How To Become An Agricultural Economist: What It Is and Career Path

What is an agricultural economist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Christopher Ball Ph.D.

An agricultural economist is an individual who uses modern analytical management tools to make business decisions for agribusiness firms.

Agricultural economists conduct financial analysis, develop marketing plans, and set up optimal production schedules in U.S. and international food and fiber firms. They often begin their careers in management or production operations or as sales representatives, then progressively take on increasing responsibility for decision-making.

They work primarily with agribusiness firms that provide things like feed, fertilizer, and seed. They also work heavily with companies that process and distribute agricultural products, rural banks, and wholesale or retail food-processing firms.

Most agricultural economists spend much of their work lives analyzing alternative decisions. They need to have knowledge and skills in areas like economic theory, mathematics, and finance. They should also have a good working knowledge of modern decision-making tools and basic computer skills.

To become an agricultural economist, you will need to have at least a bachelor's degree, preferably in an area like economics, mathematics, or business. Some companies may prefer candidates to have an advanced degree or a degree in a more specialized area, such as agricultural engineering.

What general advice would you give to an Agricultural Economist?

Christopher Ball Ph.D.

Director Central European Institute & Istvan Szechenyi Chair Associate Professor of Economics, Quinnipiac University

Economics is a broad, analytical, and generally more quantitative significant. Because it’s a social science that helps students understand nearly any field because they know all fundamental interactions between people in markets (supply and demand) or inside workplaces (incentives, optimal production, etc.). And because much of economics focuses on the market place (supply and demand), our majors have an understanding of the core principles involved in all business disciplines. As a result, I recommend our students aim for more quantitative jobs and those using more analysis. The specific field is less important, and I always recommend people seek employment in areas they like. When you enjoy something, you work harder, and you are more likely to succeed. Because economics forms the basis of so many things in business from the marketing to production to the management, economics majors tend to start similarly to other majors and then change trajectories and rise faster than other majors. A few years out and they are ideal for management because they can apply economic concepts to any area and learn the basics quickly.
However, if someone is quantitatively oriented and added a technical minor to the econ major like data science or something, then those students are in super high demand, COVID crisis or not. We still see them graduating with some of the highest starting salaries and having much higher wages just five years out than most other graduates. All the benefits of economics being analytical and quantitative combines well with those hardcore data skills to form a compelling combination.

ScoreAgricultural EconomistUS Average

Salary

5.6

Avg. Salary $71,697

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.3

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 16.46%

Black or African American 5.64%

Hispanic or Latino 10.39%

Unknown 5.54%

White 61.73%

Gender

female 24.66%

male 75.34%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

4.3

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.2

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an agricultural economist

Explore agricultural economist education requirements

Most common agricultural economist degrees

Bachelor's

50.8 %

Master's

38.1 %

Diploma

4.8 %

Start to develop specific agricultural economist skills

Skills	Percentages
Economic Analysis	23.01%
USDA	15.00%
Economic Data	13.30%
SQL	10.37%
Market Analysis	6.95%

Research agricultural economist duties and responsibilities

Manage, utilize, and archive database for commodities in assign areas.
Analyze banking/economic data and advise senior FDIC officials on potential risk to financial institutions.
Develop, specify, and test econometric models using time-series econometrics, panel-data econometrics, and limit dependent variable techniques.
Support the competition peer review, in which OECD analyzes the competition policy in Colombia and formulates some policy recommendations.

Prepare your agricultural economist resume

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Apply for agricultural economist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an agricultural economist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

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