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Agricultural Technicians Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 19-4012 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$49,629
$23.86/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Agricultural Technicians salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$36K
P25$41K
P50$50K
P75$64K
P90$76K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
🔥
Demand: HOT. Demand is hot -- professional & business services job openings are running at 5.5% (JOLTS, June 2026), a tight market. Candidates have leverage, so a competitive offer sits at or above the median; below-median offers often will not close.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in professional services are rising about 2.5% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.1-2.6% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $49,629 to $63,627 (market median to the 75th percentile). Lean toward the top of the range for senior or hard-to-fill roles.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Agricultural Technicians pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 6.1% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 2.5% wage growth of Professional & Business Services (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · HOT

Professional & Business Services is running a 5.5% job-openings rate with quits at 2.2% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has cooled for 2 straight months (6.2% down to 5.5%).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.1 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is in the typical range for U.S. occupations; standard 80% to 120% pay bands around the median work well.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings eased to 5.5% (down 0.3pp), still the highest of any major sector. Quits held at 2.2%.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 2.5% per year. Nationally, wages rose 3.2% while CPI hit 3.5%, so real wages turned negative.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Agricultural Technicians is $49,629 per year ($23.86/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $40,955 and $63,627 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $76,482 per year. There are approximately 15,130 agricultural technicians employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

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.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+4.3%
Faster than average
Annual openings
3K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
19K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth97% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Associate's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
4K$52,000
Scientific Research and Development Services
NAICS 541700
2K$47,390
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only)
NAICS 4240A3
2K$51,680
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
NAICS 541600
1K$46,510
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
810$47,200
Wage range across top 5 industries: $46,510 to $52,000 (12% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$17.30$35,984
P25$19.69$40,955
P50MEDIAN$23.86$49,629
P75$30.59$63,627
P90$36.77$76,482

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · professional sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.5%
Quits Rate
2.2%

Professional & Business Services openings eased to 1.30M in June (-71K), rate 5.5% -- still the highest of any major sector. Quits held at 2.2%. White-collar demand is cooling at the edges but remains the tightest market.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average agricultural technicians salary?

The national median salary for Agricultural Technicians is $49,629 per year ($23.86/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $40,955 and $63,627 annually.

How much do top-earning agricultural technicians make?

The 90th percentile salary for Agricultural Technicians is $76,482 per year ($36.77/hr). The 75th percentile is $63,627 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for agricultural technicians?

Entry-level Agricultural Technicians (10th percentile) earn approximately $35,984 per year ($17.30/hr). The 25th percentile is $40,955 per year.

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Agricultural Technicians Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
California2,420 workersGeorgia1,020 workersIllinois700 workersIdaho650 workersWisconsin620 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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