Agricultural Technicians
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.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Speaking
Key knowledge
- Food Production
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Education and Training
What the work involves
- Record data pertaining to experimentation, research, or animal care.
- Operate farm machinery, including tractors, plows, mowers, combines, balers, sprayers, earthmoving equipment, or trucks.
- Perform crop production duties, such as tilling, hoeing, pruning, weeding, or harvesting crops.
- Maintain or repair agricultural facilities, equipment, or tools to ensure operational readiness, safety, and cleanliness.
- Supervise or train agricultural technicians or farm laborers.
- Set up laboratory or field equipment as required for site testing.
- Examine animals or crop specimens to determine the presence of diseases or other problems.
- Collect animal or crop samples.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Investigative, Conventional.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (41.3% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (35.8%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (33.6%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Agricultural Technicians is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Low | Lower on contact with others than 78% of occupations compared | 36% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Low | Lower on dealing with the public than 71% of occupations compared | 30% of surveyed respondents chose “Important” |
| Teamwork | Low | Lower on teamwork than 79% of occupations compared | 48% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 74% of occupations compared | 34% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very low | Lower on time pressure than 90% of occupations compared | 41% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Conflict situations | Low | Lower on conflict situations than 68% of occupations compared | 36% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 82% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Never” |
| Consequence of error | Moderate | Lower on consequence of error than 57% of occupations compared | 35% of surveyed respondents chose “Serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very low
- Conflict situations: low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
- Consequence of error: moderate
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 12.22%
- Contact with others about half the time: 16.14%
- Contact with others most of the time: 35.71%
- Constant contact with others: 35.93%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2024
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 14.63%
- Fairly important: 26%
- Important: 29.99%
- Very important: 17.26%
- Extremely important: 12.11%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2024
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 13.02%
- Important: 15.1%
- Very important: 47.75%
- Extremely important: 24.13%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2024
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 10.33%
- Limited freedom: 25.28%
- Some freedom: 34.41%
- A lot of freedom: 29.98%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2024
Time pressure
- Never: 2.44%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 17.16%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 40.92%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 36.42%
- Every day: 3.07%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2024
Conflict situations
- Never: 19.89%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 36.23%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 19.32%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 18.5%
- Every day: 6.06%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2024
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 41.94%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 29.3%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 4.9%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 8.76%
- Every day: 15.1%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2024
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 23.22%
- Fairly serious: 11.83%
- Serious: 35.04%
- Very serious: 15.77%
- Extremely serious: 14.14%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2024
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O*NET-SOC 19-4012.00 · SOC 19-4012 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8