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Extension agent education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an extension agent. Extension agents usually study biology, environmental science, or business. 76% of extension agents hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 642 real extension agent resumes to see exactly what extension agent education sections show.
The most common colleges for extension agents are the University of Florida and the University of Florida.
There are also many online extension agent courses to help get the education required to be an extension agent.
What education do you need to become an extension agent?
What degree do you need to be an extension agent?
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Master's, 16%
- Associate, 5%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an extension agent?
- Biology, 11%
- Business, 7%
- Animal Science, 7%
- Other Majors, 65%
Most common colleges for extension agents
| Extension agent common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Florida | 8.70% |
| West Virginia University | 7.83% |
| University of Georgia | 7.83% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 6.96% |
| Auburn University Main Campus | 6.09% |
Best majors for extension agents
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 11.5% |
| 2 | Environmental Science | 9.8% |
| 3 | Business | 7.2% |
| 4 | Animal Science | 7.2% |
| 5 | General Education, Specific Areas | 6.6% |
Best colleges for extension agents
The best colleges for extension agents are Cornell University, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, and University of Maryland - College Park.
An 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 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 extension agents.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
3. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
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. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
7. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
8. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
9. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Lincoln, NE • Private
In-state tuition
$9,242
Enrollment
20,592
10. Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$9,080
Enrollment
30,795
20 best online courses for extension agents
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Top 10 most affordable universities for extension agents
The most affordable schools for extension agents are University of Florida, brigham young university, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.
If the best universities for 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 extension agents.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
4. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
9. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
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 extension agents
The hardest universities for extension agents to get into are Cornell University, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, and University of Maryland - College Park.
Some great schools for 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 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. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
3. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
4. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
5. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,365
6. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
8. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,362
9. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,337
10. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,345
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for extension agents
The easiest schools for extension agents to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, university of the incarnate word, and texas woman's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an 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 extension agents.
1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
2. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
3. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
4. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
5. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
6. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
7. Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
79%
SAT average
1,075
8. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
9. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
10. Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,062
Average extension agent salary by education level
| Extension agent education level | Extension agent salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,698 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $44,576 |
| Doctorate Degree | $58,749 |
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