Agricultural Technicians
Also called: Acidity Tester, Agricultural Assistant, Agricultural Equipment Technician, Agricultural Research Technician (Agricultural Research Tech), Agricultural Research Technologist, Agricultural Service Technician, Agricultural Specialist, Agricultural Technician (Agricultural Tech)
Work with agricultural scientists in plant, fiber, and animal research, or assist with animal breeding and nutrition.
What agricultural technicians do
Typical tasks
- Prepare land for cultivated crops, orchards, or vineyards by plowing, discing, leveling, or contouring.
- Operate farm machinery, including tractors, plows, mowers, combines, balers, sprayers, earthmoving equipment, or trucks.
- Record data pertaining to experimentation, research, or animal care.
- Maintain or repair agricultural facilities, equipment, or tools to ensure operational readiness, safety, and cleanliness.
- Perform crop production duties, such as tilling, hoeing, pruning, weeding, or harvesting crops.
- Collect animal or crop samples.
- Examine animals or crop specimens to determine the presence of diseases or other problems.
- Set up laboratory or field equipment as required for site testing.
- Supervise or train agricultural technicians or farm laborers.
- Conduct studies of nitrogen or alternative fertilizer application methods, quantities, or timing to ensure satisfaction of crop needs and minimization of leaching, runoff, or denitrification.
- Prepare laboratory samples for analysis, following proper protocols to ensure that they will be stored, prepared, and disposed of efficiently and effectively.
- Measure or weigh ingredients used in laboratory testing.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Agricultural Technicians salary
The median annual wage for agricultural technicians is $49,630 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $35,980 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $76,480. The mean annual wage is $53,840.
The mean hourly wage of $25.00 is 3.4× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Agricultural Technicians (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $49,630 → in 3 years $54,400 → in 5 years $57,800 → in 10 years $67,300 (10-year range $57,900–$78,200). The model assumes pay growth of +3.1% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Agricultural Technicians
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Agricultural Technicians? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Agricultural Technicians
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Agricultural Technicians United States | 農業技術者 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $49,630 | ¥6.12M ≈ $38,915 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $67,300 | ¥7.95M |
| Outlook score | 62 | 64 |
| AI replacement risk | 46% Moderate | 21% Low |
| Workers | 15K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Agricultural Technicians
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become agricultural technicians
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as agricultural technicians
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.