Occupations/19-4012.01
Precision Agriculture Technicians
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.
Usually a certificate, vocational program, or associate degree — not a bachelor’s.
AI automation risk
43%
Mixed exposure
Human characteristics
54%
Balanced human and task mix
Task orientation
46%
Mixed exposure
A day in this job
- Mostly routine
Document and maintain records of precision agriculture information.
- Task
Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS).
- Task
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.
The tasks we can read here lean routine. That sits next to the AI risk rank — it is not a forecast that the job disappears.
Core tasks
- 01Document and maintain records of precision agriculture information.
- 02Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS).
- 03Use geospatial technology to develop soil sampling grids or identify sampling sites for testing characteristics such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium content, pH, or micronutrients.
- 04Divide agricultural fields into georeferenced zones, based on soil characteristics and production potentials.
- 05Install, calibrate, or maintain sensors, mechanical controls, GPS-based vehicle guidance systems, or computer settings.
- 06Create, layer, and analyze maps showing precision agricultural data, such as crop yields, soil characteristics, input applications, terrain, drainage patterns, or field management history.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks3.26
- Degree of automation2.39
- Time sitting3.17
- Originality (ability)3.00
- Conflict situations2.70
- Hands-on objects/tools2.74
- Outdoors / weather3.87
- Disease exposure1.09
- Decision freedom4.17
Top abilities
- Inductive Reasoning4.00
- Deductive Reasoning4.00
- Written Expression3.88
- Written Comprehension3.88
- Oral Expression3.88
- Oral Comprehension3.88
- Near Vision3.75
- Information Ordering3.62
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension3.88
- Active Listening3.75
- Writing3.50
- Speaking3.75
- Mathematics3.25
- Science2.88
- Critical Thinking3.75
- Active Learning3.38
- Learning Strategies3.00
- Monitoring3.25
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
12 of 82 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA · Public | Agriculture, General 01.0000 | $7,100 | 40% | 74% | 1 yr — 2 yr $67,660 Master's · CIP 01.00 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit | Biology/Biological Sciences, General 26.0101 | $60,100 | 4% | 96% | 1 yr $66,915 2 yr $73,446 Doctoral · CIP 26.01 |
Stanford University Stanford, CA · Private nonprofit | Biology/Biological Sciences, General 26.0101 | $62,400 | 4% | 96% | 1 yr $51,160 2 yr $25,194 Bachelor's · CIP 26.01 |
University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA · Public | Agriculture, General 01.0000 | $14,800 | 11% | 93% | 1 yr $49,644 2 yr $33,281 Bachelor's · CIP 01.00 |
Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX · Public | Agriculture, General 01.0000 | $13,200 | 63% | 83% | 1 yr $47,650 2 yr $45,383 Bachelor's · CIP 01.00 |
University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND · Public | Agriculture, General 01.0000 | $10,800 | 83% | 66% | 1 yr $47,260 2 yr — Bachelor's · CIP 01.00 |
University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI · Public | Animal Sciences, General 01.0901 | $11,200 | 49% | 89% | 1 yr $42,123 2 yr $36,488 Bachelor's · CIP 01.09 |
San Jose State University San Jose, CA · Public | Biology/Biological Sciences, General 26.0101 | $8,200 | 77% | 71% | 1 yr $42,123 2 yr $35,060 Bachelor's · CIP 26.01 |
Metropolitan State University St. Paul, MN · Public | Biology/Biological Sciences, General 26.0101 | $9,600 | 82% | 48% | 1 yr $40,697 2 yr $39,729 Bachelor's · CIP 26.01 |
Texas State Technical College Waco, TX · Public | Agriculture, General 01.0000 | $7,200 | 100% | 45% | 1 yr $40,467 2 yr $37,748 Bachelor's · CIP 01.00 |
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI · Public | Animal Sciences, General 01.0901 | $16,100 | 88% | 82% | 1 yr $40,281 2 yr — Certificate · CIP 01.09 |
St Cloud State University St. Cloud, MN · Public | Biology/Biological Sciences, General 26.0101 | $9,600 | 95% | 56% | 1 yr $39,729 2 yr $38,289 Bachelor's · CIP 26.01 |