Career Overview
Teach courses in the agricultural sciences. Includes teachers of agronomy, dairy sciences, fisheries management, horticultural sciences, poultry sciences, range management, and agricultural soil conservation. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also Known As
- Agriculture Professor
- Associate Professor
- Instructor
- Professor
Alternate Job Titles
- Adjunct Instructor
- Agribusiness Instructor
- Agribusiness Professor
- Agricultural Economics Professor
- Agricultural Education Professor
- Agricultural Engineering Technology Instructor
- Agricultural Science Professor
- Agricultural Science Teacher
- Agricultural Soil Conservation Professor
- Agriculture Instructor
- Agriculture Professor
- Agriculture Teacher
- Agronomy Instructor
- Agronomy Professor
- Agronomy Teacher
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Supervise laboratory sessions and field work and coordinate laboratory operations.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as crop production, plant genetics, and soil chemistry.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Biology
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Food Production
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Instructing
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Recognition
- Problem Sensitivity
- Fluency of Ideas
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Dependability
- Social Orientation
- Innovation
- Achievement Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Independence
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Doctoral Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Epic Systems
- Google Docs
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Carousel slide projectors
- Compact digital cameras
- Compact disk CD players
- Computer data input scanners
- Computer laser printers
- Computer projectors
- Conference telephones
- Desktop computers
- Digital calculators
- Digital video cameras
- Digital video disk DVD players
- Handheld microphones
- Interactive whiteboard controllers
- Interactive whiteboards
- Laptop computers
Work Environment
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $49,080 |
| Median | $86,350 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $160,870 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 8,700
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $87,710
Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
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Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $83,460
Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $77,280
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $101,390
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.