10
Top-Paying Careers
Down on the farm
occupation
Average Entry-Level Experienced
Wage Wage Wage
Of course, farming is still a big part of the Agriculture, Food & Natural
environmental engineer $35.97 $22.87 $42.53 Resources cluster. “More than 14 percent of jobs in Texas are farming
conservation scientist $25.49 $17.49 $29.49
or farm-related,” notes Tim Knezek, curriculum specialist at Texas
purchasing agent and buyer, farm products $25.26 $13.23 $31.27
A&M University. “In rural areas of Texas,” he adds, “that percentage can
exceed 26 percent.” And even in farming, opportunities are far more
power plant operator $24.41 $18.52 $27.35
varied than growing food and raising livestock.
zoologist and wildlife biologist $23.10 $11.50 $28.91
“They run the whole gamut,” Knezek says, including agricultural
gas plant operator $22.70 $18.02 $25.04 commodity brokers, agricultural economists, embryo technologists,
farm, ranch, and other agricultural manager $20.40 $13.24 $23.98
and food and fiber engineers. “Even engineering applications
environmental engineering Technician $20.25 $13.00 $23.87
applying agriculture, including electrical engineering and
mechanical engineering,” he notes. “Agriculture is getting more
geological and petroleum Technician $19.11 $9.50 $23.91
involved in data management, dealing with global positioning
first-line supervisor of farming, fishing,
systems and geographical information systems. No matter what
and forestry workers
$18.76 $10.98 $22.65
students’ strengths are, they can find a niche in this cluster.”
This is a chart of hourly wages for 10 of the top-paying careers in the Agriculture, Food & Natural
Resources cluster in Texas. Note how entry-level wages are often much lower than pay for the average Big Business, Big Opportunities
worker and experienced workers in each profession. Source: Texas Workforce Commission.
Graduates won’t have to look very far for jobs, either. Texas is second in
the nation in agricultural producing states. The food, horticulture, and
fiber industry is the second-largest industry in Texas, generating $73
we have to do a better job of taking care of that resource, including billion a year, or about 9.5 percent of the total gross state product.
maintaining a safe and healthy water supply. Texas needs everything Job security is another major advantage to a career in this cluster.
from water monitoring technicians to welders who can lay pipelines. “Agriculture touches every aspect of our lives,” notes Todd Staples,
This is definitely an up-and-coming area. Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. “Our population is projected
Management of natural resources is also important to the tourism to double by the year 2060, and that
industry. Hunting is popular in Texas, says Matt Baker, professor will place enormous demands on
and chairman of the Department of Agricultural Education and the food, fiber, and horticultural
Communications at Texas Tech University. “In some parts of infrastructure. No matter if the
the state,” he points out, “the game population is as important economy is good or bad, people
economically as livestock on farms.” Professionals in environmental have to eat.” Career opportunities
protection help ensure that game populations remain stable. throughout the cluster are expected
Horticulture, including floral design and landscaping of to remain strong for at
residential lawns and gardens, is another popular area of study in least the next five
the cluster. “Turf grass is huge,” says Baker. Horticulture as a whole years, he stresses.
contributes almost $10 billion to the state economy each year and After all, he notes,
employs more than 200,000 Texans. “agriculture is life.”
Q
is Agriculture, food & natural resources the
U
right cluster for you? Take this quiz to find out.
Answer “yes” or “no” to the following questions.
I
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Z
do you like Are you good Are you do you like Are you do you like do you enjoy do you like Are you do you like
working with animals? organized? working with interested in working with gardening? hunting and interested camping?
outdoors? your hands? environmental tools and fishing? in biological
issues? machinery? sciences?

If you answered “yes” to five or more of the above questions, Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources may be
the right cluster for you. To get a more specific and scientific measurement of your attitudes and abilities,
ask your guidance counselor or teacher about taking a career assessment test or interest inventory.
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