Agricultural Engineers

Architecture and Engineering Occupations

O*NET-SOC code: 17-2021.00

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.

Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery high
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
Source dataset (XLSX download)
Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
Source dataset (CSV download)
Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.32
0.09Range of values carried here0.70
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
Source dataset (PDF download)

What kind of figure this source publishes

The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.

Task-level exposure

Exposed tasks only

14 rated tasks · 11 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (78.6%)

β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.

Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.

Source: OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
Release: gh-main-0471612
License: MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI

Task (O*NET 20.1)	Claude.aiRaw / share %
Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity. 17-2021.00	0.010364.0
Prepare reports, sketches, working drawings, specifications, proposals, and budgets for proposed sites or systems. 17-2021.00	0.004024.8
Design food processing plants and related mechanical systems. 17-2021.00	0.001811.2
Not observed on any surface — 11 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states.
Visit sites to observe environmental problems, to consult with contractors, or to monitor construction activities.	—0
Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.	—0
Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure adequate performance.	—0
Design structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and animal and crop processing, and supervise their construction.	—0
Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources.	—0
Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that they can be evaluated and necessary changes made.	—0
Supervise food processing or manufacturing plant operations.	—0
Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.	—0
Plan and direct construction of rural electric-power distribution systems, and irrigation, drainage, and flood control systems for soil and water conservation.	—0
Meet with clients, such as district or regional councils, farmers, and developers, to discuss their needs.	—0
Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.	—0

Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.

Task (O*NET 27.2)	βE1 + 0.5 × E2
Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology. O*NET Task ID 5326	1.0
Design structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and animal and crop processing, and supervise their construction. O*NET Task ID 5328	0.5
Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources. O*NET Task ID 5329	0.5
Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity. O*NET Task ID 5330	0.5
Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that they can be evaluated and necessary changes made. O*NET Task ID 5331	0.5
Supervise food processing or manufacturing plant operations. O*NET Task ID 5332	0.5
Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries. O*NET Task ID 5333	0.5
Plan and direct construction of rural electric-power distribution systems, and irrigation, drainage, and flood control systems for soil and water conservation. O*NET Task ID 5334	0.5
Design food processing plants and related mechanical systems. O*NET Task ID 5335	0.5
Prepare reports, sketches, working drawings, specifications, proposals, and budgets for proposed sites or systems. O*NET Task ID 5336	0.5
Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life. O*NET Task ID 5338	0.5
Show 1 more task ▾Show less ▴
Visit sites to observe environmental problems, to consult with contractors, or to monitor construction activities. O*NET Task ID 5325	0.0
Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure adequate performance. O*NET Task ID 5327	0.0
Meet with clients, such as district or regional councils, farmers, and developers, to discuss their needs. O*NET Task ID 5337	0.0

β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.

Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page

All O*NET 31.0 task statements (14)

All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.

Task (O*NET 31.0)	Type
Visit sites to observe environmental problems, to consult with contractors, or to monitor construction activities.	Core
Design agricultural machinery components and equipment, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology.	Core
Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure adequate performance.	Core
Design structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and animal and crop processing, and supervise their construction.	Core
Provide advice on water quality and issues related to pollution management, river control, and ground and surface water resources.	Core
Conduct educational programs that provide farmers or farm cooperative members with information that can help them improve agricultural productivity.	Core
Discuss plans with clients, contractors, consultants, and other engineers so that they can be evaluated and necessary changes made.	Core
Design and supervise environmental and land reclamation projects in agriculture and related industries.	Core
Plan and direct construction of rural electric-power distribution systems, and irrigation, drainage, and flood control systems for soil and water conservation.	Core
Prepare reports, sketches, working drawings, specifications, proposals, and budgets for proposed sites or systems.	Core
Meet with clients, such as district or regional councils, farmers, and developers, to discuss their needs.	Core
Design sensing, measuring, and recording devices, and other instrumentation used to study plant or animal life.	Core
Supervise food processing or manufacturing plant operations.	Supplemental
Design food processing plants and related mechanical systems.	Supplemental

Anthropic, "What work can robots do?"2026-09

0.30/ 3· Robot exposure index

0 none3 unstructured settings

Scale, basis and source

Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time

Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks

Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.

Source dataset

The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.

Tier of each physical task

Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)

E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site

Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.

Task (O*NET 29.3)	Robot environment tier
Visit sites to observe environmental problems, to consult with contractors, or to monitor construction activities.	E2 structured facilities
Test agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure adequate performance.	E1 purpose-built robot settings

Employment outlook (BLS)

Employment, 2025: 2K
Projected employment, 2035: 2K
Change (2025–35): +6.9%
Median annual wage, 2025: $98,590
Typical education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree

lowest $30,890median wage across 825 detailed occupations, BLS EP 2025–35highest $559,030

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — Employment by detailed occupation, 2025 and projected 2035

Korea classification links (KSCO)

Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.

KSCO code	KSCO title	Relation	Status
23515	산업기계공학 기술자 및 연구원	Related, not a match	confirmed

Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)

ILO occupational description

AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.

ISCO-08 2144Mechanical Engineers

The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.

Mechanical engineers conduct research; advise on, design and direct production of machines, aircraft, ships, machinery and industrial plant, equipment and systems; advise on and direct their functioning, maintenance and repair; or study and advise on mechanical aspects of particular materials, products or processes.

Tasks

(a) advising on and designing machinery and tools for manufacturing, mining, construction, agricultural, and other industrial purposes;
(b) advising on and designing steam, internal combustion and other non-electric motors and engines used for propulsion of railway locomotives, road vehicles or aircraft, or for driving industrial or other machinery;
(c) advising on and designing: hulls, superstructures and propulsion systems of ships; mechanical plant and equipment for the release, control and utilization of energy; heating, ventilation and refrigeration systems, steering gear, pumps and other mechanical equipment;
(d) advising on and designing airframes, undercarriages and other equipment for aircraft as well as suspension systems, brakes, vehicle bodies and other components of road vehicles;
(e) advising on and designing non-electrical parts of apparatus or products such as word processors, computers, precision instruments, cameras and projectors;
(f) establishing control standards and procedures to ensure efficient functioning and safety of machines, machinery, tools, motors, engines, industrial plant, equipment, or systems;
(g) ensuring that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards.

Example occupations

Aeronautical engineer · Engine designer · Marine architect · Marine engineer · Mechanical engineer

Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits

ESCO occupational vocabulary

Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.

agricultural engineerESCO 2144.1.2Same scope
Agricultural engineers intervene in a variety of matters within the agriculture field in combination with engineering concepts. They design and develop machinery and equipment for an efficient and sustainable exploitation of the land. They advise on the use of resources in agricultural sites comprising the usage of water and soil, harvesting methods, and waste management.
agricultural equipment design engineerESCO 2144.1.2.1This occupation is broader
Agricultural equipment design engineers apply knowledge of engineering and biological science to solve various agricultural problems such as soil and water conservation and the processing of agricultural products. They design agricultural structures, machinery, equipment and processes.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

View original

ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.

France classification links (ROME)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.

ROME code	ROME title (French)	Relation
A1303	Ingénieur / Ingénieure d'études et de recherche agricoles	Related, not a match
H1206	Ingénieur / Ingénieure R&D en industrie	Related, not a match
I1328	Conseiller / Conseillère en hydraulique agricole	Related, not a match

Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.

ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)

Spain classification links (CNO-11)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

CNO-11 code	CNO-11 title (Spanish)	Relation
2422	Ingenieros agrónomos	Related, not a matchprovisional
2432	Ingenieros en construcción y obra civil	Related, not a matchprovisional
2433	Ingenieros mecánicos	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)

Germany classification links (KldB)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

KldB code	KldB title (German)	Relation
25224	Berufe in der Land- und Baumaschinentechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten	Overlapping, not the same
11114	Berufe in der Landtechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten	Related, not a match
32264	Berufe im Kultur- und Wasserbau - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)

Japan classification links (JSCO)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

JSCO code	JSCO title (Japanese)	Relation
061	農林水産技術者	Related, not a matchprovisional
073	機械技術者（開発）	Related, not a matchprovisional
092	土木技術者	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)

Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources