Also called: Digital Agronomy Scientist, Crop Modeler
Uses satellite images, sensor data, and machine learning to predict yields and help farmers make better decisions.
You pull in satellite imagery of millions of acres and weather data, then build models that tell a farmer which part of a field needs more fertilizer. You test predictions against real harvest data and present findings to agronomists who explain it to growers.
Based on data scientists overall; ag companies pay a little less than big tech.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Bachelor's in data science, statistics, or ag science; many have a master's or PhD.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, Self-taught. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Data Science, Statistics, Agronomy, Computer Science.
Growing much faster than average (about 34% over 10 years). Data scientists overall.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI now writes much of the model code and analysis; framing farm questions and checking results against real fields stay human.
Classes: AP Statistics, AP Calculus, Computer science, Biology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 15-2051.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.