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County extension agent education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a county extension agent. County extension agents usually study general education, specific areas, agriculture, or family and consumer sciences. 70% of county extension agents hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 252 real county extension agent resumes to see exactly what county extension agent education sections show.
The most common colleges for county extension agents are the Texas A&M; University and the Texas A&M; University.
There are also many online county extension agent courses to help get the education required to be a county extension agent.
What education do you need to become a county extension agent?
What degree do you need to be a county extension agent?
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 6%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a county extension agent?
- Agriculture, 14%
- Animal Science, 9%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for county extension agents
| County extension agent common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Texas A&M University | 18.00% |
| Tarleton State University | 13.00% |
| University of Kentucky | 6.00% |
| University of Georgia | 6.00% |
| West Texas A&M University | 6.00% |
Best majors for county extension agents
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Education, Specific Areas | 16.4% |
| 2 | Agriculture | 14.5% |
| 3 | Family And Consumer Sciences | 10.5% |
| 4 | Animal Science | 9.2% |
| 5 | Agricultural Business | 6.6% |
Best colleges for county extension agents
The best colleges for county extension agents are Cornell University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A county extension agent with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for county extension agents. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become county extension agents.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
3. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
4. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
5. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
6. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
7. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
9. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Lincoln, NE • Private
In-state tuition
$9,242
Enrollment
20,592
10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
20 best online courses for county extension agents
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Top 10 most affordable universities for county extension agents
The most affordable schools for county extension agents are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for county extension agents are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for county extension agents.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
7. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
8. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
9. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for county extension agents
The hardest universities for county extension agents to get into are Cornell University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for county extension agents are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for county extension agents based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
10. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for county extension agents
The easiest schools for county extension agents to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, gwynedd mercy university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a county extension agent without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for county extension agents.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
6. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
7. Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,072
8. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average county extension agent salary by education level
| County extension agent education level | County extension agent salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,697 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $44,523 |
| Doctorate Degree | $58,771 |
County extension agent education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025