The Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources and the Environment report examines the U.S. job market for graduates with expertise in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment. The 2025-30 report estimates the number and types of annual employment opportunities, the supply of qualified graduates and the factors likely to affect the workforce through 2030.
The report is the 10th in a series of five-year employment projections initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1980.
FARNRE stands for food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment. The term represents a broad range of industries and careers, including agriculture, food science, agribusiness, engineering, natural resources, conservation, education, communication and government.
The report projects an average of 104,766 employment opportunities annually in the United States from 2025 to 2030. These opportunities span food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment.
Researchers from Purdue University and Kansas State University conducted the 2025-30 Employment Outlook study with guidance from an advisory panel representing higher education, government and the agriculture workforce. The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
The report organizes employment opportunities into four broad career fields:
- Business and management: 42,855 annual openings, or 41%
- Science and engineering: 22,298 annual openings, or 21%
- Education, communication and governmental services: 19,888 annual openings, or 19%
- Food and biomaterials production: 19,725 annual openings, or 19%
The 2025-30 projections combine employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with large-scale job-posting data. Researchers used job postings to identify which occupations apply to food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment.
The report is generally published every five years and provides projections for the upcoming five-year period. The 2025-30 report is the 10th report in a series initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1980.
Business and management is the largest career area in the 2025-30 Employment Outlook report. It accounts for approximately 42,855 annual openings, or 41% of all projected employment opportunities in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment.
You may cite data, projections and other findings from the 2025-30 Employment Outlook report. Use the following recommended citation:
APA style:
Wilson, C. A., Akridge, J. T., Brewer, B. E., Martin, S. S., & Strine, J. L. (2025). Employment opportunities for college graduates in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment: United States, 2025–2030. Purdue University. https://www.purdue.edu/usda/employment/
Suggested in-text citation
(Wilson et al., 2025)
The 2025-30 report includes graduates with associate, bachelor’s, graduate and professional degrees. Approximately 90% of the 104,766 projected annual employment opportunities are expected to require at least an associate degree.