Work Environment
Agricultural and food science technicians held about 26,600 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of agricultural and food science technicians were as follows:
- Food manufacturing - 32%
- Crop production - 18%
- Professional, scientific, and technical services - 17%
- Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state - 12%
- Support activities for agriculture and forestry - 2%
Technicians work in a variety of settings, including laboratories, processing plants, farms and ranches, greenhouses, and offices. Technicians who work in processing plants and agricultural settings may face noise from processing and farming machinery, extreme temperatures, and odors from chemicals or animals. They may need to lift and carry objects, and be physically active for long periods of time.
Work Schedules
Agricultural and food science technicians typically work full time and have standard work schedules. Technicians may need to travel, including international travel.
Job Outlook
Employment of agricultural and food science technicians is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 3,700 openings for agricultural and food science technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Demand will continue for agricultural research into areas such as the effects of population growth, increased demand for water resources, harm from pests and pathogens, changes in climate and weather patterns, and demand for agricultural products, such as biofuels.
Agricultural science technicians will be needed to assist agricultural and food scientists in investigating and improving the diets, living conditions, and even genetic makeup of livestock. Food science technicians will assist scientists to improve food-processing techniques, ensuring that products are safe, waste is limited, and food is shipped efficiently. Technicians also will continue to assist in studies that analyze soil composition and soil improvement techniques, find uses for agricultural byproducts, and selectively breed crops to resist pests and disease or to improve taste.
Earnings
The median annual wage for agricultural and food science technicians was $44,700 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,550, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $62,660.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for agricultural and food science technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
- Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state - $47,800
- Food manufacturing - $46,340
- Professional, scientific, and technical services - $38,250
Agricultural and food science technicians typically work full time and have standard work schedules. Technicians may need to travel, including international travel.
