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.

Most important skills

Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Writing
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making
Systems Evaluation

Key knowledge

Engineering and Technology
Computers and Electronics
Design
Mathematics
Physics
Biology
Mechanical
English Language

What the work involves

Visit sites to observe environmental problems, to consult with contractors, or to monitor construction activities.
Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.
Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure adequate performance.
Design structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and animal and crop processing, and supervise their construction.
Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources.
Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.
Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that they can be evaluated and necessary changes made.
Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.

Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Investigative, Conventional.

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education: Bachelor's Degree (75% of respondents)
Related experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (30%)
On-the-job training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (35%)
Preparation level: O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Licensing: Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.

Check before planning

Licensing for Agricultural Engineers is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.

Limits

Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0

Work environment

How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).

Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.

Rankings compare typical U.S. occupation-level work conditions; individual jobs and employers vary. Data: O*NET 31.0 Work Context and BLS wages (May 2025).
Condition	Level	Compared with other occupations	Most common answer (O*NET survey)
Contact with others	Very low	Lower on contact with others than 87% of occupations compared	30% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others most of the time”
Dealing with the public	Moderate	Lower on dealing with the public than 57% of occupations compared	35% of surveyed respondents chose “Important”
Teamwork	Moderate	Lower on teamwork than 60% of occupations compared	40% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important”
Freedom to make decisions	Low	Lower on freedom to make decisions than 63% of occupations compared	50% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom”
Time pressure	Very low	Lower on time pressure than 82% of occupations compared	65% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week”
Conflict situations	Low	Lower on conflict situations than 66% of occupations compared	45% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people	Very low	Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 80% of occupations compared	70% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Consequence of error	Moderate	Higher on consequence of error than 54% of occupations compared	40% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly serious”

Work-pressure profile

Time pressure: very low
Conflict situations: low
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
Consequence of error: moderate

Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.

Full answer distributions