Agricultural Engineer

What an Agricultural Engineer Does

Agricultural engineering is a diverse field that incorporates animal biology, civil and chemical engineering, ecology and geology, plant biology, mechanical engineering and other sciences and disciplines. Agricultural engineers apply principles from these disciplines to the agricultural industry so that they can develop new, more efficient technology and tools, improve crop production systems and irrigation, streamline animal production and food processing, and make sure that farmers and farm systems aren't doing damage to the environment through their operations. Water conservation, soil conservation, structural engineering and machinery design are all a part of agricultural engineering. Engineers work in offices and labs but also make site visits to farms and agricultural centers to evaluate and test technology and operations systems, often visiting with farmers and processing managers. They need to be good, diplomatic communicators who can apply their very technical knowledge to design solutions for a variety of problems and systems in agriculture.

How to Become an Agricultural Engineer

Because agricultural engineering is such a diverse field, you won't find the same program at every college. Some universities may only offer a general engineering degree, and you will have to also take courses in biology, geology, civil engineering and related fields. Other schools may offer degrees in industrial agricultural engineering or bioresource engineering. You will need at least a bachelor's degree to for entry-level work in the field, and many employers may wish for you to take continuing education courses to keep up with new developments in mechanical technology, chemical engineering, and similar disciplines. Depending on your employer, you may need to become licensed. First, you will take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, and then after enough work experience, you can take the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam. After becoming a Professional Engineer (PE) you can become a contractor and also be certified to work directly with the public.

Career Outlook for Agricultural Engineers

The overall job outlook for engineers is good, and agricultural engineering is one of the fastest-growing fields within the industry. As of 2008, agricultural engineers held 2,700 jobs, out of 1.6 million total engineering jobs. They should expect to see a 12% increase in the number of jobs through 2018, which is slightly higher than the national average. This increase is due to an increased interest in conserving natural resources and to supplying crops for an increasing population, in a way that saves money and utilizes more sophisticated systems and technology. The 12% increase also amounts to about 300 new jobs being added to agricultural engineering through 2018. The median annual salary for agricultural engineers in 2008 was $68,730, with the middle 50% earning between $55,430 and $86,400. The average starting salary for an agricultural engineer with a bachelor's degree was $54,352, which is closer to the lower end compared with other engineering specialties.