Home Schools North Dakota State Agricultural Business
Agriculture · Agricultural Business Rank #7 of 77

Agricultural Businessat North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Graduates earn $59,953/yr in their first year — about 25.0% above the national Agricultural Business average. Base-case 10-year earnings $579K; scenarios range from $527K to $588K depending on AI disruption.

Fargo, ND Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
71 STRONG
72
Optimistic
64
Pessimistic
Earnings
$59,953
1-year post-graduation
ROI
15.3x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$579K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
50% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at North Dakota State

North Dakota State's strength in this field isn't just academic; it's geographic. Situated in the heart of the Red River Valley, one of the world's most productive agricultural regions, the program is deeply integrated with the industry that surrounds it. You won’t just be studying theory; you’ll be immersed in a world of large-scale commodity farming, precision agriculture technology, and global supply chains. This creates a powerful recruiting pipeline directly into major agribusiness firms like John Deere, Cargill, and CHS, which have significant operations nearby and value NDSU graduates. The curriculum prepares you for the complex financial and logistical challenges of modern, tech-driven agriculture, not just traditional farming. To stand out, focus your internships on ag-tech or commodity trading to build skills that are less susceptible to automation and position yourself for leadership.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$527K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score64/100
Earnings Multiple12.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$579K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple13.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$588K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple13.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to North Dakota State's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Agricultural Business graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Economics teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 1,200 openings/yr
$119,980/yr
Moderate
2
Economists
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 900 openings/yr
$115,440/yr
High
3
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
-1.3% 10-yr growth · 85,500 openings/yr
$87,980/yr
Moderate
4
Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary
+4.1% 10-yr growth · 800 openings/yr
$86,350/yr
High
5
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
+0.3% 10-yr growth · 114,800 openings/yr
$66,780/yr
High
6
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
-0.3% 10-yr growth · 144,500 openings/yr
$66,140/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Agricultural Business

How North Dakota State stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
70
DW Score
$92K
1-yr earn
3.9x
ROI
University of Nebraska at Kearney
NE · Public
71
DW Score
$61K
1-yr earn
17.9x
ROI
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
IL · Public
71
DW Score
$56K
1-yr earn
12.8x
ROI
University of Arkansas
AR · Public
70
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
16.2x
ROI
University of Maryland-College Park
MD · Public
72
DW Score
$53K
1-yr earn
17.0x
ROI
Also at North Dakota State

Other top programs at North Dakota State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at North Dakota State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Agricultural Business offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Agricultural Business trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Agricultural Business at North Dakota State

What does a 71/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Agricultural Business at North Dakota State University-Main Campus?

At 71/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Should I worry about AI if I study Agricultural Business at North Dakota State University-Main Campus?

The 48% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.