Agribusiness is the business aspect of agricultural production. The subject of agribusiness includes learning about agrichemicals, breeding, crop production, distribution, farm machinery, processing, and seed supply as well as marketing and retail sales. Several factors make agribusiness different from family farming.
First, the scale of farming is usually large. Second is the complex integration of the many various aspects of farming. Agribusiness is run like a true business with administrators working with farmers to sort out the complexities of the business.
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Best Online Degrees in Agribusiness
METHODOLOGY: At OnlineSchoolsCenter.com, we work diligently to provide you with the most informative data available from our sources. The below schools will be happy to assist you with additional information to help you choose the Best Online Bachelor of Agriculture Degree program that will fit your personality and academic needs.
The following schools have the best rankings across the board for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Agribusiness. The following 5 programs will serve as a stepping stone for those looking to be at the top of the Agribusiness industry. Due to the impressive program standouts of each school, they are listed below in no specific order, but based on:
- 100% online availability, offering flexibility and convenience for those maintaining jobs and family responsibilities,
- Programs designed to assist students in developing career and life skills in the field of Agriculture,
- Positive Job Placement rates after graduation,
- Prestige and notability as an online Agricultural school according to reputable journalistic and academic resources,
- Designed with two curriculum paths: Studies in Agricultural Science & Business-related courses in Economics, Marketing, and Accounting,
- Proper Accreditation,
- Field of experts that are researchers, as well as, educators in the field of Agriculture.
Please see our Methodology page for more information.
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Kansas State University
Online Master of Agribusiness
Program Standouts:
Kansas State University’s Master of Agribusiness Degree focuses on food, animal health, and agribusiness management. The degree is an award-winning, distance education graduate degree program that focuses on food, animal health, and agribusiness management. The courses in the Master of Agribusiness Degree are presented so that students integrate key concepts and immediately apply what they have learned. Students complete company-related projects in many courses, solving issues for their firms. The nature of the degree is enhanced by the interaction of students who are employed in all segments of the food, animal health, and agribusiness sector.
Campus Location: Manhattan, Kansas
Accreditation:
- Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Acceptance and Graduation Rates:
- Acceptance Rate: 94.1%
- Graduation Rate: 60.5%
Types of Aid: As of 2017, financial aid includes: federal and private loans; federal and state grants; institutional and external scholarship opportunities; military and veterans’ benefits. Not all students qualify for financial aid and/or grants.
Admission Requirements:
- Complete an application
- Professional letters of reference
- Transcripts
- Statement of objectives
- Letter of support from your employer
- Resume
Program Sample Courses:
- Agribusiness Financial Management
- Applied Agribusiness Economics
- Behavioral Management Theory
- Advanced Food and Agribusiness Management
Degree Outcomes:
Students who have earned a Master of Agribusiness degree from Kansas State University will have developed skills to:
- Approach problem solving combining analytical and quantitative tools
- Understand how to effectively utilize computer and information technologies
- Refine verbal and written communication skills to guide organizational change and manage a diverse workforce
- Identify opportunities for competitive advantage through strategic value chain analysis
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTER OF AGRIBUSINESS DEGREE AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
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Fort Hays State University
Online BS in Agricultural Business
Program Standouts:
Fort Hays State University offers a 100% online Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Business. This degree provides opportunities for students to develop their conceptual, technical, analytical, and communication skills related to their career in the agricultural industry. The goal of Fort Hays State University in providing the degree is to help students attain success in agriculture. Students may join the online program at any time during the year. A unique aspect of Fort Hays State University’s agriculture program is its university farm. The farm is almost as old as the institution itself, having begun in 1908. The college farm was used to raise income crops that supplemented the college budget and supplied food for the dining hall. It also served to train students to work on family farms. The farm still exists today and includes crop, beef, swine, and sheep divisions that give agriculture students hands-on experience as they pursue their degree programs.
Campus Location: Hays, Kansas
Accreditation:
- Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Acceptance and Graduation Rates:
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 73.1%
Types of Aid: As of 2017, financial aid includes: federal and private loans; federal and state grants; institutional and external scholarship opportunities; military and veterans’ benefits. Not all students qualify for financial aid and/or grants.
Admission Requirements:
- Complete the Kansas Qualified Admissions Pre-College Curriculum with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Meet one of the following test score requirements:
- ACT composite score of 21 or above
- SAT score 980 or above for tests taken before March 2016 or SAT score 1080 or above for tests taken March 2016 or after
- Rank in the top 1/3 of your high school’s graduating class
Program Course Sample:
- Farm Management
- Agricultural Finance
- Animal Science
- Agronomic Crop Science
- Chemist’s View of the World
Degree Outcomes:
- The graduates of FHSU’s Agricultural Business program have a 99% job placement rate and acquire jobs in all parts of the food, fiber, and fuel industries across the country.
- The average starting salary for FHSU agriculture graduates is around $44,000.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS AT FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY
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University of Northwestern Ohio
Online Bachelor of Agribusiness
Recommended Schools
Program Standouts:
The University of Northwestern Ohio’s College of Occupational Professions offers an online Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness to help students develop skills in the now worldwide industry of Agriculture. Their Agribusiness curriculum takes two approaches. First, the school focuses on agriculture. Students learn about topics such as agronomy, animal science, and future markets. Next, students move on to the second approach. This approach focuses on business, with courses in marketing, general business principles, and accounting.
Campus Location: Lima, Ohio
Accreditation:
- Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Acceptance and Graduation Rates:
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Graduation Rate: 42.6%
Types of Aid: As of 2017, financial aid includes: federal and private loans; federal and state grants; institutional and external scholarship opportunities; military and veterans’ benefits. Not all students qualify for financial aid and/or grants.
Admission Requirements:
- $20 Application Fee
- Online Application
Program Options:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with Agribusiness Management Concentration
- Associate Degree in Agribusiness Marketing/Management Technology
Degree Outcomes:
The education received in the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Agribusiness program can prepare students for the following careers:
- Farming
- Ranching
- Fertilizer Dealer
- Agricultural Managing
- Machinery, seed and chemical distribution
- Horticulture
- Purchasing Agent
- Land-use planner
- Food Processing
- Food Inspection
- Other related occupations
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BACHELOR OF AGRIBUSINESS DEGREE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN OHIO
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Colorado State University
Online BS in Agricultural Business
Program Standouts:
Colorado State University is committed to providing a successful agricultural program that grants its students’ success in the industry. CSU seeks to provide its agricultural students with an understanding of economics, technology, policy, and entrepreneurship. In its Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business, Colorado State University combines a skill set that neither an economics nor agricultural science degree could offer alone. The 100% online agribusiness degree gives tools that can be applied to private businesses or a number of different jobs within small to medium-sized organizations. Students will learn about the technical processes that drive business decisions. They will also gain agricultural knowledge and experience with agricultural science courses. The degree is offered through CSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences which has been thriving since its beginning in 1870.
Campus Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Accreditation:
- Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Acceptance and Graduation Rates:
- Acceptance Rate: 82.6%
- Graduation Rate: 66.4%
Types of Aid:
- Federal Financial Aid
- Scholarships
- Military Discounts
- Veterans’ Benefits
Admission Requirements:
- High school or equivalent graduation
- 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Online application
Program Options:
The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics also offers a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business which can be completed on campus in Fort Collins, CO.
Degree Outcomes:
Colorado State University prepares its students for a wide range of exciting options including careers with agricultural business firms in production, management, or sales.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
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University of Tennessee-Martin
Online BS in Agriculture/Agricultural Business
Program Standouts:
The University of Tennessee-Martin provides a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness that is 100% online. Students in this degree receive instruction in agricultural sciences, agricultural economics, accounting, finance, policy, marketing, and management. Students also learn how the economic system operates. Agriculture plays a significant role in the U.S. and global economy. The Bachelor of Agribusiness teaches students how to relate to this role. Also emphasized in this program is training related to the management phases of the agricultural industry and business.
Campus Location: Martin, Tennessee
Accreditation:
- Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Acceptance and Graduation Rates:
- Acceptance Rate: 61.5%
- Graduation Rate: 44%
Types of Aid: As of 2017, financial aid includes: federal and private loans; federal and state grants; institutional and external scholarship opportunities; military and veterans’ benefits. Not all students qualify for financial aid and/or grants.
Admission Requirements:
- Application
- Application Fee
- A composite score of 21 or above on the ACT or 980 SAT
- A cumulative high school grade point average of 2.7 or above
Program Sample Courses:
- Fine Arts
- Agricultural Economics
- Plant Science
- Accounting
Degree Outcomes:
Career opportunities are available in industries allied with:
- Agriculture
- Transportation, distribution, marketing, and processing of farm products
- Agricultural banking and farm credit agencies
- Farm real estate and land appraisal services
- Insurance
- Agricultural supply businesses and cooperative management
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE – AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS CONCENTRATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE-MARTIN
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Explain Agribusiness… Is it related to Agriculture?
If you combine the word “agriculture” and the word “business,” it translates into “agribusiness.” The field of agribusiness includes the use of modern technology to conduct agriculture practices, such as crop production, fertilization, seed supply, and the use of farming machinery, as well as, the distribution, marketing, and sales of agricultural products. To summarize, the term “agribusiness” covers every aspect and responsibility in the world of agriculture in general.
In addition, an agribusiness manager oversees livestock and herding, crop harvesting, and dairy production, in addition to, applying business principles such as, purchasing supplies, reviewing market conditions, and researching federal programs available to assist with each farmer’s needs. They must maintain all equipment, barns, and facilities, along with, accounting and human resource activities, such as keeping tax and employee records. They obtain insurance and make livestock appraisals. Careers in this field may include a farmer or a business professional who supports farming, or a combination of both.
How do I earn an online Bachelor of Agribusiness degree?
If you intend to excel in the field of agriculture, the online bachelor’s degree is the preferred degree by most employers. Through an online Bachelor of Agribusiness degree program, you will focus on microeconomics, marketing, finance, and accounting, as well as, agricultural policies, laws, and ethics. Other skills will include studies in soil science, horticulture, computer applications in agriculture, and plant science.
But can you earn a degree in agriculture through an online program? Typically, you can do your coursework online; however, in some instances, hybrid coursework is necessary, requiring students to attend on-campus classes. To truly hone your skills, you can expect to enter an internship opportunity to gather valuable real-world work experience. A capstone project may also be required. Upon graduation, you can expect to begin an entry-level position in the field of agriculture.
Also, through an online undergraduate program in agribusiness, you can often choose which concentration you would like to pursue as a career. Some specializations may include animal science, agricultural business management, nursery and greenhouse management, crop, dairy or poultry farming and management, or perhaps, aquaculture.
What kind of salary can I earn with an online Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness?
Depending on your area of expertise, your salary in the field of agribusiness will vary greatly. In May 2019, the BLS reported average salaries for “Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers” ranging from between $71,160 annually to upwards of $132,760 or more per year for the upper 10%.
As expected, salaries can vary greatly due to several factors, such as weather conditions, farm product prices, and the size of the farming operation. Government subsidies are often needed to complement a farmer’s salary. Although seasonal farming affects the wages of those who grow vegetable crops, livestock management is a year-round job responsibility, as animals require continuous care all year.
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