Founded in 1976, Tianjin Agricultural University merged with Urban and Rural Economy College of Tianjin, and was approved by Tianjin Municipal Government in 2001. The university has the authority to grant bachelor's degree since 1982 and master's degree since 2006. After passing the Ministry of Education's (MOE) undergraduate evaluation in 1996, the university received a further outstanding assessment from MOE in 2007. The university takes agriculture as the main subject, and develops engineering, management, science, economics, literature and art in a coordinated way. After years of running practice, it has formed a distinctive running characteristics closely following regional economic and social development and serving modern urban agriculture.

The university has three campuses, with the campus covering an area of 1,292 mu (about 86.1 hectares) and a build-up area of 380,000 square meters with modern buildings, laboratories, libraries, network center and sports stadiums. There are currently 12,508 students in the university.