Opportunities abound for graduates with a B.S. degree or higher in the Plant and Soil Sciences. One out of every four graduates in the agriculture and food sciences will work for a federal, state, or local government agency. Federal agencies, such as the US Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) hires soil conservationists, soil scientists, agronomists, and plant scientists. The USDA–Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) hires agriculture science and plant science graduates to monitor and grade agricultural products. The USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) hires research oriented graduates who help solve environmental and agricultural problems with meaningful solutions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hires agriculture scientists to keep our environment clean for current and future generations. State agencies such as the Texas Agricultural Extension Service (TAES), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), (TCEQ), and Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) all hire our students for careers that impact our great State of Texas and the citizens within it. Many private companies seek out our graduates to promote agricultural products. Other companies seek out our graduates because they can speak intelligently about agricultural issues and promote their products, such as agricultural seed, crops, and equipment. Many of our students have vast entrepreneurial skills that are put into their own agriculture or horticulture businesses, or work in managerial positions at nurseries, farms and ranches.

Now is the time to explore the opportunities that await you in the Department of Agronomy & Resource Sciences. Here you will receive the right education at the right place at the right time of your life. Our students study what they enjoy and work in careers that pay them well for what they love.

Opportunities for satisfying careers in agriculture are tremendous, but it is up to the individual to make them as marketable in today’s job market as possible. One of the most effective ways to help your marketability is to maintain a high grade point average (GPA), typically at least a 3.0 out of a 4.0 scale is considered very good. Many federal and state agencies use GPA as selection criteria for employment. Your GPA can often dictate the level of your starting pay when offered the position. Another means of improving your marketability is to seek opportunities to gain field experience in your area of study. You will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty and we encourage you to seek out opportunities to perform research or assist them to gain ‘specialized skills’ in addition to your textbook education. Opportunities for “hands-on” training and working with student organizations/club are also available to you to improve your resume and strengthen your interpersonal skills. Our advice is to get involved and make yourself known, early on, to faculty and other students. Time is precious, so don’t waste it.

Research the latest salary data on agriculturally related positions at the Department of Labor website and search for Soil and Plant Scientists or other biological and life sciences related topics.