

The annual median wage for biological, agricultural, and biosystems engineers was $80,720 in May 2019, which is higher than the annual median wage for all occupations in general of $39,810. The BLS projects employment of biological, agricultural, and biosystems engineers to grow by 5 percent over the 2018 to 2028 period. Most academic programs encourage students to gain experience through projects designing equipment and solving real-world problems utilizing biology, math, and engineering principles.Īccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there is an increasing need to improve the efficiency of agricultural production systems while minimizing environmental damage, driven heavily by population growth and stronger global competition. Most jobs in biological, agricultural, and biosystems engineering require at least a bachelor’s degree.

These engineers are also often involved in activities such as developing and producing alternative bioenergy sources and biofuels (including ethanol, biodiesel, and bio-butanol), developing and implementing precision and automated farming technologies for irrigation and harvesting, and experimenting with growing crops in space. Additionally, many work to improve efficiency in fertilizer application and the automation of harvesting systems by integrating artificial intelligence and geospatial systems into agriculture. Others work to develop climate control systems to increase the comfort and productivity of livestock whereas some work to increase the storage capacity and efficiency of refrigeration. Many biological, agricultural, and biosystems engineers work in either farming, aquaculture, forestry, and food processing. “Agricultural and Biological Engineering is the discipline of engineering that applies engineering principles and the fundamental concepts of biology to agricultural and biological systems and tools, ranging in scale from molecular to ecosystem level, for the safe, efficient and environmentally sensitive production, processing, and management of agricultural, biological, food, and natural resources systems.”Īmong their areas of focus is the production of a safe and plentiful food supply and clean energy while protecting the water supply, the environment, and animals. According to the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Agricultural, biological, and biosystems engineering is among the smallest STEM occupations we track, with only about 2,600 in the U.S.
