Agricultural Technicians Salary
The median pay for a agricultural technicians in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN is $44,720/year ($21.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.43), which stretches that salary to about $47,865 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,242/month, about 40% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette-West Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (93.43). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About agricultural technicians
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What this looks like in Lafayette-West Lafayette
Agricultural technicians pay in Lafayette-West Lafayette tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,242/month, which is 40.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.43 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for agricultural technicians in metros near Lafayette-West Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $46K | $48K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $41K | $43K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $52K | $50K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $65K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
Entry-level agricultural technicians (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Agricultural Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Agricultural Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $64K | +29% | N/A |
| Wyoming | $63K | +27% | 30 |
| Arizona | $63K | +27% | N/A |
| California | $60K | +22% | 2,420 |
| Kentucky | $60K | +21% | 210 |
| Minnesota | $57K | +15% | 530 |
| New Jersey | $54K | +10% | N/A |
| Missouri | $54K | +9% | 420 |
| Delaware | $53K | +6% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $51K | +4% | 550 |
| Texas | $50K | +1% | 120 |
| Maryland | $50K | +0% | 200 |
| Georgia | $49K | -1% | 1,020 |
| Idaho | $49K | -2% | 650 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | -2% | 110 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -2% | 190 |
| Washington | $48K | -3% | 470 |
| Hawaii | $48K | -3% | 150 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -4% | 580 |
| Maine | $47K | -4% | 50 |
| Kansas | $47K | -5% | 450 |
| Colorado | $47K | -5% | 100 |
| North Dakota | $47K | -5% | 100 |
| Oregon | $47K | -6% | 480 |
| Arkansas | $47K | -6% | 260 |
| Utah | $47K | -6% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -6% | 620 |
| Illinois | $46K | -6% | 700 |
| Indiana | $46K | -7% | 410 |
| New York | $46K | -8% | 380 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -9% | 60 |
| Nevada | $44K | -12% | 40 |
| Michigan | $43K | -14% | 450 |
| Florida | $43K | -14% | 240 |
| New Hampshire | $43K | -14% | 30 |
| South Dakota | $41K | -17% | 350 |
| South Carolina | $41K | -17% | 100 |
| Virginia | $41K | -17% | 170 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -24% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 39 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track agricultural technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lafayette-West Lafayette numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a agricultural technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 40.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,242/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for agricultural technicians in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new agricultural technicians typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,122/month. At HUD’s $1,242/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is agricultural technician a high-paying job in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Lafayette-West Lafayette compare to the national average for agricultural technicians?
Lafayette-West Lafayette pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.43), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do agricultural technicians make in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?
The median is $44,720 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,360, and experienced agricultural technicians can clear $61,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,051/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,242/month, which eats 40.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a agricultural technicians salary go in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Lafayette-West Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 93.43 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median agricultural technicians salary is worth about $47,865 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do agricultural technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.