by Maria M. Lameiras for CAES News

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) has ranked second on the 2021 list of Best Colleges for Agricultural Sciences in America, up one spot from the 2020 ranking.  

Released this month, Niche’s ranking is based on data from the U.S. Department of Education. According to the platform, the ranking “compares the top agricultural science degree programs including animal sciences, horticulture, aquaculture, agronomy, crop science and turf management.”

Other factors include test scores, the percentage of college majors, program demand, student and alumni surveys, expenditures per student, research expenditures and the percentage of total annual agricultural sciences graduates nationally that come from each program. 

CAES has a fall 2020 undergraduate enrollment of 1,456, and a graduate/professional student enrollment of 624, its highest graduate enrollment to date. Since 2017, graduate enrollment at CAES has increased 20.7%, and the college has 20,790 living alumni worldwide. CAES has nine academic departments with 21 majors and leads the nation in research in poultry science, food safety, entomology, plant breeding and cultivar development.   

Cornell University captured the top spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Agricultural Sciences list, and the University of Florida came in at No. 3.

Overall, UGA is ranked No. 11 on Niche’s 2021 list of Top Public Universities in America. 

About the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Founded in 1859, UGA CAES plays an integral role in UGA’s land-grant mission through its instruction, research and extension programs. Today CAES has campuses in Athens, Griffin and Tifton, seven research and education centers, five 4-H centers, and Cooperative Extension offices that serve each of Georgia’s 159 counties. For more information, see caes.uga.edu.Authors: