Q&A About Agribusiness

All about Agribusiness

1. How does the agribusiness program differ from programs in business administration or economics?
The difference can be summed up in one word: diversity. While it’s true that Agribusiness graduates will have fewer classes in accounting and management than BA graduates, and fewer classes in economics than economics majors, our graduates will have the best balance of the wide array of courses in disciplines identified by business and government as essential to their operations. Those majoring in business will be limited in their ability to move across disciplines. They may be well prepared for management and accounting, but unprepared for other areas of work. Economics majors are strongly focused on traditional economics, yet, are lacking in marketing, business analysis, agricultural sciences, management, policy and law.

2. What sort of job might I expect when I graduate?
Our graduates find employment in many different fields, including, but not limited to: international trade economist, statistical analyst, regional manager, marketing analyst, production manager, sales representative, financial analyst, agricultural economist, etc.

3. What sort of starting salary might I expect when I graduate?
Starting salaries vary greatly and depend on job market conditions and the student’s GPA, experience etc. They generally range from as low as $30,000 to as high as $50,000. Obviously, graduates with higher grades will expect to earn a higher starting salary. Internships and other work related experience could contribute greatly to a higher starting salary.

4. What about graduate school?
The College of Agriculture and Food Sciences offers a Masters of Agriculture degree with an option to major in Agribusiness. If you are interested in research, a graduate degree is a must. Our graduate students are working with faculty to help solve many exciting and relevant problems related to agriculture and natural resources. For example, recently our students have determined the economic impact of swine odor on neighborhoods. They have also evaluated the effectiveness of loan programs targeted at small entrepreneurs and are measuring the environmental costs of nitrogen applied to tomatoes. Several of our graduate students have gone on to other major universities to earn their Ph.D.s.

5. In addition to the different curriculum, what else can the Agribusiness program offer me that is different than the business school or the economics program?
The Agribusiness program is small and personal. Presently, there are fewer than 40 students in the program. The student to advisor ratio is no more than 20 to 1. Class size for courses in Agribusiness are generally 8 to 15 students. This means students are not simply a number or another faceless transcript to the faculty. We believe this is a significant positive contribution to a rewarding college experience.