Agriculture, Water, & Environmental Technologies
Improve the wellness of the world by learning to nurture the health of plants, animals and the environment. This sector of study offers dozens of programs including sustainable farming practices, veterinary services, forestry conservation and keeping water safe for drinking. Because of agriculture’s importance in California, the industry employs more people than all other occupations combined.
Career paths & salary info (Median yearly salary)
- Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers $27,830
- Agricultural Equipment Operators $31,970
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $59,913
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers $39,727
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $40,804
SAMPLE OF LOCAL EMPLOYERS
- U.S. Forest Service
- Ocean Associates, Inc.
- LaBrucherie Produce
- Lynker Technologies
- Environmental Science Associates
- Snipes-Dye associates
Did you know?
- There are more than 45 certified farmers’ markets in San Diego County.
- More than 83% of students who graduated from the San Diego-Imperial community colleges’ Water and Wastewater Technology and Environmental Technology programs in 2016 attained living wages.
- Due to a shortage of agricultural workers in recent years, adoption of new technologies and processes have never been more prevalent on local farms. Many growers have large machine shops on their properties to fabricate and repair mechanical field equipment. Demand for occupations related to the fabrication and repair of mechanized equipment is expected to rise.
- According to the San Diego Farm Bureau, San Diego County has the 12th largest farm economy out of 3,000+ counties. Additionally, San Diego has more small farms (less than 10 acres) than any other county in the nation.
Programs & Schools
Imperial Valley College
APPLY- Agriculture Business for Transfer AS-T
- Apprenticeship-Hydro Operator
- Agriculture Plant Science
- Wastewater Treatment Specialization
- Water Treatment Systems Technology
MiraCosta College
APPLY- Irrigation Technology
- Landscape Architecture
- Nursery/Horticulture Crop Production
- Pest Control Adviser
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Sustainable Landscape and Turf Management
- Viticulture and Enology
Palomar College
APPLY- Getting Started with Drone Careers and Safety *
- Wastewater Technology Education
- Water Technology Education
- * Designates noncredit classes
San Diego City College
APPLY- Sustainable Urban Agriculture
- Urban Farming Professional
- Urban Gardening
- Organic Gardening for the Culinary Arts
Southwestern College
APPLY- Environmental Management
- Floral Design
- Golf and Turf Management
- Landscape Architecture
- Landscape Occupations
- Retail Nursery and Plant Production
- Sustainable Landscape Practices
Want to know more? Find the college and program that fuels your success.
student success story
Student Story: Christian Lopez
With little family support, Christian was working two shifts a day just to get by. Looking around his hometown, he saw how important the farming industry was in providing jobs that paid well. So, Christian started taking career education classes in agriculture, and is now choosing which job offer he will be accepting once he graduates. Watch now to get inspired by Christian’s story.
