---

Agricultural Mechanization

Types of Degrees Agricultural Mechanization Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Agricultural Mechanization have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	272
Associate’s Degree	587
Bachelor’s Degree	248
Master’s Degree	266

What Agricultural Mechanization Majors Need to Know

Studies in Agricultural Mechanization build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Agricultural Mechanization graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Agricultural Mechanization emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Agricultural Mechanization program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Agricultural Mechanization careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Agricultural Mechanization graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.8 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Agricultural Mechanization professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Image scanning software	Optical character reader OCR or scanning software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
iParadigms Turnitin	Information retrieval or search software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Agricultural Mechanization graduates include:

• Assistant Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Faculty Member
• Professor
• Field Mechanic
• Mechanic
• Machinery Mechanic
• Electric Milkers Installer
• Agricultural Service Technician (Ag Service Tech)
• Implement Mechanic
• Trailer Tech (Trailer Technician)
• Tractor Trailer Technician (Tractor Trailer Tech)
• Dairy Equipment Mechanic

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Agricultural Mechanization graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	34.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	18.8%
Doctoral degree	17.1%
Post-doctoral training	8.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.7%
Master’s degree	4.8%
Some college courses	3.4%
Less than a high school diploma	3.1%
Bachelor’s degree	2.0%
Post-master’s certificate	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Agricultural Mechanization?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 91.5% of Agricultural Mechanization degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	117	8.5%
Men	1,261	91.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Agricultural Mechanization graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,006	73.0%
Asian	23	1.7%
Hispanic or Latino	261	18.9%
Black or African American	11	0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	13	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	35	2.5%
Race Unknown	23	1.7%
International Students	5	0.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Agricultural Mechanization Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Agricultural Mechanization graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$55,065
4 years	$59,906
5 years	$65,945

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $65,945 — roughly 20% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Agricultural Mechanization Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Agricultural Mechanization graduates earn a median of $59,906 four years after completion — roughly 58% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Agriculture Ag Operations	01
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services	01.05
Agricultural and Food Products Processing	01.04
Agricultural Business and Management	01.01
Agricultural Production Operations	01.03
Agricultural Public Services	01.08
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other	01.99
Agriculture, General	01.00
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs	01.13
Animal Sciences	01.09
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services	01.06
Food Science and Technology	01.10

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.