Also called: Ag Policy Economist, Food Economist
Studies farm markets, food prices, trade, and government programs to predict what will happen and advise decision-makers.
You build models forecasting next year's corn prices or how a new tariff will hit soybean farmers. You might brief members of Congress for the Farm Bill, write a USDA report that moves markets, or advise a big food company on supply risk.
Economists overall; ag-specialized roles are similar.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 8 years after high school. Master's for many government and industry roles; PhD for research and university jobs.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Agricultural Economics, Economics, Applied Economics.
Growing about average (about 4% over 10 years). Economists overall.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI drafts reports, runs models and sums up data fast, so fewer junior analysts; policy and market judgment stay human.
Classes: AP Economics, AP Statistics, AP Calculus, Agriculture science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-3011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.