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Career

Precision Agriculture Technicians

Typical education: Associate degreeModerate pressure

What they do

Apply geospatial technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), to agricultural production or management activities, such as pest scouting, site-specific pesticide application, yield mapping, or variable-rate irrigation. May use computers to develop or analyze maps or remote sensing images to compare physical topography with data on soils, fertilizer, pests, or weather.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $49,630 Median per year · $23.86/hr Most earn $35,980–$76,480

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Analyze remote sensing imagery to identify relationships between soil quality, crop canopy densities, light reflectance, and weather history.
  • Demonstrate the applications of geospatial technology, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), automatic tractor guidance systems, variable rate chemical input applicators, surveying equipment, or computer mapping software.
  • Recommend best crop varieties or seeding rates for specific field areas, based on analysis of geospatial data.
  • Create, layer, and analyze maps showing precision agricultural data, such as crop yields, soil characteristics, input applications, terrain, drainage patterns, or field management history.
  • Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS).
  • Compare crop yield maps with maps of soil test data, chemical application patterns, or other information to develop site-specific crop management plans.

Job outlook

United States
5% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 2,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools22.7%
  • Animal production and aquaculture13.6%
  • Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences11.4%
  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods11.1%
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services7.2%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Associate degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Precision Agriculture Technician is usually reached after a two-year associate degree plus about 1 to 2 years of hands-on farm or field experience. Many people start with a degree and a summer or entry job, so it's a realistic goal for a student who likes both technology and working outdoors.

  1. High school diploma with math and science

    4 years

    Strong math, biology, and computer classes build the base you need for mapping, data, and plant science in an associate degree program.

  2. Associate degree in precision agriculture, agricultural technology, or GIS

    2 years

    Coursework in GPS, GIS mapping, soils, crop science, and field equipment prepares you for hands-on precision farming tasks.

  3. Agricultural Technician

    1-2 years

    Working in the field on crop scouting, equipment, or data collection gives you the real-world experience employers look for and shows how precision tools are used on working farms.

  4. Precision Agriculture Technician

    Career goal

    You apply GPS, GIS, and remote sensing to pest scouting, variable-rate application, yield mapping, and irrigation planning.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Precision Agriculture Technician

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on more complex mapping and data analysis, train other technicians, and help make recommendations for field management.

  2. Agricultural Engineer

    Bachelor's degree needed of experience first

    With a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering, you can design and improve farm equipment, irrigation systems, and precision tools rather than only operating them.

  3. Farm Manager

    5 or more years of experience first

    Experience with precision data helps you plan planting, inputs, and budgets for a whole operation, which usually requires strong business and management skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math, biology, and computer or spreadsheet classesThese build the skills for reading field data, working with maps, and understanding how crops grow.
  • Join FFA or 4-HThese clubs often include agriculture projects, leadership, and contests that show you how farms are run.
  • Get a summer or part-time job on a farm or at an ag supply storeHands-on work with equipment and crops gives you real experience and helps you see if this field suits you.
  • Try free mapping or GPS appsUsing simple mapping tools on your phone or computer helps you learn how location data works.
  • Enter a science fair or agriculture competition if your school has oneProjects on soil, water, or plant growth let you practice collecting and analyzing data.

In college

  • Enroll in an associate degree in precision agriculture or agricultural technologyA program built around this field teaches you the mapping, equipment, and crop science that this job uses every day.
  • Take GIS, GPS, and remote sensing coursesThese are the core technical skills for analyzing field maps and imagery, and they make you more competitive for entry jobs.
  • Seek an internship or co-op with a farm, co-op, or ag technology companyReal field experience is often the deciding factor for employers and fits the 1 to 2 years of experience this career usually needs.
  • Work in a campus farm lab, greenhouse, or GIS labA campus job lets you practice data collection and equipment use while you study.
  • Earn a drone pilot or GIS certificate if your school offers oneDrone mapping and GIS credentials are common in precision ag and show employers you can use modern tools.

Tips for getting started

  • Learn spreadsheet and mapping software early, since most precision ag work depends on handling field data.
  • Look for summer or part-time work on a farm, at a co-op, or with a seed or fertilizer dealer to get experience before you graduate.
  • Ask your community college advisor which associate programs include GIS, GPS, or drone training so you can pick one that matches this career.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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