Masters in Ranch Management College Degree

Texas A&M University is now the first university offering a masters degree program for Ranch Management. This degree requires standard graduate level business courses as well as studies in rangeland specialties, animal nutrition, and wildlife management.

One interesting example that is cited was the various students in the program using laptop computers that were strewn with lengthy calculations that was an equation for determining how to get the most beef from various pasture grass.

This program appears to be growing quickly. The first graduating class had 2 persons. The current class has 4 persons. And now there are 20 applicants for next year’s class (7 were accepted). The class size is intentionally kept small so that it remains an elite program and that all graduates are able to be placed for jobs.

Most of the studies occur at The King Ranch in Kingsville Texas at the Kingsville’s Institute for Ranch Management. It contains 825,000 acres and is the largest ranch in the United States. Salary estimates for graduates are currently in the $50,000 to $75,000 range to start, and are expected to climb.

This is an interesting concept, and something that I’d like to see in place for Kentucky Horse Farms. There is so much to know when it comes Kentucky farms and farming - that going to school for it makes sense. Horses are VERY important industry to Kentucky and making sure that we are at the forefront demonstrates that we are leaders in the horse industry to the rest of the world.