Nueva Ecija is one of the top producers of agricultural products in the country. Its principal crops is mainly rice but corn and onion are also produced in quantity. The province is often referred to as the “Rice Granary of the Philippines.” Other major crops are onion, mango, calamansi (calamondin orange), banana, garlic, and vegetables. The town of Bongabon at the eastern part of the province at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountains and its neighbouring Laur and Rizal are the major producers of onion and garlic. Bongabon is called the "onion capital of the country".
Education is very well established as a major industry in the province. The leading educational institutions are the Central Luzon State University in Munoz and Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology; Wesleyan University-Philippines, the only internationally-accredited school in Central Luzon; College of the Immaculate Conception; La Fortuna College and Araullo University in Cabanatuan. There are 18 tertiary level institutions in Cabanatuan City alone.
