by our College Data Analytics TeamFarmers and communities around the world depend on the science of agriculture to make their life possible. Healthy plants grow from healthy soil, which is commonly depleted by over-farming, adding chemicals, and by natural wind and water erosion. Agricultural Engineers are responsible for coming up with farming practices that will use soil and farm land more efficiently. You may participate in a range of activities like planning animal habitats, producing better ways to process food, or inventing new methods of irrigation. Agricultural Engineers work with farmers and manufacturers to improve food safety, farming systems and tools.
As a major in Agricultural Engineering you will be required to make certain classes. These will vary depending on the college you attend. Some of these classes could include environmental studies, chemistry, calculus, biology, agricultural engineering design, biochemistry, hydrology, soil science, water resources engineering, biological and agricultural energy systems, and food processing engineering.
Studying Agricultural Engineering involves the study of Agricultural Engineering. Read on to learn the essential details every agricultural engineering student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering agricultural engineering programs.
Across the country, agricultural engineering is a widely-pursued major, with 1,090 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Agricultural Engineering Schools ranking analyzes these 37 schools to determine the best overall colleges for agricultural engineering students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of agricultural engineering programs later in this article.
Studies in Agricultural Engineering develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations agricultural engineering graduates commonly enter.
In order to be successful in this field you should have strong critical thinking skills. By using logic and reasoning you will come up with creative and alternative solutions to the problems that you will come across. You should also be able to multitask and handle complex problems. These problems will be difficult, but if you have determination you should be able to work through them especially with the help of your professors or your group members. Problem solving should not be intimidating to you.
Engineers frequently work on teams to come up with solutions to problems. You may be asked to work with other engineers, farmers, or even the government, therefore you need to be able to work with people from a variety of backgrounds. Good communication and listening skills are important to understand what your clients, co-workers, or other professionals want.
You should have a strong mathematical ability and understand the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other mathematic skills. Science and biology will also play a large role in your everyday life. Also, system analysis should be something that you are interested in because you will be creating solutions and upgrades that affect different machinery and equipment.
Most programs will require an internship or a certain number of hours working with a co-op. This will provide you with excellent experience to prepare you for a career.
The skill set developed in a agricultural engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a agricultural engineering major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several agricultural engineering degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 3 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 761 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 205 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 121 |
People currently working in careers related to agricultural engineering tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 39.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 19.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 12.5% |
| Master’s degree | 12.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 11.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.5% |
| First professional degree | 1.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in agricultural engineering careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
There are many career opportunities available in the field of Agricultural Engineering. You can work with farmers applying technical advances to farming and their systems. Another career path could be working with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to help agronomists develop crops and get the most out of their land as possible. Agricultural Engineers also find jobs working for the government or companies reducing pollution. Other areas you may choose to specialize in include the research, development, production, sales, or even management of power systems and machinery design.
Majoring in agricultural engineering opens doors to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to agricultural engineering.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to agricultural engineering.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
| Agricultural Engineers | 101,667 | 13.7% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of agricultural engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $65,329 |
| 4 years | $74,666 |
| 5 years | $84,503 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for agricultural engineering graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers agricultural engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
| Agricultural Engineers | $77,743 |
With 37 different agricultural engineering programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased agricultural engineering school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in agricultural engineering, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Engineering | 1,090 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 42,939 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 26,760 |
| Civil Engineering | 20,005 |
| Computer Engineering | 19,986 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 13,914 |
| Engineering, General | 13,411 |
| Chemical Engineering | 10,939 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 9,596 |
| Industrial Engineering | 8,533 |
| Systems Engineering | 3,956 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
