Agricultural Technicians Salary
The median pay for a agricultural technicians in Michigan is $42,780/year ($20.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $45,564 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 43.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $43K actually covers in Michigan, month by month
About agricultural technicians
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What this looks like in Michigan
Pay for agricultural technicians in Michigan runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 44.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for agricultural technicians.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level agricultural technicians (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Agricultural Technicians salary by metro in Michigan
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing | $65K | +51% | 120 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $41K | -5% | N/A |
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Track agricultural technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a agricultural technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 44.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new agricultural technicians typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,598/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Michigan?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $43K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for agricultural technicians?
Michigan pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do agricultural technicians make in Michigan?
The median is $42,780 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,290, and experienced agricultural technicians can clear $64,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,883/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 44.1% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $45,564 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.
