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Job outlook for agricultural economists in the United States
Are agricultural economist jobs in demand?
Agricultural economist job and salary trends over time
Agricultural economist jobs over time
Agricultural economist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 230 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 257 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 279 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 274 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 287 | 0.00% |
Average agricultural economist salary over time
Agricultural economist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $71,697 | $34.47 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $69,493 | $33.41 | +0.7% |
| 2024 | $69,044 | $33.19 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $67,819 | $32.61 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $66,866 | $32.15 | +1.9% |
Agricultural economist jobs by state
Most common states for agricultural economists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 39 | 6% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 54 | 1% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 45 | 1% |
| 4 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 11 | 1% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 8 | 1% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 5 | 1% |
| 7 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 5 | 1% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 4 | 1% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 4 | 1% |
| 10 | California | 39,536,653 | 94 | 0% |
| 11 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 30 | 0% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 28 | 0% |
| 13 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 28 | 0% |
| 14 | New York | 19,849,399 | 24 | 0% |
| 15 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 12 | 0% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 11 | 0% |
| 17 | Delaware | 961,939 | 3 | 0% |
| 18 | Vermont | 623,657 | 2 | 0% |
| 19 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 1 | 0% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 0 | 0% |
Most common cities for agricultural economists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coconut Creek | 2 | 3% | $44,176 |
| 2 | North Port | 1 | 2% | $45,569 |
| 3 | Tallahassee | 1 | 1% | $45,245 |
Agricultural Economist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of agricultural economist experts
California State University - Los Angeles
California Institute of Technology
New Mexico State University
University of Missouri- Kansas City
Quinnipiac University
What will help Agricultural Economists increase their earning potential?
Niraj Koirala: The field of economics is dynamics as economies always have new economic issues. With new economic issues, new research methods are developed empirically and theoretically. Reading journals and attending economics seminars always help to sharpen students' economics knowledge. In addition to reading journals and attending conferences, developing networks with professionals in the field is always a good idea to improve oneself in the field.
Nano Barahona
Assistant Professor of EconomicsCalifornia Institute of Technology
Business/Managerial Economics
What will help Agricultural Economists increase their earning potential?
Nano Barahona: Academic economists typically engage in activities related to research, teaching, and advising students. Out of academia, an economist can perform activities such as data analysis, research, forecasting, report writing, consultation, and teaching. They spend a lot of time collecting and interpreting data using statistical tools, conducting research on economic issues, developing economic models to understand underlying mechanisms, and advising businesses and governments on economic strategies. For someone entering the field, the daily tasks might include data collection, conducting preliminary data analysis, reviewing existing literature to support ongoing projects, providing administrative support to senior economists, and participating in training sessions to improve technical skills.
What Agricultural Economist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Minghao Li: Linkedin profile (if you have one), Your first and last name, Title, University website
Professor Michael Leeds
Professor of Economics and Director of Undergraduate StudiesWhat general advice would you give to an Agricultural Economist?
Professor Michael Leeds: An Economics degree opens many doors. The one you open might not be the one for you. A first job is not a lifetime commitment. Take pride in your work but be open to change.
What Agricultural Economist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Michael Leeds: I would turn this on its head and tell them that salary is not everything. Luckily, Econ majors are capable of obtaining jobs that are well-paying and meaningful. That means that our graduates have the chance - and should - strike a balance between the two. I've seen students go for high-paying jobs, only to come back after a few years to tell me how miserable they are. Students should take salary, the alignment of the job with their personal values, and the ability to balance the demands of their job with their personal and family needs. Again, not all majors allow you to do this!
Dr. Erik Olsen Ph.D.
Department Chair, Associate ProfessorUniversity of Missouri- Kansas City
College of Arts and Sciences
What Agricultural Economist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Erik Olsen Ph.D.: Job applicants with competency with a programming language like R, SAS, STATA, etc. can command a premium.
What general advice would you give to an Agricultural Economist?
Christopher Ball Ph.D.: 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.