Agricultural Technicians
Career Cluster
Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
Focuses on the essential elements of life: food, water, land, and air. This field includes careers like farming, ranching, geology, and more. It also encompasses jobs in the fields of wind, solar, oil, and gas.
Learn more about this clusterAt a glance
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Monthly cost of living
These numbers give you an idea of how much you can spend each month on common expenses with this salary. Percentages are the average a person with no children spends according to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (external link opens new tab) These numbers are a starting point and will differ person to person.
Your actual expenses may differ from those listed. You’ll need to account for the amount taken out in taxes each month. Learn more about income tax expenses. (external link opens new tab) Your student loan payments may also differ. To calculate your student loan payments, use the federal student loan repayment estimator. (external link opens new tab)
About agricultural technicians
What they 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.
Other titles
Agricultural Research Technician, Agricultural Research Technologist, Agricultural Technician, Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech), Research Assistant, Research Associate, Research Specialist, Research Technician, Seed Analyst
Skills they need
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Licenses and Certifications they may hold
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as agricultural technicians.
Biological Technicians
Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, collect data and samples, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related workers.
Chemical Technicians
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Conduct chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new products or processes, quality control, maintenance of environmental standards, and other work involving experimental, theoretical, or practical application of chemistry and related sciences.
Forest and Conservation Technicians
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Provide technical assistance regarding the conservation of soil, water, forests, or related natural resources. May compile data pertaining to size, content, condition, and other characteristics of forest tracts under the direction of foresters, or train and lead forest workers in forest propagation and fire prevention and suppression. May assist conservation scientists in managing, improving, and protecting rangelands and wildlife habitats.
- Agronomic Science Foundation (external link opens new tab)
- American Dairy Science Association (external link opens new tab)
- American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (external link opens new tab)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (external link opens new tab)
- American Society of Agronomy (external link opens new tab)
- American Society of Animal Science (external link opens new tab)
- American Veterinary Medical Association (external link opens new tab)
- Association of Official Seed Analysts/Society of Commercial Seed Technologists (external link opens new tab)
- Crop Science Society of America (external link opens new tab)
- Entomological Society of America (external link opens new tab)