Occupations · Architecture and Engineering
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 17-2021.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 66% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City, OK | $84,630 | 110 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $85,410 | 50 |
| San Juan-Carolina-Caguas, PR | $44,800 | 40 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- Design structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and animal and crop processing, and supervise their construction.
- Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.
- Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.
- Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2024-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2024-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Communicate results in peer-reviewed research articles or at workshops or conferences.
- Use agricultural drones for crop monitoring, irrigation management, and pest control.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 13
No longer listed 3
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| agricultural engineer | 2144.1.2 | exact |
| agricultural equipment design engineer | 2144.1.2.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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