Agricultural Technicians
What Agricultural Technicians Do
Work with agricultural scientists in plant, fiber, and animal research, or assist with animal breeding and nutrition. Set up or maintain laboratory equipment and collect samples from crops or animals. Prepare specimens or record data to assist scientists in biology or related life science experiments. Conduct tests and experiments to improve yield and quality of crops or to increase the resistance of plants and animals to disease or insects.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 5.2%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 3 of 5Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Job training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Food Productionimportance 3.6/5
- Biologyimportance 3.5/5
- Chemistryimportance 3.4/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.4/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.1/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 3.0/5
- English Languageimportance 3.0/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.9/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.5/5
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.3/5
- E-Mail4.3/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.0/5
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment4.0/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops92% skill match
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians92% skill match
- Pest Control Workers91% skill match
- Forest and Conservation Technicians91% skill match
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers91% skill match
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists91% skill match
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers91% skill match
- Parking Attendants90% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Instructingimportance 3.0/5
- Operations Monitoringimportance 3.0/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.9/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 2.8/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Perseverance
- Integrity
- Achievement Orientation
- Cautiousness
- Cooperation
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- InvestigativeMedium
- ConventionalMedium
- EnterprisingLow
- SocialLow
- ArtisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where agricultural technicians make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Ames, IA25.16× national avg
- 2Twin Falls, ID24.52× national avg
- 3Manhattan, KS18.10× national avg
- 4Jefferson City, MO17.94× national avg
- 5Iowa City, IA7.46× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Forest and Conservation TechniciansLateral Move
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersCareer Change
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersCareer Change
- Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansCareer Change
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
- University of South Florida (Tampa, FL)grads earn ~$49,395
- Florida International University (Miami, FL)grads earn ~$46,718
- Arizona State University Campus Immersion (Tempe, AZ)grads earn ~$56,037
- Texas A&M University-College Station (College Station, TX)grads earn ~$61,734
- University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)grads earn ~$51,313
Dairy Science
- Texas A&M University-College Station (College Station, TX)grads earn ~$57,324
- University of California-Davis (Davis, CA)grads earn ~$48,441
- Iowa State University (Ames, IA)grads earn ~$51,644
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh (Raleigh, NC)grads earn ~$53,226
- Oklahoma State University-Main Campus (Stillwater, OK)grads earn ~$53,971
Range Science and Management
- Iowa State University (Ames, IA)grads earn ~$60,997
- West Texas A & M University (Canyon, TX)
- Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR)grads earn ~$57,950
- Colorado State University-Fort Collins (Fort Collins, CO)grads earn ~$42,034
- California State University-Fresno (Fresno, CA)grads earn ~$77,034