Arizona·Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations·SOC 19-4012

Best Agricultural Technician programs in Arizona, ranked by enrollment

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.

25 schools in Arizona run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,722 people a year. The job pays a median of $62,990 in Arizona across about jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledAgronomistSeed AnalystCrop SpecialistPrecision AgronomistAgriculture AssistantAgricultural Technician (Agricultural Tech)Precision Agriculture Specialist (Precision Ag Specialist)Agricultural Research Technician (Agricultural Research Tech)
Graduates / yr
2,722
in Arizona
Median pay · Arizona
$62,990
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
people employed
Schools
25
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
31%
across those schools
Median net price
$34,373
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in Arizona that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.

4 programs in Arizona that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in Arizona (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Arizona page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
CIP 26.0101In Arizona
2,631
96.7%
23$32,152$25,000
2
CIP 01.0901In Arizona
69
2.5%
3$33,926$21,748
3
CIP 01.1101In Arizona
13
0.5%
1$42,861$20,500
4
CIP 01.0000In Arizona
9
0.3%
2$39,350$20,340

Top 25 schools in Arizona

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 5 of the 25 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
904Biology/Biological Sciences, General$34,20668%90%
2Arizona State University Digital Immersion
Scottsdale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
819Biology/Biological Sciences, General$34,2060%67%
3University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ Public · 3 feeder programs
292Biology/Biological Sciences, General$37,02068%86%
4Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
287Biology/Biological Sciences, General$30,77543%$21,53579%
5Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
172Biology/Biological Sciences, General$34,94061%90%
6Mesa Community College
Mesa, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
33Biology/Biological Sciences, General16%
7Estrella Mountain Community College
Avondale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
32Biology/Biological Sciences, General32%
8Chandler - Gilbert Community College
Chandler, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
22Biology/Biological Sciences, General30%
9Dine College
Tsaile, AZ Public · 2 feeder programs
22Biology/Biological Sciences, General13%
10Arizona Western College
Yuma, AZ Public · 2 feeder programs
19Biology/Biological Sciences, General20%
11Glendale Community College
Glendale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
18Biology/Biological Sciences, General16%
12Arizona Christian University
Glendale, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
16Biology/Biological Sciences, General40%$32,19871%
13Paradise Valley Community College
Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
14Biology/Biological Sciences, General19%
14Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott
Prescott, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
13Biology/Biological Sciences, General68%$38,46177%
15South Mountain Community College
Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
11Biology/Biological Sciences, General16%
16Phoenix College
Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
10Biology/Biological Sciences, General14%
17Ottawa University - Surprise
Surprise, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
7Biology/Biological Sciences, General18%$34,37378%
18Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
7Biology/Biological Sciences, General17%
19Yavapai College
Prescott, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
7Animal Sciences, General34%
20Tohono O'odham Community College
Sells, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
5Biology/Biological Sciences, General34%
21GateWay Community College
Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
4Biology/Biological Sciences, General29%
22Mohave Community College
Kingman, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
4Biology/Biological Sciences, General38%
23Eastern Arizona College
Thatcher, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
2Biology/Biological Sciences, General42%
24Cochise County Community College District
Sierra Vista, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
1Animal Sciences, General30%
25Rio Salado College
Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
1Biology/Biological Sciences, General9%

All 25 schools in Arizona

Every school in Arizona with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.

All schools in Arizona that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempePublic9041
Arizona State University Digital ImmersionScottsdalePublic8191
University of ArizonaTucsonPublic2923
Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenixPrivate not-for-profit2871
Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffPublic1721
Mesa Community CollegeMesaPublic331
Estrella Mountain Community CollegeAvondalePublic321
Chandler - Gilbert Community CollegeChandlerPublic221
Dine CollegeTsailePublic222
Arizona Western CollegeYumaPublic192
Glendale Community CollegeGlendalePublic181
Arizona Christian UniversityGlendalePrivate not-for-profit161
Paradise Valley Community CollegePhoenixPublic141
Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - PrescottPrescottPrivate not-for-profit131
South Mountain Community CollegePhoenixPublic111

What agricultural technicians earn in Arizona

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual in Arizona
$62,990
Mean annual
$62,490
Jobs in state
What the range looks like
10th pct$43,140Median$62,99090th pct$75,950
Versus the national median
+26.9%

U.S. median $49,630. Arizona pays above the national figure.

Metro areas in Arizona

Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
$64,750median

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+4.3%
About as fast as average
Openings per year
2,900
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
800
18,600 → 19,400
Typical entry education
Associate's degree
Plus moderate-term on-the-job training

Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.

How to get in

The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Agricultural Technicians page.

How to become a Agricultural Technician

Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0
Typical entry education
Associate's degree
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningCritical ThinkingSpeakingWritingActive Learning

The same job in other states

Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.

Related careers in Arizona

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 9 majors mapped to Agricultural Technicians9 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 01.0000Agriculture, General
  • 01.0901Animal Sciences, General
  • 01.0905Dairy Science
  • 01.0907Poultry Science
  • 01.1101Plant Sciences, General
  • 01.1102Agronomy and Crop Science
  • 01.1201Soil Science and Agronomy, General
  • 01.1399Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs, Other
  • 26.0101Biology/Biological Sciences, General

Common questions

Answers for people weighing agricultural technicians programs in Arizona.

What degree do you need to become an Agricultural Technician?+

Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Biology/Biological Sciences, General, which awarded 2,631 degrees in Arizona in 2024-25, 96.7% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming an Agricultural Technician?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 4 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Animal Sciences, Plant Sciences, Agriculture. Together they graduate about 2,722 people a year in Arizona.

How much do agricultural technicians earn in Arizona?+

The median is $62,990 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 26.9% above the U.S. median of $49,630. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for agricultural technicians growing?+

BLS projects a +4.3% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 2,900 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career in Arizona?+

25 institutions in Arizona reported graduates from at least one of the 4 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do agricultural technicians work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Agronomist, Seed Analyst, Crop Specialist, Precision Agronomist, Agriculture Assistant, Agricultural Technician (Agricultural Tech) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-4012.

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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