# Agricultural Engineers

US SOC code 17-2021. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/17-2021

Also called: Ag engineer, Farm engineer, Biosystems engineer, Bioengineer (agriculture), Precision agriculture engineer.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **1,480** US agricultural engineers, with median pay of **$98,590** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **1,860**, in May 2023. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/008.html) of **800** from 1930, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for agricultural engineers: Cloud farm management platforms, drone analytics, and AI irrigation scheduling, 2010 to 2022.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 6.9% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-2021&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **33.3%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Agricultural Engineers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1905
- Latest US employment: 1,480 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $98,590 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [8]
- Outlook: +6.9% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [21]

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1930 | 800 (estimate) | n/a | Est., National Archives [1] |
| 1960 | 4,800 (estimate) | $7,200 (estimate) | Est., Iowa State University (employment) [2]; Est., University of Missouri Libraries (pay) [6] |
| 1990 | 16,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook [3] |
| 2000 | 2,170 | $55,850 | BLS OEWS 2000 [4] |
| 2003 | 2,270 | $50,970 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 3,220 | $56,520 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 3,170 | $64,890 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 3,050 | $66,030 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 2,480 | $67,710 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 2,640 | $68,730 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 2,620 | $69,560 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 2,520 | $71,090 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 2,650 | $74,630 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 2,470 | $74,000 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 2,590 | $74,450 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 2,450 | $71,730 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 2,330 | $75,090 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 1,980 | $73,640 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 1,770 | $74,780 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 1,630 | $77,110 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 1,550 | $80,720 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 1,440 | $84,410 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 1,120 | $82,640 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 1,500 | $83,260 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 1,860 | $88,750 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 1,680 | $84,630 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 1,480 | $98,590 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (92)

### Employment series

1. [National Archives -- Records of the Bureau of Agricultural Engineering (RG 8): established July 1, 1931; predecessor Division of Agricultural Engineering active from 1921](https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/008.html), National Archives and Records Administration
2. [Iowa State University -- Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering 125th Points of Pride (125-year program history, membership and enrollment trajectories)](https://www.cals.iastate.edu/content/department-agricultural-and-biosystems-engineering-125th-points-pride), Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
3. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook -- Agricultural Engineers (historical coverage, 1990-91 edition; profession described as employing approximately 15,000-17,000)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/agricultural-engineers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

6. [University of Missouri Libraries -- Prices and Wages by Decade: 1960-1969 (engineering salary survey context, BLS professional pay series)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1960-1969), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
7. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
8. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
9. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Tool eras

10. [Iowa State University CALS -- Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering 125th Points of Pride: Jay Davidson organized the first agricultural engineering department in the world in 1905, recognized internationally as the founder of agricultural engineering](https://www.cals.iastate.edu/content/department-agricultural-and-biosystems-engineering-125th-points-pride), Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
11. [National Archives -- Records of the Bureau of Agricultural Engineering (RG 8): 1898-1953, research in irrigation, drainage, and farm structures](https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/008.html), National Archives and Records Administration
12. [USDA National Agricultural Library -- Division of Agricultural Engineering Records (1911-1980): rural electrification, farm buildings, irrigation, drainage research documentation](https://www.nal.usda.gov/collections/special-collections/usda-division-agricultural-engineering-records), USDA National Agricultural Library
13. [Smithsonian National Museum of American History -- "Precision Farming" (history of agricultural technology from green revolution through GPS era)](https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-enterprise/online/stories/precision-farming), Smithsonian National Museum of American History
14. [American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) -- history and mission: founded 1907, standards development from 1920s, engineering standards catalog](https://www.asabe.org/), ASABE
15. [Michigan State University Extension -- "Precision farming comes into its own": history of precision agriculture adoption 1992-2010, yield monitors, GPS mapping, variable-rate application](https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/precision-farming-comes-into-its-own), Michigan State University Extension / AgBioResearch
16. [Climate FieldView (Bayer/Climate Corp) -- precision agriculture platform history: field variability mapping, satellite imagery, yield prediction (launched 2015)](https://climate.com/en-us.html), Climate Corporation / Bayer
17. [John Deere Operations Center -- farm management platform: machine telemetry, field data aggregation, VRA prescription execution, yield mapping analytics (launched 2012)](https://www.deere.com/en/technology-products/precision-ag-technology/data-management/operations-center/), John Deere
18. [John Deere -- See & Spray Ultimate: computer vision and ML weed detection, 70%+ herbicide reduction, commercial 2023](https://www.deere.com/en/sprayers/see-spray-gen-2/), John Deere
19. [USDA NRCS -- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): IRA $8.45B supplemental agricultural conservation funding 2023-2031](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
20. [Carbon Robotics -- LaserWeeder: AI-guided laser weeding robot for commercial vegetable and specialty crop production, commercial since 2022](https://carbonrobotics.com/), Carbon Robotics

### Forecasts and exposure studies

21. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 17-2021 Agricultural engineers (2025: 1.5 thousand; 2035: 1.6 thousand; +6.9%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-2021&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
22. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 17-2021.00, human-rated β 0.333)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

23. [Constituting America -- "July 2, 1862: President Abraham Lincoln Signs the Morrill Act Establishing Land Grant Colleges"](https://constitutingamerica.org/july-2-1862-president-abraham-lincoln-signs-morrill-act-establishing-land-grant-colleges-guest-essayist-james-c-clinger/), Constituting America
24. [Wikipedia -- American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers: founding December 14, 1907 at University of Wisconsin-Madison; Davidson first president](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Society_of_Agricultural_and_Biological_Engineers), Wikipedia / ASABE
25. [Iowa State University -- Landscape Marker 15-02: First Agricultural Engineering Degree (world's first, 1910, Jacob E. Waggoner)](https://www.fpm.iastate.edu/maps/memorials/marker.asp?id=15-02), Iowa State University Facilities Planning and Management
26. [National Archives -- Records of the Bureau of Agricultural Engineering (RG 8): established July 1, 1931 by Agricultural Appropriation Act; research in irrigation, drainage, and farm structures](https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/008.html), National Archives and Records Administration
27. [USDA NRCS -- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): program history and Conservation Practice Standard engineering requirements](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
28. [Michigan State University Extension -- "Precision farming comes into its own": 1996 GPS adoption milestone, yield monitoring history, precision agriculture technology adoption curves](https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/precision-farming-comes-into-its-own), Michigan State University Extension

### Predecessors & successors

29. [National Archives -- Records of the Bureau of Agricultural Engineering: origins in Division of Irrigation Investigations (1898), predecessor civil engineers working on federal irrigation and drainage projects](https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/008.html), National Archives and Records Administration
30. [Iowa State University CALS -- Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering 125th Points of Pride: Jay Davidson, who came from a mechanical engineering background, organized the first agricultural engineering department in 1905](https://www.cals.iastate.edu/content/department-agricultural-and-biosystems-engineering-125th-points-pride), Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
31. [ASABE -- name change from American Society of Agricultural Engineers to American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in 2005, reflecting convergence of the two professional identities](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Society_of_Agricultural_and_Biological_Engineers), Wikipedia / ASABE
32. [BLS OOH -- Agricultural Engineers: career pathway and related occupations section](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/agricultural-engineers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Agricultural Engineers (17-2021.00): tasks, knowledge, technology skills](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-2021.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [BLS OOH — Agricultural Engineers: +5% growth 2024–2034; median annual wage $84,730 (May 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/agricultural-engineers.htm), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science): occupational LLM exposure framework](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [USDA NRCS — Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): Inflation Reduction Act $8.45B supplemental agricultural conservation funding 2023–2031](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives), accessed 2026-05-24
- [EPA — Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) NPDES Permit Rule: 2024 proposed revisions to effluent limitation guidelines and nutrient management requirements](https://www.epa.gov/npdes/animal-feeding-operations-afos), accessed 2026-05-24
- [John Deere — See & Spray Ultimate: AI-powered precision herbicide application using computer vision to differentiate crop from weed; commercial launch 2023, 70%+ herbicide reduction](https://www.deere.com/en/sprayers/see-spray-gen-2/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [John Deere — Operations Center: farm management platform with machine learning for field data aggregation, equipment telematics, yield mapping, and agronomic analysis](https://www.deere.com/en/technology-products/precision-ag-technology/data-management/operations-center/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Climate FieldView (Bayer/Climate Corporation) — precision agriculture platform: AI-driven field variability mapping, yield prediction, and agronomic input optimization from satellite imagery and sensor data](https://climate.com/en-us.html), accessed 2026-05-24
- [CropX — AI irrigation management platform: automated irrigation scheduling from soil moisture sensors, weather forecasts, and ET models; validated across commercial grower deployments](https://cropx.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Lindsay Corporation — FieldNET Advisor AI: AI-powered irrigation scheduling recommendations integrated with pivot and lateral-move irrigation systems; Lindsay 2024 platform update](https://www.lindsay.com/usca/en/irrigation/fieldnet), accessed 2026-06-21
- [Sentera — drone-based AI crop analytics: NDVI, NDRE, and multispectral analysis with AI-flagged field problem zones; agronomic report generation for field scouting](https://sentera.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [CIBO Technologies — satellite-derived AI crop modeling for soil carbon quantification, yield estimation, and sustainability program verification at field scale (2024)](https://www.cibotechnologies.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Carbon Robotics — LaserWeeder: AI-guided CO2 laser weeding robot for commercial broadacre production; autonomous weed elimination without herbicide; commercial since 2022](https://carbonrobotics.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [AGDAILY — Monarch's fully electric, autonomous MK-V tractor now available for purchase: AI-driven driver-optional navigation (NVIDIA Jetson platform), implement data processing, and crop/agronomic sensing; commercially available from December 2022](https://www.agdaily.com/technology/fully-electric-autonomous-monarch-tractor-mk-v-available-commercially/), accessed 2026-09-13
- [Granular (Corteva Agriscience) — farm management software with AI-driven field analytics, agronomic benchmarking, and input cost optimization for large-scale grain operations](https://us.app.granular.ag/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [EnviroSim — BioWin: wastewater and biosolids process simulation for agricultural waste lagoon design, anaerobic digestion optimization, and land-application loading rate engineering](https://envirosim.com/biowinadvonlinetraining), accessed 2026-05-24
- [ASABE — American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers: engineering standards for agricultural drainage, irrigation, structures, and food processing (2024 standards catalog)](https://www.asabe.org/), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.