What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Agricultural Technicians in the U.S. earn more than $49,630 a year — the middle 80% land between $35,980 and $76,480. About 15,130 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Agricultural Technicians”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$49,630typical pay / year
15,130people in this work
$76,480+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing1
Provide support to scientists and farmers
+Visit the trial plots at Morning Ridge, collect soil cores and plant tissue from block B, run the nutrient…
Provide support to scientists and farmers
+Visit the trial plots at Morning Ridge, collect soil cores and plant tissue from block B, run the nutrient and moisture calculations, flag anomalies for Dr. Hale, and draft a two-page field support note by Tuesday lunchtime for the farmer and the lab team.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordESCOjob descriptions
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Fixing2
Perform routine troubleshooting and repairs on precision systems.
+Inspect the Clayton sprayer and guidance console, run diagnostics on auto-steer and flow sensors, replace the…
Perform routine troubleshooting and repairs on precision systems.
+Inspect the Clayton sprayer and guidance console, run diagnostics on auto-steer and flow sensors, replace the clogged nozzle, recalibrate the application map, log fault codes and repairs, and send the equipment log and next-check date to Jake in operations.
The tools that do the workAg Leader Technology SMS AdvancedMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsO*NET
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Program farm equipment such as variable-rate planters and sprayers.
+Prepare variable-rate prescriptions for the north fields: import yield and soil test layers, calculate target…
Program farm equipment such as variable-rate planters and sprayers.
+Prepare variable-rate prescriptions for the north fields: import yield and soil test layers, calculate target seeding and nutrient rates per management zone, export the prescription files and send to the equipment manager for upload before next week's planting.
The tools that do the workAg Leader Technology SMS Advancedjob descriptionsO*NET
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Keeping the record3
Develop soil sampling grids and identify sampling sites.
+Lay out a 10‑hectare 50×50 metre soil sampling grid across Trial Block C, flag each GPS point, collect cores…
Develop soil sampling grids and identify sampling sites.
+Lay out a 10‑hectare 50×50 metre soil sampling grid across Trial Block C, flag each GPS point, collect cores at the centre of each cell, and record coordinates and depth for the lab chain of custody sheet.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISGlobal positioning system GPSjob descriptionsO*NET
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Collect agronomic data from fields and soil attributes.
+Walk the west and north paddocks this morning, record plant population counts, canopy cover, soil moisture…
Collect agronomic data from fields and soil attributes.
+Walk the west and north paddocks this morning, record plant population counts, canopy cover, soil moisture and any unusual soil texture at five points per field, photograph representative trouble spots and upload the observations to the project dataset.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcPadjob descriptionsO*NET
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Monitor crop health and pest issues during field visits.
+During the scheduled visits this week inspect the corn and soybean stands for leaf chlorosis, chewing damage…
Monitor crop health and pest issues during field visits.
+During the scheduled visits this week inspect the corn and soybean stands for leaf chlorosis, chewing damage and aphid colonies, rate severity on the one-to-five scale, collect insect samples where seen, and flag coordinates for follow-up management.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work14
Analyse environmental data
+Compile soil moisture, rainfall, and nutrient sensor logs from the last six months, clean and time-align the…
Analyse environmental data
+Compile soil moisture, rainfall, and nutrient sensor logs from the last six months, clean and time-align the records, run the standard crop-response calculations, flag any outliers with likely causes, and produce a one-page summary for the farm manager by Thursday.
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Maintain laboratory equipment
+Record the preventive maintenance checks I performed on the centrifuge and spectrophotometer, log serial…
Maintain laboratory equipment
+Record the preventive maintenance checks I performed on the centrifuge and spectrophotometer, log serial numbers and calibration readings, schedule required service within 30 days if any reading falls outside tolerance, and circulate the maintenance note to the lab supervisor today.
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Advise on upgrading GPS equipment for better satellite technology utilization.
+Recommend specific GPS upgrade options to the farm manager to improve satellite compatibility and positional…
Advise on upgrading GPS equipment for better satellite technology utilization.
+Recommend specific GPS upgrade options to the farm manager to improve satellite compatibility and positional accuracy, list expected horizontal accuracy in metres, required antenna and receiver changes, estimated cost per tractor, and timeline for field installation and testing by next month.
The tools that do the workAg Leader Technology SMS Advancedjob descriptionsO*NET
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Draw or read maps, such as soil, contour, or plat maps.
+Create or update the soil and contour map for Field 12 using the latest survey points from last week, flag…
Draw or read maps, such as soil, contour, or plat maps.
+Create or update the soil and contour map for Field 12 using the latest survey points from last week, flag any boundary discrepancies with the landowner plat, and prepare a printable 1:5,000 map with legend and scale for Wednesday's farm visit.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISESRI ArcPadO*NET
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Prepare reports in graphical or tabular form, summarizing field productivity or profitability.
+Summarise this season's field productivity and profitability by field block: include yield per hectare, input…
Prepare reports in graphical or tabular form, summarizing field productivity or profitability.
+Summarise this season's field productivity and profitability by field block: include yield per hectare, input cost per hectare, gross margin, and a bar chart comparing blocks; export a clean table and two charts for inclusion in Friday's management report.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Contact equipment manufacturers for technical assistance, as needed.
+Draft and send an inquiry to the equipment manufacturer describing the issue with the RTK base station losing…
Contact equipment manufacturers for technical assistance, as needed.
+Draft and send an inquiry to the equipment manufacturer describing the issue with the RTK base station losing fix after three hours, include serial numbers, firmware version, detailed error logs from last two incidents, and request response and service ETA within 48 hours.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookO*NET
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Analyze data using specialized software and interpret results.
+Run the field trial dataset through the statistical workflow, produce summary statistics, geostatistical maps…
Analyze data using specialized software and interpret results.
+Run the field trial dataset through the statistical workflow, produce summary statistics, geostatistical maps of nutrient variability, and a one-page interpretation of agronomic significance with recommendations for variable-rate application rates by Tuesday morning.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Collect and conduct experiments and tests on agriculture and aquaculture specimens
+Plan and document the experimental protocol for the aquaculture trial: list sample sizes, sampling schedule,…
Collect and conduct experiments and tests on agriculture and aquaculture specimens
+Plan and document the experimental protocol for the aquaculture trial: list sample sizes, sampling schedule, test methods, safety steps, required reagents and equipment, and a template data sheet for lab and field technicians before sampling begins next Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESCO
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Analyse conditions in the specimens' environments
+Survey the sample sites' soils, microclimate, crop residue and surrounding land use, compile GPS-referenced…
Analyse conditions in the specimens' environments
+Survey the sample sites' soils, microclimate, crop residue and surrounding land use, compile GPS-referenced notes and photos, compare on-site measures to the lab results, and flag any plots where moisture, pH or compaction fall outside agronomic thresholds for follow-up.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISESRI ArcPadESCO
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Conduct field work
+Plan and carry out the morning field transects at Block A and B, collect soil cores and plant tissue from the…
Conduct field work
+Plan and carry out the morning field transects at Block A and B, collect soil cores and plant tissue from the mapped grid, record GPS coordinates and immediate crop observations, label samples for the lab and note any biohazards or access issues.
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Analyse scientific data
+Process the latest lab returns and sensor logs, clean and merge the datasets, run variance and correlation…
Analyse scientific data
+Process the latest lab returns and sensor logs, clean and merge the datasets, run variance and correlation checks on yield, nutrient and moisture readings, then produce a short table of anomalies and likely causal factors for the farm manager.
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Apply safety procedures in laboratory
+Review the laboratory SOP, inspect the sample handling chain, confirm personal protective equipment and…
Apply safety procedures in laboratory
+Review the laboratory SOP, inspect the sample handling chain, confirm personal protective equipment and chemical storage meet standards, run the spill and emergency checklist, and sign off that procedures were followed before analysts start work.
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Execute analytical mathematical calculations
+Take the cleaned dataset, apply the predefined transformation formulas, calculate nutrient balances,…
Execute analytical mathematical calculations
+Take the cleaned dataset, apply the predefined transformation formulas, calculate nutrient balances, confidence intervals and treatment effect sizes per plot, then summarise the numeric results with clear units for agronomic decision making.
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Write work-related reports
+Write a concise report for Elena the farm manager: state objectives, methods, key findings with numbers for…
Write work-related reports
+Write a concise report for Elena the farm manager: state objectives, methods, key findings with numbers for yield, pH and moisture, ranked recommendations and a one-page action plan with who to contact and timelines for implementation.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses