranking criteria and the number of Agricultural related programs offered by the schools.

However, we also consider factors such as quality of education, average earnings of graduates, accreditation, and several other relevant factors.

We got our data from reliable sources, testimonials, interviews, and also by contacting individual schools.

Below is the list of the schools, you will have to read further to get information on the various degree programs offered, tuition info, and program options for these schools.

1. Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University(OSU) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). It is one of the top-ranked online Master’s degrees in agriculture; the U.S.

News ranks Oklahoma State as the 149th best national university and the 120th best college for veterans.

The school is widely known as one of the best colleges of agriculture that offers a lot of agricultural research programs. The tuition is 1,984 EUR per year for each student.

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OSU offers Masters in Agricultural Education, Master of Agriculture in Agricultural Education, and Master of Agriculture in Agricultural Leadership. 

Online classes at OSU cost the same as on-campus courses at a rate of $223.30 per credit hour for residents of Oklahoma and $849.20 for non-residents.

There are also fees totaling approximately $250 each semester.

2. Southern Arkansas University

With a Tuition of $5,714, you can acquire one of the best online agriculture degrees.

Southern Arkansas University(SAU) offers an online master’s program is designed to prepare students to succeed in agricultural leadership and management positions and extension education.

Coursework covers topics in advanced leadership for agriculture professionals, adult education in agriculture, methods of organizing and teaching career orientation, and philosophy of agricultural education.

A total of 33 credit hours are required for completion of the program. 

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SAU also conducts research in multiple academic areas including agriculture. Although it is an on-campus program, all classes are available with an online option.

3. Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University offers three online degrees in Agriculture including Agriculture eLearning development, military land sustainability, and regulatory science in food systems.

Data from the US university ranking shows that Texas A&M University ranks #70 in the 2020 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities.

Its in-state tuition and fees are $11,232; out-of-state tuition and fees are $37,726.

4. University of Georgia

One of the top agricultural schools you can enroll in is the University of Georgia.

The University offers accredited online master’s in agriculture courses that are designed to prepare professionals to lead and teach about environmental, food, and social systems as related to agriculture.

In addition to academic programs, the University of Georgia ranks 61st best national university and the 50th best college for veterans by U.S. News.

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Also, the school offers $20,757 per year for 33 credit hours and participates in the Federal Work-Study and there are various loans available.

5. University of Florida

One of the top research and best colleges of agriculture is the University of Florida. The school started in 1853 and is the third-largest Institution in Florida.

More than 49,000 students enroll in 16 colleges and have access to over 150 research centers and institutes.

The University of Florida through the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences offers a low-cost Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Natural Resources. 

The institution’s research focuses on areas including the World food system, Climate change, and Energy.

Students at the University of Florida complete 16-week digital sessions on topics from Water Science to Agricultural Ecology.

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After the sixth semester, seniors complete full-time summer work experiences, such as White Stone Farms or the National Turkey Federation. It In-State Tuition is $3,876 and out-of-state is $16,580.

6. North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina A&T State University has a great college of agriculture with a wide selection of majors.

The school is the second-best online accredited university for agriculture science degree offerings with a $6,612 in-state price.

The College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences provides a B.S. in Agricultural Education for two online specializations.

7. Concordia University Wisconsin & Ann Arbor

Concordia University offers one of the best online agriculture courses including Product Development in Food and Beverage.

 The master’s program at the school is designed to provide skills from the beginning concept of a product to its management and marketing phases.

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The school is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission.

The online learning environment includes collaboration and hands-on applications. You can learn entrepreneurial skills while you gain knowledge in business, legal, and compliance matters – all essential to the Food and Beverage track.

8. Johns Hopkins University

Get an online agriculture degree from the prestigious Johns Hopkins University. Founded in 1876. The school offers a specialized master’s degree with the flexibility of AAP’s online options.

Programs available are Master of Science in Food Safety Regulation, Master of Science in Individualized Genomics and Health, and Masters in Regulatory Science.

Additionally, The school ranks 1st for Best Agriculture Colleges in Baltimore for 2020 and #46 for graduate employability ranking by Qs world rankings.

9. Purdue University

Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, Indiana.

It has 8 agricultural research stations and enables agriculture students to use modern technology to study emerging agricultural sub-disciplines like plant pathology, natural resources, and landscape architecture.

The College of Agriculture offers online degrees in master’s and doctoral programs with a tuition of $28,794. It also has four interdisciplinary programs including faculties and resources from other Purdue colleges.

The university has modern research facilities on-campus that enable students to use government grants to investigate topics like plant genetics and food security.

In addition to the school program, Purdue University maintained its position as one of the best schools for agriculture in the world.

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 Also, the institution ranked among the nation’s public universities and is 65th among all universities, according to U.S.News & World Report.

10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was established in 1867. The institution comprises 17 colleges and offers an online Bachelor’s and Masters of Science in agriculture.

The online options include the Master of Science in Agricultural Education, Master of Science in Crop Sciences.

Certificate & Diplomas options are Graduate Certificate of Professional Development in Crop Sciences, Urban Agriculture and, Graduate Certificate in Horticulture.

The unique thing about this Institution is that the College of ACES offers scholarships in the agricultural, consumer, and environmental sciences to the students.

Which Famous People Studied Agricultural Science?

There are many famous agriculture graduates around the world. George Washington Carver was an agricultural scientist who was the first head of the Department of Agriculture at Tuskegee.

He has developed techniques to add nitrogen to depleted soil.

Booker T Washington, an American teacher, also began his agricultural career at the Hampton Agricultural Institute, before beginning to direct the University of Tuskegee.

Norman Borlaug, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, studied at the University of Minnesota College of Agriculture. He is known to prevent mass starvation in India by developing dwarf wheat.

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How Much Do Agriculturist Earn?

Graduates of the agriculture program earn about $40,791 for their early career and $76,822 in their mid-career. 

However, data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the median annual wage for agricultural and food scientists was $64,020 in May 2018.

What is Agricultural Science Career Prospect?

Farms employ 15% to 20% of the workforce globally. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, $115 billion in agricultural goods were exported from the United States.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the overall employment of agricultural and food scientists will grow 7 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations.

Also, the employment of agricultural and food scientists is projected to grow as research into agricultural production methods and techniques continues.