Agricultural Engineers
Also called: Agricultural Engineer, Agricultural Equipment Design Engineer, Agricultural Equipment Test Engineer, Agricultural Production Engineer, Agricultural Research Engineer, Agricultural Systems Specialist, Agriculture Consultant, Agriculture Engineer
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.
What agricultural engineers do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.
- Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Agricultural Engineers salary
The median annual wage for agricultural engineers is $98,590 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $68,060 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $166,460. The mean annual wage is $108,230.
The mean hourly wage of $52.00 is 7.2× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Agricultural Engineers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $98,590 → in 3 years $106,800 → in 5 years $112,600 → in 10 years $128,600 (10-year range $110,600–$149,300). The model assumes pay growth of +2.7% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Agricultural Engineers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Agricultural Engineers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Agricultural Engineers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Agricultural Engineers United States | 植物工場の設計、施工 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $98,590 | ¥6.79M ≈ $43,183 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $128,600 | ¥9.27M |
| Outlook score | 59 | 72 |
| AI replacement risk | 65% High | 15% Very low |
| Workers | 1,480 | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Agricultural Engineers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become agricultural engineers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as agricultural engineers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.