Agricultural Engineers : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Summary

Agricultural engineers apply knowledge of science and engineering to agriculture.

Quick Facts: Agricultural Engineers
2010 Median Pay	$71,090 per year $34.18 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Bachelor’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2010	2,700
Job Outlook, 2010-20	9% (Slower than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	200

What Agricultural Engineers Do

Agricultural engineers—also known as biological and agricultural engineers—work on a variety of activities. These activities range from aquaculture (raising food, such as fish, that thrive in water) to land farming to forestry; from developing biofuels to improving conservation; from planning animal environments to finding better ways to process food.

Work Environment

Agricultural engineers work much of the time in offices. They also spend time at a variety of worksites, both indoors and out, traveling to agricultural settings to see that equipment and machinery are functioning according to both the manufacturers’ instructions and federal and state regulations.

How to Become an Agricultural Engineer

Agricultural engineers must have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in agricultural engineering or biological engineering. Employers also value practical experience, so cooperative-education engineering programs at universities are valuable as well.

Pay

The median annual wage of agricultural engineers was $71,090 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of agricultural engineers is expected to grow 9 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations.

Similar Occupations

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

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What Agricultural Engineers Do About this section

Agricultural engineering includes designing farming processes.

Duties

Agricultural engineers typically do the following:

Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology
Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure that they perform adequately
Design food-processing plants and supervise manufacturing operations
Plan and direct construction of rural electric-power distribution systems
Design structures to store and process crops
Design housing and environments to maximize animals’ comfort, health, and productivity
Provide advice on water quality and issues related to managing pollution, controlling rivers, and protecting and using other water resources
Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries
Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that the plans can be evaluated and any necessary changes made

Agricultural engineers apply technological advances to farming. For example, they design farming equipment that uses the Global Positioning System. They help agronomists create biological applications for developing crops with new, sturdier traits. And they help with pollution control at larger farms and with water resource matters. These engineers are also heavily involved in efforts to produce new forms of biomass, including algae, for power generation.

Some engineers specialize in areas such as power systems and machinery design, structural and environmental engineering, and food and bioprocess engineering. Agricultural engineers often work in research and development, production, sales, or management.

Work Environment About this section

Agricultural engineers often have to observe the results of their work where the crops are actually grown.

Agricultural engineers held about 2,700 jobs in 2010.

As shown below, 17 percent of agricultural engineers worked in the federal government in 2010:

Architectural, engineering, and related services	17%
Federal government, excluding postal service	17
Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing	12
Food manufacturing	11
Educational services; state, local, and private	7

Agricultural engineers spend time at a variety of worksites, both indoors and out, traveling to agricultural settings to see that equipment and machinery are functioning according to both the manufacturers’ instructions and federal and state regulations. They may work onsite when they supervise environmental reclamation or water resource management projects.

Other worksites where they are employed include research and development laboratories, classrooms, and offices.

Work Schedules

Agricultural engineers typically work full time. And because of the nature of agricultural projects, they must sometimes work overtime.

In addition, the supervisory duties of agricultural engineers mean that they often must be present for problems that may come up in manufacturing operations or rural construction projects.

Weather also has a role in their work schedule. Some outdoor projects for environmental reclamation or pollution management need favorable weather; and, therefore, agricultural engineers may work long hours to take advantage of good weather.

How to Become an Agricultural Engineer About this section

Agricultural engineers need a bachelor’s degree, preferably in agricultural engineering or biological engineering.

Education

Students who are interested in studying agricultural engineering will benefit from taking high school courses in mathematics, such as algebra, trigonometry, and calculus; and science, such as biology, chemistry, and physics.

Entry-level jobs in agricultural engineering require a bachelor’s degree. Bachelor’s degree programs typically are 4-year programs that include classroom, laboratory, and field studies in areas such as science, mathematics, and engineering principles. Most colleges and universities offer cooperative programs that allow students to gain practical experience while completing their education.

ABET (formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accredits programs in agricultural engineering.

Important Qualities

Listening skills. Agricultural engineers must listen to and seek out information from clients, workers, and other professionals working on a project. Furthermore, they must be able to address the concerns of those who will be using the systems and solutions they design.

Math skills. Agricultural engineers use the principals of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.

Problem-solving skills. Agricultural engineers work on problems affecting many different aspects of agricultural production, from problems requiring the design of safer equipment for food processing to water erosion and control problems. To solve these problems, agricultural engineers must be able to apply general principles of engineering to new circumstances.

Systems analysis. Because agricultural engineers sometimes design systems that are part of a larger agricultural or environmental system, they must be able to propose solutions that interact well with other workers, machinery and equipment, and the environment.

Teamwork. Agricultural engineers must be able to work with others in designing solutions involving biological, mechanical, or environmental dimensions. They must be able to work with, and accept feedback from, people from a variety of backgrounds such as agronomy, animal sciences, genetics, and horticulture.

Licenses

Agricultural engineers who offer their services directly to the public must have a license. Licensed engineers are called professional engineers (PEs). 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 Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam can be taken after earning a bachelor’s degree. Engineers who pass this exam commonly are called engineers in training (EITs) or engineer interns (EIs). After getting suitable work experience, EITs and EIs can take the second exam, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering.

Several states require continuing education for engineers to keep their license. Most states recognize licensure from other states, if the licensing state’s requirements meet or exceed their own licensure requirements.

Advancement

Beginning engineers usually work under the supervision of experienced engineers. As they gain knowledge and experience, beginning engineers move to more difficult projects with greater independence to develop designs, solve problems, and make decisions.

Eventually, agricultural engineers may advance to supervise a team of engineers and technicians. Some become engineering managers or move into other managerial positions or sales work.

Agricultural engineers who go into sales use their engineering background to discuss a product's technical aspects with potential buyers and help in product planning, installation, and use. For more information, see the profile on sales engineers.

Pay About this section

Agricultural Engineers

Median annual wages, May 2010

Engineers: $83,340
Agricultural Engineers: $71,090
Total, All Occupations: $33,840

The median annual wage of agricultural engineers was $71,090 in May 2010. 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 $42,210, and the top 10 percent earned more than $115,150.

Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of agricultural engineers in May 2010 were as follows:

Architectural, engineering, and related services	$78,940
Food manufacturing	77,670
Federal government, excluding postal service	74,770
Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing	63,310
Educational services; state, local, and private	52,450

Agricultural engineers’ work schedules differ from that of most other engineers. Their work must often be done when weather permits, and they must take full advantage of good weather to fulfill their clients’ needs as quickly as possible.

Job Outlook About this section

Agricultural Engineers

Percent change in employment, projected 2010-20

Total, All Occupations: 14%
Engineers: 11%
Agricultural Engineers: 9%

Employment of agricultural engineers is expected to grow 9 percent between 2010 and 2020, slower than the average for all occupations.

Agricultural engineers are pursuing new areas related to agriculture, such as high-tech applications to agricultural products, water resource management, and alternative energies. However, activity related to designing new machinery and equipment in agriculture also is expected to continue to create employment opportunities.

Demand is also expected to come from United States firms that market their farm technology products to farmers internationally.

Employment projections data for agricultural engineers, 2010-20
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Change, 2010-20		Employment by Industry
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Percent	Numeric	Employment by Industry
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Agricultural Engineers	17-2021	2,700	2,900	9	200	[XLS]

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of agricultural engineers.

Occupation	Job Duties	ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION	2010 MEDIAN PAY
Agricultural and Food Science Technicians	Under the supervision of scientists, agricultural and food science technicians measure and analyze the quality of food and agricultural products.	Associate’s degree	$32,760
Agricultural and Food Scientists	Agricultural and food scientists work to ensure agricultural productivity and food safety.	See How to Become One	$58,450
Biological Technicians	Biological technicians help biological and medical scientists conduct laboratory tests and experiments.	Bachelor’s degree	$39,020
Hydrologists	Hydrologists study water and the water cycle. They use their expertise to solve problems in the areas of water quality or availability.	Master’s degree	$75,690
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers	Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers run establishments that produce crops, livestock, and dairy products.	High school diploma or equivalent	$60,750
Civil Engineers	Civil engineers design and supervise large construction projects, including roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply and sewage treatment.	Bachelor’s degree	$77,560
Environmental Engineers	Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental problems. They are involved in efforts to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and control of water and air pollution.	Bachelor’s degree	$78,740
Industrial Engineers	Industrial engineers find ways to eliminate wastefulness in production processes. They devise efficient ways to use workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service.	Bachelor’s degree	$76,100
Landscape Architects	Landscape architects plan and design land areas for parks, recreational facilities, highways, airports, and other properties. Projects include subdivisions and commercial, industrial, and residential sites.	Bachelor’s degree	$62,090
Mechanical Engineers	Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical devices, including tools, engines, and machines.	Bachelor’s degree	$78,160