Agricultural Engineers
Apply knowledge of engineering technology and biological science to agricultural problems concerned with power and machinery, electrification, structures, soil and water conservation, and processing of agricultural products.
Also called: Agricultural Engineer · Agricultural Systems Specialist · Conservation Engineer · Engineer · Field Engineer · Product Engineer
Median pay (national)
$84,630
$43,020–$132,700 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
1,680
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+5.9%
~100 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for agricultural engineers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $132,700 versus $43,020 at the bottom 10% — 3.1x. The median of $84,630 leaves roughly 57% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +5.9% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 11 states with released data, Ohio pays the most for this role (median $111,200, +31% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $44,810 — a 148% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Mathematics
- Science
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Prepare reports, sketches, working drawings, specifications, proposals, and budgets for proposed sites or systems.
- Visit sites to observe environmental problems, to consult with contractors, or to monitor construction activities.
- Meet with clients, such as district or regional councils, farmers, and developers, to discuss their needs.
- Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that they can be evaluated and necessary changes made.
- Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure adequate performance.
- Plan and direct construction of rural electric-power distribution systems, and irrigation, drainage, and flood control systems for soil and water conservation.
- Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources.
- Design structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and animal and crop processing, and supervise their construction.
- Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.
- Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.
Tools & technology
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
- Oracle Database
- Oracle Java
- SAP software
- SAS
- Eagle Point LANDCADD
- ESRI ArcView
- PTC Creo Parametric
- PTC Pro/Pipe
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics
- Design
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Biology
- Mechanical
- English Language