Agricultural Engineers

Career, Salary and Education Information

What They Do: Agricultural engineers solve problems concerning power supplies, machine efficiency, the use of structures and facilities, pollution and environmental issues, and the storage and processing of agricultural products.

Work Environment: Agricultural engineers work mostly in offices, but may spend time traveling to agricultural settings. Agricultural engineers typically work full time.

How to Become One: Agricultural engineers must have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in agricultural engineering or biological engineering.

Salary: The median annual wage for agricultural engineers is $82,640.

Job Outlook: Employment of agricultural engineers is projected to show little or no change over the next ten years.

Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of agricultural engineers with similar occupations.

Following is everything you need to know about a career as an agricultural engineer with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:

Top 3 Agricultural Engineer Jobs

Neuro Radiologist, Neuroradiology Imaging - University of Missouri Healthcare - Columbia, MO
Our integrated MU campus includes medical, health sciences, nursing, veterinary, agriculture , engineering , business, law, education, journalism, and undergraduate schools all within walking distance ...
Physician Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine - Competitive Salary - University of Missouri School of Medicine - Columbia, MO
The University of Missouri is one of six institutions in the country with colleges of medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture , engineering , nursing, and health professions collaborating on one ...
Chemical Engineering Chemistry Intern Pocatello, ID - J.R. Simplot - Pocatello, ID
Simplot Company is a diverse, privately held global food and agriculture company headquartered in Boise, Idaho. We are a true farm-to-table company with an integrated portfolio including food ...

See all Agricultural Engineer jobs

What Agricultural Engineers Do[About this section] [To Top]

Agricultural engineers attempt to solve agricultural problems concerning power supplies, the efficiency of machinery, the use of structures and facilities, pollution and environmental issues, and the storage and processing of agricultural products.

Duties of Agricultural Engineers

Agricultural engineers typically do the following:

Use computer software to design equipment, systems, or structures
Modify environmental factors that affect animal or crop production, such as airflow in a barn or runoff patterns on a field
Test equipment to ensure its safety and reliability
Oversee construction and production operations
Plan and work together with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers to ensure effective and desirable outcomes

Agricultural engineers work in farming, including aquaculture (farming of seafood), forestry, and food processing. They work on a wide variety of projects. For example, some agricultural engineers work to develop climate control systems that increase the comfort and productivity of livestock whereas others work to increase the storage capacity and efficiency of refrigeration. Many agricultural engineers attempt to develop better solutions for animal waste disposal. Those with computer programming skills work to integrate artificial intelligence and geospatial systems into agriculture. For example, they work to improve efficiency in fertilizer application or to automate harvesting systems.

Work Environment for Agricultural Engineers[About this section] [To Top]

Agricultural engineers hold about 1,200 jobs. The largest employers of agricultural engineers are as follows:

Federal government, excluding postal service	31%
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state	10%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services	8%
Engineering services	7%

Agricultural engineers typically work in offices, but may spend time at a variety of worksites, both indoors and outdoors. They may travel to agricultural settings to see that equipment and machinery are functioning according to both the manufacturers' specifications and federal and state regulations. Some agricultural engineers occasionally work in laboratories to test the quality of processing equipment. They may work onsite when they supervise livestock facility upgrades or water resource management projects.

Agricultural engineers work with others in designing solutions to problems or applying technological advances. They work with people from a variety of backgrounds, such as business, agronomy, animal sciences, and public policy.

Injuries and Illnesses for Agricultural Engineers

Agricultural engineers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations

Agricultural Engineer Work Schedules

Agricultural engineers typically work full time. Schedules may vary because of weather conditions or other complications. When working on outdoor projects, agricultural engineers may work more hours to take advantage of good weather or fewer hours in case of bad weather.

In addition, agricultural engineers may need to be available outside of normal work hours to address unexpected problems that come up in manufacturing operations or rural construction projects.

How to Become an Agricultural Engineer[About this section] [To Top]

Get the education you need: Find schools for Agricultural Engineers near you!

Agricultural engineers must have a bachelor's degree, preferably in agricultural engineering or biological engineering.

Education for Agricultural Engineers

Students who are interested in studying agricultural engineering will benefit from taking high school courses in math and science. University students take courses in advanced calculus, physics, biology, and chemistry. They also may take courses in business, public policy, and economics.

Entry-level jobs in agricultural engineering require a bachelor's degree. Bachelor's degree programs in agricultural engineering or biological engineering typically include significant hands-on components in areas such as science, math, and engineering principles. Most colleges and universities encourage students to gain practical experience through projects such as participating in engineering competitions in which teams of students design equipment and attempt to solve real problems.

ABET accredits programs in agricultural engineering.

Important Qualities for Agricultural Engineers

Analytical skills. Agricultural engineers must analyze the needs of complex systems that involve workers, crops, animals, machinery and equipment, and the environment.

Communication skills. Agricultural engineers must understand the needs of clients, workers, and others working on a project. Furthermore, they must communicate their thoughts about systems and about solutions to any problems they have been working on.

Math skills. Agricultural engineers use calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced mathematical disciplines for analysis, design, and troubleshooting.

Problem-solving skills. Agricultural engineers' main role is to solve problems found in agricultural production. Goals may include designing safer equipment for food processing or reducing erosion. To solve these problems, agricultural engineers must creatively apply the principles of engineering.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Agricultural Engineers

Licensure is not required for entry-level positions as an agricultural engineer. A Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows for higher levels of leadership and independence, can be acquired later in one's career. Licensed engineers are called professional engineers (PEs). A PE can oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on projects, and provide services directly to the public. State licensure generally requires

A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program
A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
Relevant work experience, typically at least 4 years
A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam

The initial FE exam can be taken after one earns a bachelor's degree. Engineers who pass this exam are commonly called engineers in training (EITs) or engineer interns (EIs). After meeting work experience requirements, EITs and EIs can take the second exam, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE).

Each state issues its own licenses. Most states recognize licensure from other states, as long as the licensing state's requirements meet or exceed their own licensure requirements. Several states require engineers to take continuing education to keep their licenses. For licensing requirements, check with your state's licensing board.

Advancement for Agricultural Engineers

New engineers usually work under the supervision of experienced engineers. As they gain knowledge and experience, beginning engineers move to more difficult projects and increase their independence in developing designs, solving problems, and making decisions.

With experience, agricultural engineers may advance to supervise a team of engineers and technicians. Some advance to become engineering managers. Agricultural engineers who become sales engineers use their engineering background to discuss a product's technical aspects with potential buyers and to help in product planning, installation, and use.

Engineers who have a master's degree or a Ph.D. are more likely to be involved in research and development activities, and may become postsecondary teachers.

Agricultural Engineer Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]

The median annual wage for agricultural engineers is $82,640. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $55,810, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $127,030.

The median annual wages for agricultural engineers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:

Engineering services	$99,030
Federal government, excluding postal service	$86,820
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state	$72,140
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services	$62,350

In addition, agricultural engineers may need to be available outside of normal work hours to address unexpected problems that come up in manufacturing operations or rural construction projects.

Job Outlook for Agricultural Engineers[About this section] [To Top]

Employment of agricultural engineers is projected to show little or no change over the next ten years.

Despite limited employment growth, about 100 openings for agricultural engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment of Agricultural Engineers

Farming establishments will continue to require more machinery, equipment, and buildings to increase the efficiency of agricultural production systems and to reduce environmental damage, which should maintain demand for these workers.

Agricultural engineers are expected to continue working on projects such as alternative energies and biofuels; precision and automated farming technologies for irrigation, spraying, and harvesting; and growing food in space to support future exploration.

More efficient designs for traditional agricultural engineering projects such as irrigation, storage, and worker safety systems will also maintain demand for these workers. Growing populations and stronger global competition will result in the industry needing more efficient means of production, which will increase demand for agricultural engineers.