Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics

What Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics does

The Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics is an academic department within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a public land-grant research university in Blacksburg, Virginia. The department was founded as part of the college's agricultural and life sciences mission and serves prospective undergraduate students (250+ enrolled), graduate students (50+ enrolled), industry partners, and the Virginia agricultural community through Virginia Cooperative Extension. It maintains a 2,500+ alumni network and is ranked in the top 10% worldwide for agricultural economics.

The department's core offerings include undergraduate and graduate degree programs (including a Ph.D. program, an on-campus master's, and the Online Master of Ag and Applied Economics priced at $1,139 per credit hour for a 30-credit asynchronous curriculum delivered via Canvas) alongside three operating centers: the Center for Agricultural Trade, the Kohl Centre at Virginia Tech (experiential learning and industry partnerships), and the Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education. Supporting programs include the Data Science for the Public Good (DSPG) summer research initiative, the Agri-Food Finance Fellows program, the Bridge Experience Program, the Commodity Investing by Students (COINS) student-managed commodity fund, and the Income Tax School extension. Research spans international development and trade, environmental and natural resource economics, agribusiness and risk management, food and health economics, and rural and regional development.

Revenue is not published in commercial-entity terms; the department is funded through Virginia Tech institutional budgets, Commonwealth of Virginia appropriations, federal grants (USDA, NASA, DOE), private donations, and tuition. Faculty research emphasizes econometric analysis, data analytics, remote-sensing applications, and economic modeling for agricultural policy and trade. The department reports 41 faculty members, 26 staff, and active engagement with state and national agricultural commodity boards, NASA Harvest, and international academic partners including Nankai University and Nanjing Agricultural University.

Name

Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics

Legal name

Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics

Website

https://aaec.vt.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics is an academic unit within a public land-grant university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and online master's programs in agricultural economics while operating research centers on trade policy and experiential learning for students, farmers, and industry partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Agricultural Economics

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAEAE

Applied Research & Innovation Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

SECONDARYEDAOAOAO

Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Agriculture, Horticulture & Skilled Trades

SECONDARYAFACABAL

Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Crop Consulting & Agronomy Services (Soil Health, Nutrient Planning, Yield Consulting)

Keywords

• Agricultural economics education
• Applied economics research
• Online graduate degree
• Agricultural trade policy
• Extension outreach programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Blacksburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Programs: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including the online Master of Ag and Applied Economics program, which charges $1,139 per credit hour.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics is an academic unit within Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs (including the 100% online Master of Ag and Applied Economics), conducts applied research through specialized centers (Center for Agricultural Trade and Kohl Centre), and provides extension and outreach services to Virginia's agricultural community. Programs cover agricultural economics, agribusiness, econometrics, data analytics, and policy analysis, with experiential learning pathways connecting students to industry partners.

Product overview

The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech offers a portfolio of academic programs and experiential learning centers. The primary offerings include an Online Master of Ag and Applied Economics (a 30-credit asynchronous online degree) and the Kohl Centre at Virginia Tech (an experiential learning center connecting students with industry partners). Supporting offerings include the Center for Agricultural Trade (research on trade policy), the Data Science for the Public Good program (student research in data analytics), the Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education, the Bridge Experience Program, and the Income Tax School extension program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Online Master of Ag and Applied Economics: An online graduate degree program offering 30 credit hours with asynchronous delivery, completed in 24 months
• 4+1 Online Master's Program
• Agri-Food Finance Fellows
• Data Science for the Public Good (DSPG)
• Kohl Centre
• Commodity Investing by Students (COINS)

Products and services

• Online Master of Ag and Applied Economics A 100% online asynchronous graduate degree program offering 30 credit hours over 24 months, focused on agricultural economics, data analytics, econometrics, and forecasting. The program integrates practical tools with real-world industry and government issues. Tuition is $1,139 per credit hour for the 2026-2027 academic year.
• Kohl Centre at Virginia Tech An experiential learning center that creates pathways between industry and students, featuring Agri-Food Finance Fellows, Industry Speaker Series, Agribusiness Workshops, and the Agriculture and Life Sciences Pitch Competition. The center connects students with industry partners for hands-on consulting projects.
• Center for Agricultural Trade A center focused on agricultural trade policy analysis and international development economics, conducting research on commodity markets, trade patterns, and global food security.
• Data Science for the Public Good (DSPG) Program A summer research program that empowers undergraduate and graduate students to apply statistical and computational methods to real-world challenges in agriculture, public health, education, and beyond, creating interactive data-driven tools.
• Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education An economic education center focused on financial literacy and economic understanding for K-12 students and the broader community.
• Bridge Experience Program A program connecting students with experiential learning opportunities and industry partnerships to prepare them for careers in agricultural economics.
• Income Tax School An extension program providing tax education and training services to individuals and professionals across Virginia.
• Undergraduate Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics An on-campus undergraduate degree program covering agricultural economics, agribusiness, and applied economics for prospective students.
• Graduate Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics On-campus graduate degree programs including Ph.D. programs and master's programs in agricultural and applied economics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,500+ alumni working in agricultural economics roles globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Virginia Cattle Industry BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 partner for Applied Economic and Financial Analysis for Virginia's Cattle Industry project through the Kohl Centre, involving Agri-Food Finance Fellows in examining decision-making across the cattle supply chain.
• Virginia Cattlemen's AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 industry partner collaborating on cattle industry research and analysis projects through the Kohl Centre.
• Virginia Verified BeefminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 partner in beef industry analysis and verification programs.
• Dairy AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 partner for Investment Feasibility Analysis for a Dairy Manufacturing Facility in Virginia project.
• Virginia Dairymen's AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 partner in dairy sector analysis projects.
• Carver Food Enterprise CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 partner for business model optimization and food systems analysis.
• George Washington Carver Agriculture Research CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 partner for agricultural research collaboration.
• Wilderness Adventure at Eagle LandingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 partner for business and financial planning consulting.
• Virginia Corn BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 partner for data-science-powered interactive dashboard of corn planting progress and crop conditions, with faculty leads Mario Ortez, Michael Cary, and Le Wang.
• AgxesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 partner for data-driven agricultural lending research project.
• Virginia Soybean AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252025 partner for studying competitive position of Virginia soybean growers in relationship to other states and the world market.
• Lead Foods CapitalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252025 partner for developing investment strategy for specialty sub-industries through AAEC 4414 students.
• AgriaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252025 partner for transforming innovative controlled environment agriculture technology into viable business opportunity.
• CLR SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Student team developed comprehensive business plan to bring innovative combine cover crop seeder to market, estimating addressable market and forecasting cash flows.
• NASA HarvestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research consortium advancing the use of remote sensing data for global food security, agriculture, and resilience. Ella Kirchner works on enhancing indexed financial services for farmers using remote sensing data.
• Nankai University School of EconomicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaborative agreement for academic exchange and research cooperation in agricultural economics.
• Nanjing Agricultural UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistinguished Professors from Nanjing Agricultural University visit Center for Agricultural Trade for Trade issues discussions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Purdue University Department of Agricultural Economics: Purdue's Department of Agricultural Economics is one of the most direct peers, offering BS, MS, and PhD programs in agricultural economics with a parallel emphasis on agribusiness, applied research, and online master's delivery; faculty like Mario Ortez trained here, making it a direct competitor for talent and students.
• UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics: UC Davis ARE is a top-tier peer with parallel faculty research strengths in environmental and resource economics, development economics, and remote-sensing applications; Elinor Benami's postdoctoral work was at UC Davis, and several faculty share similar methodological toolkits (econometrics, policy evaluation).
• Michigan State University Agricultural, Food & Resource Economics: MSU AFRE is a large, research-intensive land-grant ag econ department with extension, online, and international development programs — directly comparable in scope, and a frequent co-bidder on USDA and USAID grant solicitations.
• University of Florida Food and Resource Economics: UF's Food and Resource Economics Department is a direct land-grant peer with extension programming and applied research; Michael Gutter (now Virginia Tech's Extension director) previously served there as Associate Dean, evidencing direct personnel overlap and competitive overlap in extension economics.
• University of Georgia Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics: UGA Agricultural & Applied Economics is a Southeastern land-grant peer with nearly identical naming, scope, and mission; it competes directly for students, faculty, and agribusiness partnerships across the Southeastern U.S.
• Cornell University Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management: Cornell Dyson combines applied economics with agribusiness and food industry management, similar to the Kohl Centre model; it is a peer in experiential learning, online graduate delivery, and ag-finance career placement for top-tier students.
• Kansas State University Agricultural Economics Department: Kansas State Ag Econ is a comparable land-grant program with parallel research in commodity markets, trade policy, and risk management; faculty like Mario Ortez completed his MS there, and it competes in the same commodity-economics research niche.
• Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Economics: Texas A&M Ag Econ operates a comparable land-grant agricultural economics program with extension, online master's, and applied research arms; it competes for the same pool of U.S. graduate applicants and federal grants in commodity and trade economics.
• Iowa State University Department of Economics / CARD: Iowa State houses the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) — Virginia Tech faculty Xi He did her postdoctoral work there — and runs similar commodity, trade, and policy research programs; a natural peer for both research output and online graduate competition in the Midwest.
• University of Illinois Agricultural & Consumer Economics: Illinois ACE is a top-ranked agricultural economics department with a strong online M.S. program (similar in structure to OMALS) and significant research in commodity markets, agribusiness, and policy — a direct competitor for online enrollment and faculty recruitment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VTAgEcon
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@VirginiaTechAgriculturalandApp
• Facebookfacebook.com/VTAgEcon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/virginia-tech-agricultural-and-applied-economics
• Instagraminstagram.com/vtaaec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics