Objectives Students majoring in agriculture and animal husbandry were guided to cultivate their professional interests and strive to become new talents who understand and love agriculture, and aspire to serve the modernization of agriculture. Methods The factors affecting the cultivation of professional interests of students were analyzed. The survey questionnaire was developed to investigate students from agriculture-related majors in four universities. SPPS principal component analysis, t-test, LSD were used to perform statistical analyses. Results The professional interests of junior students were significantly higher than those of senior students (P<0.05), and the dispersion of professional interests among senior students was relatively stronger. The first choice for college entrance examination admission, the willingness to pursue major related career during application, the level of interest in the major before enrollment, and the professional interest after enrollment were positively correlated. There was a positive relationship between the professional interests of students and major self-efficacy. Conclusions Students from agriculture-related majors have a higher level of professional interest, with a certain degree of continuity from high school to university. Students with higher levels of major self-efficacy have higher levels of professional interest, and those with higher levels of professional interest have higher requirements for the educational environment.