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.
Keeping the record3
Develop soil sampling grids and identify sampling sites.
+Design a grid of 25 soil sampling points for the 100-hectare trial, flag GPS waypoints for each sample…
Develop soil sampling grids and identify sampling sites.
+Design a grid of 25 soil sampling points for the 100-hectare trial, flag GPS waypoints for each sample location, record avoidance zones near waterways, and hand over the printable waypoint list and map to the sampling team tomorrow morning.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcPadMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Collect agronomic data from fields and soil attributes.
+Collect crop stage, pest presence and soil texture data across the trial fields, enter meter readings and…
Collect agronomic data from fields and soil attributes.
+Collect crop stage, pest presence and soil texture data across the trial fields, enter meter readings and sample IDs into the field log, photograph each sampling point, and deliver the cleaned dataset and lab submission forms to the lab by 10am Friday.
The tools that do the workAg Leader Technology SMS AdvancedMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Program farm equipment such as variable-rate planters and sprayers.
+Before the 0800 appointment at Johnson Farms program the variable-rate planter and sprayer prescriptions from…
Program farm equipment such as variable-rate planters and sprayers.
+Before the 0800 appointment at Johnson Farms program the variable-rate planter and sprayer prescriptions from the nutrient map, load the prescription files to the controller, run a bench test over 50 metres, log any sensor offsets and leave a one‑page setup note for the operator.
The tools that do the workAg Leader Technology SMS Advancedjob descriptionsO*NET
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Protecting3
Monitor crop health and pest issues during field visits.
+During my field visit tomorrow at Miller Farm bring the crop health checklist, walk every 10th row of the…
Monitor crop health and pest issues during field visits.
+During my field visit tomorrow at Miller Farm bring the crop health checklist, walk every 10th row of the north soybean block, record chlorosis, wilting and pest signs with GPS points, flag hot spots for a follow-up sample and a written recommendation by Friday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcPadjob descriptionsO*NET
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Provide support to scientists and farmers
+Compile farmer and scientist questions from this week, prioritise three urgent issues—late blight reports,…
Provide support to scientists and farmers
+Compile farmer and scientist questions from this week, prioritise three urgent issues—late blight reports, soil nitrate spikes, irrigation scheduling—draft plain-language advice and a two-page technical appendix, then email both to Dr. Patel and to Maria at GreenGrow by Tuesday afternoon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordESCOjob descriptions
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Perform routine troubleshooting and repairs on precision systems.
+At the Hinshaw trial tomorrow run the precision system diagnostics, replace the faulty wheel speed sensor,…
Perform routine troubleshooting and repairs on precision systems.
+At the Hinshaw trial tomorrow run the precision system diagnostics, replace the faulty wheel speed sensor, recalibrate the section control, validate guidance accuracy over a 200 metre pass and file a one-page fault and repair report for the farm manager before leaving the site.
The tools that do the workAGCO GTA Softwarejob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work14
Analyse conditions in the specimens' environments
+Survey the nine specimen plots at Greenridge Farm, record soil moisture, canopy cover, and surrounding land…
Analyse conditions in the specimens' environments
+Survey the nine specimen plots at Greenridge Farm, record soil moisture, canopy cover, and surrounding land use, compare each site's microclimate to baseline thresholds, flag any outliers and explain likely drivers in two paragraphs.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISESCO
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Conduct field work
+Plan and execute a morning field visit to the north paddocks at Black Hollow on Thursday, collect transect…
Conduct field work
+Plan and execute a morning field visit to the north paddocks at Black Hollow on Thursday, collect transect soil cores and plant vigor scores, photograph GPS waypoints for each sample, and return samples to the lab labelled and chilled.
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Analyse scientific data
+Compile the last season's yield, soil test and pest trap data for the Jasper trial, run correlations between…
Analyse scientific data
+Compile the last season's yield, soil test and pest trap data for the Jasper trial, run correlations between soil nitrate and yield, test for significant differences between treatments, and summarise findings with confidence intervals.
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Apply safety procedures in laboratory
+Prepare and run the standard lab safety checklist for incoming samples: verify PPE for all staff, confirm…
Apply safety procedures in laboratory
+Prepare and run the standard lab safety checklist for incoming samples: verify PPE for all staff, confirm chemical inventories and MSDS are available, decontaminate benches, and record incidents or near-misses in the safety log before processing.
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Execute analytical mathematical calculations
+Take the Jasper trial nutrient and yield datasets, compute treatment means, standard errors and ANOVA for…
Execute analytical mathematical calculations
+Take the Jasper trial nutrient and yield datasets, compute treatment means, standard errors and ANOVA for nitrogen response, generate a simple model predicting yield per kg N, and produce a one‑page table of results.
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Write work-related reports
+Draft the 1,200‑word report for the farmer meeting: state objectives, methods from the field and lab, key…
Write work-related reports
+Draft the 1,200‑word report for the farmer meeting: state objectives, methods from the field and lab, key results with two charts and practical recommendations for fertilizer rates, and include an executive summary for the farm manager.
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Analyse environmental data
+Analyse last season’s soil moisture, nitrate, and weather station logs from Block B, flag plots exceeding…
Analyse environmental data
+Analyse last season’s soil moisture, nitrate, and weather station logs from Block B, flag plots exceeding thresholds, run trend tests and a runoff risk score, then draft a two-page advisory with clear actions for the grower by next Wednesday.
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Maintain laboratory equipment
+Put together the calibration and maintenance record for the lab spectrometer, list missing consumables and…
Maintain laboratory equipment
+Put together the calibration and maintenance record for the lab spectrometer, list missing consumables and failed checks, schedule a service visit with the technician for Friday, and prepare the safety checklist the team must sign before using the instrument.
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Advise on upgrading GPS equipment for better satellite technology utilization.
+Assess our current GNSS receivers and base stations on the north farm, compare performance against modern…
Advise on upgrading GPS equipment for better satellite technology utilization.
+Assess our current GNSS receivers and base stations on the north farm, compare performance against modern dual- and multi-frequency units, recommend specific model upgrades plus antenna and mounting changes to improve RTK/PPK reliability before spring planting.
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.
+Produce updated soil, contour and plat maps for Field 4 using the latest surveyed control points and my…
Draw or read maps, such as soil, contour, or plat maps.
+Produce updated soil, contour and plat maps for Field 4 using the latest surveyed control points and my handheld traverse, flag drainage breaks and steep contours for the contractor before next Tuesday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcPadO*NET
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Prepare reports in graphical or tabular form, summarizing field productivity or profitability.
+Prepare a one‑page report with charts and a table summarising yield, input cost and gross margin per hectare…
Prepare reports in graphical or tabular form, summarizing field productivity or profitability.
+Prepare a one‑page report with charts and a table summarising yield, input cost and gross margin per hectare for each crop rotation this year, ready for the farmer meeting on Friday morning.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Contact equipment manufacturers for technical assistance, as needed.
+Call and email John at PrecisionAg Electronics and Maria at SeedTech with serial numbers and fault logs from…
Contact equipment manufacturers for technical assistance, as needed.
+Call and email John at PrecisionAg Electronics and Maria at SeedTech with serial numbers and fault logs from the planter monitor and fertilizer sensor, request firmware versions and anticipated turnaround times for repairs this week.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookO*NET
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Analyze data using specialized software and interpret results.
+Run the latest soil nitrate and yield datasets through the field analysis routine, test three variable-rate…
Analyze data using specialized software and interpret results.
+Run the latest soil nitrate and yield datasets through the field analysis routine, test three variable-rate prescriptions, and write concise interpretation notes explaining which prescription gives best nitrogen use efficiency for the advisory meeting.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISjob descriptions
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Collect and conduct experiments and tests on agriculture and aquaculture specimens
+Design and log the trial: two fertilizer treatments with four replicates on the east plot, list sampling…
Collect and conduct experiments and tests on agriculture and aquaculture specimens
+Design and log the trial: two fertilizer treatments with four replicates on the east plot, list sampling schedule and lab tests for tissue and soil, and prepare the chain‑of‑custody and safety notes before I collect samples Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESCO
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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