An agronomist in Chile earns between CLP 1.1 million and CLP 2.0 million gross a month in the fourth year after graduating, depending on the institution, according to the Employment and Income Search Tool of Mi Futuro, run by the Undersecretariat of Higher Education. The top bracket, CLP 1.9 million to CLP 2.0 million, belongs to graduates of U. Mayor.
The tool lists 12 Agronomy programs, 9 of which report income, with an average lower bound of CLP 1.51 million. On average, 64.1% of graduates earn above the minimum wage in their first year and 72.7% in their second. This guide explains how much an agronomist earns in Chile by institution, how long it takes to find work and how the field compares with similar degrees.
How much an agronomist earns in Chile by university
| Gross income bracket in year 4 | Institutions | Count |
|---|---|---|
| CLP 1.9 to 2.0 million | U. Mayor | 1 |
| CLP 1.8 to 1.9 million | PUC | 1 |
| CLP 1.6 to 1.7 million | U. de Chile | 1 |
| CLP 1.5 to 1.6 million | U. de Concepción, U. de Talca, U. Austral de Chile, U. Católica de Temuco | 4 |
| CLP 1.2 to 1.3 million | Pontificia U. Católica de Valparaíso | 1 |
| CLP 1.1 to 1.2 million | U. Santo Tomás | 1 |
| No data | U. de Tarapacá, U. Católica del Maule, U. de La Frontera | 3 |
Source: Mi Futuro, Agronomy (12 programs, 9 with income data), accessed November 9, 2026. According to the search tool's methodology, income is the average gross monthly pay of 2018, 2019 and 2020 graduates in their fourth year after graduating, calculated with data from the Internal Revenue Service (SII) and expressed in September 2025 pesos. The employment rate is the share of graduates earning at least the minimum wage in their first or second year. Programs with few cases show "no information" (s/i). The highest bracket the tool publishes runs from CLP 2.5 to 3 million.
Of the 12 Agronomy programs, 9 report income. Universidad Mayor has the top bracket (CLP 1.9 to 2 million), followed by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (CLP 1.8 to 1.9 million) and the University of Chile (CLP 1.6 to 1.7 million). Austral, the Catholic University of Temuco, Concepción and Talca are in the CLP 1.5 to 1.6 million bracket. The lowest brackets are the Catholic University of Valparaíso's (CLP 1.2 to 1.3 million) and Santo Tomás's (CLP 1.1 to 1.2 million). The Catholic University of Maule, La Frontera and Tarapacá show no income data.
In the table below you can search for your institution and sort by income or employment rate:
| Universidad Mayor | 1.9 | 64.5% | 79.0% |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | 1.8 | 72.5% | 81.7% |
| Universidad de Chile | 1.6 | 73.9% | 80.4% |
| Universidad de Concepción | 1.5 | 63.9% | 82.3% |
| Universidad de Talca | 1.5 | 62.8% | 66.7% |
| Universidad Austral de Chile | 1.5 | 58.7% | 73.9% |
| Universidad Católica de Temuco | 1.5 | 50.5% | 62.8% |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso | 1.2 | 53.3% | 63.2% |
| Universidad Santo Tomás | 1.1 | 80.4% | 80.6% |
| Universidad de Tarapacá | No data | 70.7% | 58.2% |
| Universidad Católica del Maule | No data | 65.2% | 81.3% |
| Universidad de La Frontera | No data | 53.3% | 62.2% |
What an agronomist does and how it differs from agricultural engineering
Agronomy is a university degree that trains graduates to manage farm production: soils, irrigation, crop nutrition and health, orchards, vineyards and livestock. Graduates work at fruit exporters, wineries, input and machinery companies, technical advisory firms, certification bodies, the Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG), the Agricultural Development Institute (Indap) and research.
Agricultural engineering, or execution engineering in agronomy, taught by professional institutes, is shorter and focused on field operations. According to Mi Futuro, its average lower bound in year 4 is CLP 1.02 million, versus CLP 1.51 million in Agronomy, and its average actual length is 10.0 semesters, versus 14.3.
Employment is the degree's weak point: on average, 64.1% of Agronomy graduates earn above the minimum wage in their first year, below many engineering degrees. Farm work is seasonal and spread across regions, and real pay depends heavily on the industry (export fruit, wine, livestock) and the role.
Employment of agronomists in Chile
View the data as a table
| Average lower bound of the year-4 income bracket | CLP 1.51 M |
| Employment rate in year 1 | 64.1% |
| Employment rate in year 2 | 72.7% |
| Average actual duration | 14.3 semesters |
| Indicator (Agronomy) | Range across institutions | Simple average |
|---|---|---|
| Employment rate in year 1 | 50,5% (U. Católica de Temuco) – 80,4% (U. Santo Tomás) | 64.1% |
| Employment rate in year 2 | 58,2% (U. de Tarapacá) – 82,3% (U. de Concepción) | 72.7% |
| Actual length of the degree | 12,1 – 17,2 | 14.3 semesters |
| First-year retention | 70,5% (Pontificia U. Católica de Valparaíso) – 87,4% (PUC) | 81.0% |
Source: Mi Futuro, simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. First-year employment ranges from 50.5% at the Catholic University of Temuco to 80.4% at Santo Tomás, which also has one of the lowest income brackets. At Universidad Mayor, the best-paid, 64.5% earn above the minimum wage in year 1 and 79.0% in year 2. The relationship between income and employment by institution is shown in this chart:
View the data as a table
| Employment rate in year 1 | Lower bound of year-4 income bracket (CLP millions) | |
|---|---|---|
| Universidad Mayor | 64.50% | 1.90 |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | 72.50% | 1.80 |
| Universidad de Chile | 73.90% | 1.60 |
| Universidad de Concepción | 63.90% | 1.50 |
| Universidad de Talca | 62.80% | 1.50 |
| Universidad Austral de Chile | 58.70% | 1.50 |
| Universidad Católica de Temuco | 50.50% | 1.50 |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso | 53.30% | 1.20 |
| Universidad Santo Tomás | 80.40% | 1.10 |
Agronomists versus related degrees
| Degree | Average lower bound of year-4 income bracket | Average employment rate in year 1 | Programs with income data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forestry Engineering | CLP 1.60 million | 82.3% | 1 |
| Agronomy | CLP 1.51 million | 64.1% | 9 |
| Veterinary Medicine | CLP 1.28 million | 65.6% | 9 |
| Agricultural Eng. (institute) | CLP 1.02 million | 57.5% | 4 |
| Agricultural technician | CLP 0.88 million | 50.0% | 6 |
Source: Mi Futuro, accessed November 9, 2026; simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. Agronomy pays more than Veterinary Medicine and institute-level agricultural degrees, and slightly less than Forestry Engineering, although the latter has only one program with income data (University of Chile). To compare, see how much a veterinarian earns and a geologist.
How much an agronomist earns in Chile: from gross to net pay
For an agronomist with gross pay equal to the degree's average lower bound, CLP 1.51 million, the legal deductions are the pension fund (AFP) contribution (10% plus the fee), health (7% in Fonasa or the isapre plan), unemployment insurance (0.6% on an open-ended contract) and income tax. With a fee of about 1.5%, contributions add up to roughly 19.1%, leaving about CLP 1.22 million before income tax, which depends on the income bracket (our own approximate calculation). For reference, the minimum wage in Chile has been CLP 553,553 since May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an agronomist earn right after graduating in Chile?
There is no official first-year income figure. Mi Futuro reports income in the fourth year: between CLP 1.1 million and CLP 2.0 million gross depending on the institution, with an average lower bound of CLP 1.51 million.
Where should you study Agronomy to earn more?
According to Mi Futuro, graduates of U. Mayor are in the top bracket in year 4, CLP 1.9 million to CLP 2.0 million.
Is it easy to find work as an agronomist?
On average, 64.1% of graduates earn above the minimum wage in their first year and 72.7% in their second, according to Mi Futuro.
Where does an agronomist work?
At fruit exporters, wineries, input and machinery companies, technical advisory firms, certification bodies, public agencies such as SAG and Indap, and in research.
Does an agronomist or a veterinarian earn more?
On average, the agronomist: the average lower bound is CLP 1.51 million in year 4, versus CLP 1.28 million in Veterinary Medicine, according to Mi Futuro.
