Jobs / Architecture and engineering / 17-2021.00

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.

US jobs
1,480
Median wage
$98,590 a year
Job family
Architecture and engineering

Can agents do the work of agricultural engineers?

We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Architecture and engineering:

  • Task levelUnexploredNo task-level benchmark in our collection tests architecture or engineering design work, such as CAD modeling or engineering calculations.
  • Project levelNot yetWhole projects are mostly out of reach. The Remote Labor Index includes 3D, CAD, and architecture projects; across all its projects, the best agent completed 15.8% to a standard a client would accept. GDPval includes mechanical engineers, and its deliverables score higher, but those tasks are one-shot and fully specified.

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in architecture and engineering, not always this occupation's tasks.

  • GDPvalby OpenAIProject level · Wins plus ties against experts
    84.9%GPT-5.5 · Apr 2026
    Strong
  • GDPval-AAby Artificial AnalysisProject level · GDPval-AA Elo
    1846 EloClaude Opus 5.5 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort, Default Fallback) · 23 Sep 2026
    Unrated
  • Remote Labor Indexby CAIS and Scale AIProject level · Automation rate
    15.8%Claude Fable 5 · 1 Jul 2026
    Open

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • 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.
  • Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.
  • Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.
  • Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.
  • Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.
Other job titles for this occupation (24)

Agricultural Engineer · Agricultural Systems Specialist · Conservation Engineer · Engineer · Field Engineer · Product Engineer · Product Technology Scientist · Project Engineer · Research Agricultural Engineer · Research Engineer · Agricultural Equipment Design Engineer · Agricultural Equipment Test Engineer · Agricultural Production Engineer · Agricultural Research Engineer · Agriculture Consultant · Agriculture Engineer · Agriculture Scientist · Farm Equipment Engineer · Field Research Associate · Landscape Irrigation Specialist · Permaculture Designer · Regional Engineer · Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE) · Test Engineer