Agricultural Engineeringat University of Maryland-College Park
Graduates earn $69,848/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Agricultural Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $953K; scenarios range from $812K to $988K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Maryland-College Park
At UMD-College Park, your Agricultural Engineering degree benefits immensely from the university's strong engineering reputation and its strategic location near Washington D.C. and Baltimore. This isn't just a program for traditional farming; it's deeply rooted in designing advanced systems for sustainable food production, environmental protection, and bioresource management. Your strong earning potential reflects how well these highly technical skills translate into roles at federal agencies like the USDA or EPA, or within cutting-edge agri-tech and environmental consulting firms across the region.
You'll likely be involved in developing precision agriculture tools, optimizing complex food processing plants, or designing innovative water management solutions. While the field sees increasing automation, this means you'll be at the forefront of *designing* and *managing* these intelligent systems. To truly thrive and future-proof your career, actively pursue internships that immerse you in data analytics, robotics, or sustainable energy applications within the agricultural sector.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Maryland-College Park's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Agricultural Engineering
How University of Maryland-College Park stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Maryland-College Park
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Maryland-College Park, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Agricultural Engineering at University of Maryland-College Park
How does University of Maryland-College Park's Agricultural Engineering program score?
A score of 71/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Maryland-College Park's Agricultural Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Agricultural Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Agricultural Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 45% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does University of Maryland-College Park rank so high for Agricultural Engineering?
The #1 ranking out of 21 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.