Supporting the science of growing things, you run the field and lab work behind better crops and livestock: sampling, testing, recording, and helping trials happen. Hands-on support where research meets the farm.
A day might move from a field plot to a lab bench, collecting samples, running tests, and logging data for agronomists or researchers. The growing season sets the pace more than a clock, and careful, repeatable technique is the whole point. You're outdoors in whatever weather the crop is in.
What's less obvious is how much depends on factors no one controls: weather, pests, and biology that won't be rushed. The work can be physical, seasonal, and repetitive, and results often arrive slowly. The job looks different across government, university, and industry settings, and so does the pay.
Detail-oriented, comfortable outdoors, and patient with slow feedback: that's who does well. If you want a predictable indoor routine, the conditions may not suit. But if you care about how food gets grown and like applied, hands-on science, the work tends to feel genuinely useful.
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Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
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Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Supporting the science of growing things, you run the field and lab work behind better crops and livestock: sampling, testing, recording, and helping trials happen. Hands-on support where research meets the farm.
Median pay for an Agriculture Technician (Agriculture Tech) is about $47K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $33K to $69K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, and Writing.
Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 4.3% through 2034, with roughly 28,680 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Agriculture Consultant, Agriculture Manager, and Farm Operations Manager.
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