Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RIC

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, Engineer, Project Engineer, Research Agricultural Engineer, Agricultural Systems Specialist, Conservation Engineer, Field Engineer, Product Engineer.

O*NET 17-2021.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $98,590; Middle half earn $82,260 to $124,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Bachelor's Degree; 75% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 4 of 5; Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034: +6% · Faster than average; 1,700 jobs in 2024, projected 1,800. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Agricultural engineers".

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

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.
Design food processing plants and related mechanical systems.
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.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension4.0 / 5
Active Listening4.0 / 5
Writing4.0 / 5
Speaking4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking3.9 / 5
Mathematics3.8 / 5

Knowledge areas

Engineering and Technology4.8 / 5
Computers and Electronics4.5 / 5
Design4.3 / 5
Mathematics4.3 / 5
Physics4.3 / 5
Biology4.1 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic94
Investigative88
Artistic20
Social12
Enterprising22
Conventional46

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

agricultural scientist · DE Agrarwissenschaftler/Agrarwissenschaftlerin · FR scientifique agricole
agronomist · DE Agronom/Agronomin · FR agronome
livestock advisor · DE Berater im Bereich Viehzucht/Beraterin im Bereich Viehzucht · FR conseiller d'élevage/conseillère d'élevage
agricultural engineer · DE Ingenieur Agrarwirtschaft/Ingenieurin Agrarwirtschaft · FR ingénieur agronome/ingénieure agronome
agricultural equipment design engineer · DE Entwicklungsingenieur für landwirtschaftliche Ausrüstung/Entwicklungsingenieurin für landwirtschaftliche Ausrüstung · FR ingénieur sciences et techniques des équipements agricoles/ingénieure sciences et techniques des équipements agricoles
agricultural policy officer · DE Referent für Agrarpolitik/Referentin für Agrarpolitik · FR chargé de mission en agriculture/chargée de mission en agriculture

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Business, research and administrative professionals n.e.c. (2439)104,500 employed
Mechanical engineers (professional) (2122)94,400 employed
Aerospace engineers (2126)41,700 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Professionals, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€61,714
Germany	€59,529
Ireland	€56,877
Austria	€55,374
Netherlands	€53,595
Sweden	€43,567
France	€41,515
Spain	€35,735
Italy	€33,649
Portugal	€26,072
Poland	€14,380

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the higher third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +0.94. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-2021).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test