This article investigates the professional goal-setting of agricultural education graduates in southern Russia, specifically in Stavropol Krai. The professional activities of young specialists within the agro-industrial sector are viewed as critical to achieving sustainable rural development. A theoretical analysis of existing literature in the relevant field facilitates the development of empirical indicators that assess the relationship between professional goal-setting and the promotion of sustainable rural development. The study involved a survey of 1,287 graduates of agricultural university who completed agricultural training. The findings reveal that 43.7% of graduates in 2024 are prepared to combine their professional endeavors with employment in the agro-industrial sector. Furthermore, 84.5% of graduates expressed expectations for government support to aid their initial employment as young professionals. This support includes subsidies and preferential loans for the purchase or construction of residential real estate (26.9%); one-time employment bonuses (17.8%); interest-free loans for home improvements (12.3%); provision of departmental housing for young specialists (12.0%); and reimbursement of transportation costs (6.4%). The results of this research contribute to enhancing the institutional conditions that facilitate effective professional goal-setting for graduates within the Russian higher agricultural education system.