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The national median salary for Agricultural Technicians is $46,779 per year ($22.49/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $38,480 and $59,384 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $69,014 per year. There are approximately 14,340 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
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Scientific Research and Development Services
NAICS 541700
2K
$43,500
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
1K
$43,620
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
NAICS 541600
1K
$50,030
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only)
NAICS 4240A3
1K
$45,140
Support Activities for Animal Production
NAICS 115200
770
$38,870
Wage range across top 5 industries: $38,870 to $50,030 (29% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$15.80
$32,864
P25
$18.50
$38,480
P50MEDIAN
$22.49
$46,779
P75
$28.55
$59,384
P90
$33.18
$69,014
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average agricultural technicians salary?
The national median salary for Agricultural Technicians is $46,779 per year ($22.49/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $38,480 and $59,384 annually.
How much do top-earning agricultural technicians make?
The 90th percentile salary for Agricultural Technicians is $69,014 per year ($33.18/hr). The 75th percentile is $59,384 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for agricultural technicians?
Entry-level Agricultural Technicians (10th percentile) earn approximately $32,864 per year ($15.80/hr). The 25th percentile is $38,480 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 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.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.