Precision Agriculture Technicians
Agriculture, Food and Natural ResourcesO*NET 19-4012.01United States
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $49,061
- Projected change
- +8.6%
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Employment
- 23.97K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
34.8% of the workforce
Growing to 26.03K by 2035
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Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What precision agriculture technicians do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Document and maintain records of precision agriculture information.
- Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS).
- Divide agricultural fields into georeferenced zones, based on soil characteristics and production potentials.
- Use geospatial technology to develop soil sampling grids or identify sampling sites for testing characteristics such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium content, pH, or micronutrients.
- Compare crop yield maps with maps of soil test data, chemical application patterns, or other information to develop site-specific crop management plans.
- Install, calibrate, or maintain sensors, mechanical controls, GPS-based vehicle guidance systems, or computer settings.
- Create, layer, and analyze maps showing precision agricultural data, such as crop yields, soil characteristics, input applications, terrain, drainage patterns, or field management history.
- Analyze geospatial data to determine agricultural implications of factors such as soil quality, terrain, field productivity, fertilizers, or weather conditions.
- Identify spatial coordinates, using remote sensing and Global Positioning System (GPS) data.
- Analyze data from harvester monitors to develop yield maps.
- Apply precision agriculture information to specifically reduce the negative environmental impacts of farming practices.
- 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.
- Draw or read maps, such as soil, contour, or plat maps.
- Recommend best crop varieties or seeding rates for specific field areas, based on analysis of geospatial data.
- Provide advice on the development or application of better boom-spray technology to limit the overapplication of chemicals and to reduce the migration of chemicals beyond the fields being treated.
- Program farm equipment, such as variable-rate planting equipment or pesticide sprayers, based on input from crop scouting and analysis of field condition variability.
- Prepare reports in graphical or tabular form, summarizing field productivity or profitability.
- Participate in efforts to advance precision agriculture technology, such as developing advanced weed identification or automated spot spraying systems.
- Analyze remote sensing imagery to identify relationships between soil quality, crop canopy densities, light reflectance, and weather history.
- Advise farmers on upgrading Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment to take advantage of newly installed advanced satellite technology.
- Contact equipment manufacturers for technical assistance, as needed.
- Identify areas in need of pesticide treatment by analyzing geospatial data to determine insect movement and damage patterns.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $34,503
- 25th percentile
- $39,328
- 50th percentile
- $49,061
- 75th percentile
- $63,824
- 90th percentile
- $80,099
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $49,061 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+8.6%faster than average
202523,972 jobs
2035 projected26,028 jobs
2,056 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Bachelor's degree
- 34.8%
- Associate degree
- 30.4%
- Certificate
- 17.4%
- High school diploma or less
- 8.7%
- Some college
- 4.4%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 4.4%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- 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.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Sales Agronomists969 postings
- 02Crop Consultants194 postings
- 03Field Sales Agronomists75 postings
- 04Field Agronomists70 postings
- 05Crop Specialists67 postings
- 06Precision Ag Specialists35 postings
- 07Regional Agronomists34 postings
- 08Precision Farming Specialists19 postings
- 09Technicians18 postings
- 10Agronomy Managers17 postings
- 11Technical Agronomists14 postings
- 12Research Agronomists4 postings
- 13Agronomists2 postings
- 14Product Quality Specialists2 postings
- 15Specialists2 postings
- 16Agricultural Consultants1 postings
- 17Agronomic Sales Representatives1 postings
- 18Economic Consultants1 postings
- 19Fertilizer/Chemical Applicators1 postings
Top employers
- 01GPAC647 postings
- 02Bayer220 postings
- 03Nutrien207 postings
- 04Corteva56 postings
- 05Growmark47 postings
- 06Wilbur-Ellis21 postings
- 07Helena Agri Enterprises20 postings
- 08Hansen Agri-PLACEMENT19 postings
- 09Zurich Insurance12 postings
- 10Mfa10 postings
- 11Crystal Valley9 postings
- 12Dakota Mill And Grain8 postings
- 13Heartland Co-Op8 postings
- 14Keloland Television8 postings
- 15Farmers Win Cooperative7 postings
- 16Land O'Lakes7 postings
- 17Central Valley Builders Supply6 postings
- 18Farmers Win Coop6 postings
- 19360 Headhunter4 postings
- 20Crystal Valley Cooperative4 postings
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