Occupation salary profile

Agricultural Engineers

SOC 17-2021 BLS OEWS May 2025 H-1B LCAs, last 12 months

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.

National median · BLS
$98,590
▲ +16.5% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$83,356
▲ +0.44% YoY · 66 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$108,230
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
1,480
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Agricultural Engineers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 66 certified Labor Condition Applications filed by sponsoring employers in the last 12 months.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS) H-1B sponsored
10th — entry pay$68,060$61,107
25th$82,260$68,411
Median (50th)$98,590$83,356
75th$124,880$114,000
90th — top pay$166,460$139,100
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $83,356 for Agricultural Engineers — 15.5% below the BLS national median of $98,590.

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Agricultural Engineers

BLS projects employment of agricultural engineers to grow 6.9% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
1,500 → 1,600
+100 jobs
Projected change
+6.9%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 4)
Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

H-1B sponsored pay

Pay by H-1B wage level

Employers assign every H-1B filing a Department of Labor prevailing-wage level, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). Pay rises steeply with level.

H-1B median $83,356
Change vs prior year +0.44%
After inflation (CPI-U) -2.61%
Wage level LCAs Share P25 Median P75
Level I 24 36.4% $60,435 $63,721 $68,977
Level II 15 22.7% $73,464 $80,891 $104,550
Level III 16 24.2% $88,548 $101,254 $115,276
Level IV 10 15.2% $117,113 $132,600 $158,750
Skills & tools

Skills needed for Agricultural Engineers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening4.0
  • Reading Comprehension4.0
  • Speaking4.0
  • Writing4.0
  • Complex Problem Solving3.9
  • Critical Thinking3.9
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.9
  • Systems Evaluation3.9
  • Mathematics3.8
  • Systems Analysis3.8
Top knowledge areas
  • Engineering and Technology4.8
  • Computers and Electronics4.5
  • Design4.3
  • Mathematics4.3
  • Physics4.3
  • Biology4.1
  • Mechanical3.9
  • English Language3.9
Software and technology used
Adobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopAutodesk AutoCADDassault Systemes SolidWorksMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ProjectMicrosoft SharePointMicrosoft WordOracle DatabaseOracle JavaSAP softwareSASEagle Point LANDCADDESRI ArcView

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What agricultural engineers do

  • 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.
  • 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.
Also called
Agricultural EngineerEngineerProject EngineerResearch Agricultural EngineerAgricultural Systems SpecialistConservation EngineerField EngineerProduct EngineerProduct Technology ScientistResearch Engineer
More job titles for this occupation (14)
Agricultural Equipment Design EngineerAgricultural Equipment Test EngineerAgricultural Production EngineerAgricultural Research EngineerAgriculture ConsultantAgriculture EngineerAgriculture ScientistFarm Equipment EngineerField Research AssociateLandscape Irrigation SpecialistPermaculture DesignerRegional EngineerSupplier Quality Engineer (SQE)Test Engineer

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.