A study investigated the reasons why some agricultural education degree recipients choose not to teach, some vocational agriculture teachers leave the profession, and some vocational agriculture teachers stay in teaching. The sample included all agricultural education majors graduating from Oregon State University (OSU) from 1971 to 1982. Data collected by a mailed questionnaire were analyzed using means, frequency counts, single classification analysis of variance, multiple variate analysis, and multiple-discriminant analysis. Factors important to initial placement and teacher tenure were four years in high school programs with four years of a Future Farmers of American (FFA) program and Supervised Occupational Experience Program, place of teacher preparation and the existence of a strong FFA chapter at the student teaching center, and a combination of community college and OSU education. Generally, people left teaching because of concerns for time, money, and classroom control; people stayed in teaching because of acquisition of technical skill, professional preparation, and enjoyment of work and student relationships. It was recommended that students actively involved in a total program in vocational education or with hands-on preparation in technical agriculture from a community college be actively recruited as agricultural education majors. (YLB)