All About Agricultural Engineers
Career Description 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 Do Agricultural Engineers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Meet with clients, such as district or regional councils, farmers, and developers, to discuss their needs.
- Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.
- Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources.
- Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.
- Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.
- Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.
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Agricultural Engineer Required Skills
These are the skills Agricultural Engineers say are the most useful in their careers:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Other Agricultural Engineer Job Titles
- Farm Equipment Engineer
- Project Engineer
- Agricultural Research Engineer
- Regional Engineer
- Engineer
Is There Job Demand for Agricultural Engineers?
There were about 2,700 jobs for Agricultural Engineer in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 200 new jobs for Agricultural Engineer by 2026. The BLS estimates 200 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Agricultural Engineer are North Carolina, Washington, and Alabama. Watch out if you plan on working in Wisconsin, Oregon, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of an Agricultural Engineer
The typical yearly salary for Agricultural Engineers is somewhere between $46,500 and $116,850.
Agricultural Engineers who work in Illinois, Iowa, or Ohio, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Agricultural Engineers in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $75,350 |
| Florida | $76,100 |
| Illinois | $86,690 |
| Indiana | $78,710 |
| Iowa | $85,320 |
| Kentucky | $67,010 |
| Ohio | $83,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,060 |
| South Dakota | $65,650 |
What Tools & Technology do Agricultural Engineers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Agricultural Engineers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- SAS
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Oracle software
- Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- PTC Creo Parametric
- SAP software
Becoming an Agricultural Engineer
What education or degrees do I need to become an Agricultural Engineer?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Agricultural Engineers Work
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming an Agricultural Engineer might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Agricultural Research Service, the research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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