Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
This career area revolves around producing and developing agricultural commodities and resources like crops, livestock, and food products. If you like working with animals and wildlife or just getting your hands dirty, this could be the area for you! Careers span from Farmers to Food Scientists to Conservation Workers.
- This area employs around 3,067,000 people, about 2% of the entire workforce.
- By 2030, the projected number of jobs is set to increase by about 2.78%.
- The mean wage is $29.15 an hour or $47,418 annually.
There Are 7 Main Areas Or Pathways To Consider –
- Agribusiness Systems – Focuses on utilizing technology to increase profitability and efficiency for activities that contribute to the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing and development of agricultural commodities and resources.
- Animal Systems – Focuses on the growth and production of livestock. It involves the purchasing of products and animals to increase the value of the animals and to handle the waster matter that comes with the territory.
- Environmental Service Systems – Focuses on pollution control, waste disposal, and recycling by analyzing data and conducting quality control.
- Food Products and Processing Systems – Focuses on food production, maintaining the quality of food produced and the creation of new ways to meet consumer needs.
- Natural Resources Systems – Focuses on maintaining and protecting the natural environment and its resources through conservation efforts and developing new forests and habitats for plants and wildlife.
- Plant Systems – Focuses on growing crops and food to provide people with food. Genetic engineering and conserve natural resources are driving factors to maintaining these systems.
- Power, Structural and Technical Systems – Focuses on designing and maintaining machinery and equipment that assists with the production of food and animals, and aides in the conservation of the environment.
Industries In Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources –
- Animal Production – Comprised of organizations that raise animals for food or the sale of animal products on farms, ranches, and feedlots.
- Crop Production – Comprised of organizations that grow crops mainly for food and fiber on farms, orchards, or in greenhouses.
- Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping – Comprised of organizations that harvest fish and other animals from their wild and natural habitats.
- Forestry and Logging – Comprised of organizations that grow and harvest timber to sell, typically on a long production cycle of 10 plus years.
- Mining – Comprised of organizations that develop and operate mine sites where minerals are extracted and processed.
- Oil and Gas Extraction – Comprised of organizations that develop and operate oil drills and gas wells.
- Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry – Comprised of organizations that provide essential services that assist with the production of crops, animal goods, and timber.
- Support Activities for Mining – Comprised of organizations that provide essential services that assist with the site preparation and construction activities needed for the mining of minerals.
- Waste Management Services – Comprised of organizations that collect, remove, treat and dispose of waste materials and contaminated sites.
Careers in Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources –
| Job Title | Mean Hourly Wage | Projected Growth By 2030 | Minimum Education Required | Average Years Of School & Training | Average Debt From School & Training |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Food Science Technicians | $22.08 | 12.8% | Associate’s Degree | 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Agricultural Engineers | $48.86 | -1.7% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | $16.38 | -13.8% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Agricultural Workers | $16.51 | -11.5% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Animal Breeders | $21.12 | -21.6% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Animal Caretakers | $13.65 | 4.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Animal Scientists | $35.84 | 2.9% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Biological Scientists | $43.22 | 8.4% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Biological Technicians | $23.79 | 5.5% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | $34.80 | -4.3% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Environmental Engineers | $46.58 | 10.0% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Fallers | $23.81 | 5.8% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | $21.81 | 13.3% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Farm Labor Contractors | $24.18 | 5.6% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | $36.93 | 7.5% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $14.49 | -11.1% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aqua cultural Animals | $14.93 | -14.8% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $26.16 | -10.8% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Fishing and hunting workers | $13.72 | -9.7% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | $38.55 | 7.9% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Forest and Conservation Technicians | $20.57 | 9.0% | Associate’s Degree | 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Forest and Conservation Workers | $16.11 | -6.4% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Foresters | $31.73 | 8.3% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Geological and Hydrologic Technicians | $29.39 | 8.1% | Associate’s Degree | 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | $14.24 | -9.5% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Hazardous Materials Removal Workers | $23.64 | 10.3% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Log Graders and Scalers | $18.72 | 24.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Logging Equipment Operators | $20.95 | 38.6% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Logging Workers | $20.11 | 6.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $74.49 | 3.2% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Pest Control Workers | $19.40 | 12.3% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation | $18.81 | -1.0% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $35.12 | 6.7% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $24.95 | 13.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $33.90 | -12.4% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
Resources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, https://www.bls.gov/oes/2020/may/oes_nat.htm.” Accessed December 13, 2021.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Projections and Worker Characteristics, www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm.” Accessed December 13, 2021.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh” Accessed December 13, 2021.
