Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,360 | $13.15 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $36,670 | $17.63 |
| Mean (average) | $39,260 | $18.88 |
| 90th percentile | $54,080 | $26.00 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,620 | $22,190 | $53,040 | 1,300 | 2.92 |
| Alaska | $50,450 | $35,560 | $80,260 | 40 | 0.61 |
| Arizona | $35,160 | $31,210 | $48,100 | 650 | 0.95 |
| Arkansas | $29,340 | $23,700 | $50,640 | 460 | 1.68 |
| California | $38,640 | $34,780 | $55,310 | 3,600 | 0.94 |
| Colorado | $39,740 | $32,120 | $57,160 | 1,270 | 2.09 |
| Connecticut | $35,140 | $34,010 | $49,390 | 90 | 0.25 |
| Delaware | $36,940 | $31,200 | $46,240 | 90 | 0.89 |
| Florida | $36,790 | $29,730 | $52,540 | 820 | 0.39 |
| Georgia | $28,410 | $21,880 | $59,890 | 690 | 0.67 |
| Hawaii | $47,050 | $39,160 | $57,100 | 160 | 1.23 |
| Idaho | $40,580 | $24,670 | $52,960 | 480 | 2.64 |
| Illinois | $33,840 | $31,200 | $49,240 | 450 | 0.35 |
| Indiana | $37,530 | $27,520 | $45,380 | 420 | 0.62 |
| Iowa | $36,480 | $28,950 | $50,540 | 1,240 | 3.77 |
| Kansas | $37,060 | $29,130 | $47,590 | 1,340 | 4.41 |
| Kentucky | $38,030 | $24,820 | $54,760 | 700 | 1.67 |
| Louisiana | $31,940 | $20,800 | $61,500 | 80 | 0.19 |
| Maine | $42,170 | $31,850 | $57,180 | 140 | 1.06 |
| Maryland | $41,760 | $31,200 | $64,340 | 310 | 0.53 |
| Massachusetts | $38,280 | $35,000 | $56,260 | 270 | 0.35 |
| Michigan | $32,660 | $27,440 | $50,470 | 750 | 0.8 |
| Minnesota | $46,020 | $23,150 | $79,990 | 580 | 0.93 |
| Mississippi | $37,430 | $20,800 | $84,390 | 290 | 1.19 |
| Missouri | $32,950 | $28,600 | $57,410 | 1,310 | 2.11 |
| Montana | $37,010 | $30,620 | $55,930 | 660 | 6.15 |
| Nebraska | $37,220 | $37,210 | $48,040 | 570 | 2.65 |
| Nevada | $31,700 | $28,530 | $47,040 | 210 | 0.66 |
| New Hampshire | $39,520 | $24,230 | $60,650 | 130 | 0.91 |
| New Jersey | $38,960 | $34,320 | $54,810 | 250 | 0.28 |
| New Mexico | $36,400 | $24,960 | $49,990 | 330 | 1.78 |
| New York | $34,860 | $32,240 | $50,770 | 530 | 0.26 |
| North Carolina | $38,750 | $29,050 | $54,960 | 910 | 0.87 |
| North Dakota | $40,320 | $32,950 | $46,550 | 130 | 1.42 |
| Ohio | $31,200 | $24,410 | $51,270 | 1,160 | 0.99 |
| Oklahoma | $33,670 | $20,560 | $57,980 | 420 | 1.16 |
| Oregon | $35,480 | $32,410 | $45,060 | 700 | 1.69 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,360 | $21,700 | $47,900 | 1,330 | 1.04 |
| South Carolina | $35,090 | $16,310 | $78,560 | 190 | 0.4 |
| South Dakota | $38,000 | $32,260 | $51,260 | 100 | 1 |
| Tennessee | $33,720 | $26,550 | $47,560 | 450 | 0.65 |
| Texas | $33,920 | $24,110 | $50,480 | 3,750 | 1.26 |
| Utah | $32,970 | $24,060 | $48,520 | 80 | 0.22 |
| Vermont | $40,730 | $31,490 | $74,860 | 80 | 1.24 |
| Virginia | $38,670 | $29,530 | $62,010 | 630 | 0.73 |
| Washington | $45,370 | $35,590 | $64,430 | 1,100 | 1.46 |
| West Virginia | $48,460 | $32,700 | $67,840 | 40 | 0.3 |
| Wisconsin | $32,970 | $23,320 | $50,550 | 930 | 1.5 |
| Wyoming | $38,920 | $22,560 | $47,760 | 470 | 7.94 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 26,600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 2.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Apiculture CIP 01.0310
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
- Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.
- Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
- Provide medical treatment, such as administering medications and vaccinations, or arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment.
- Mark livestock to identify ownership and grade, using brands, tags, paint, or tattoos.
- Drive trucks, tractors, and other equipment to distribute feed to animals.
- Segregate animals according to weight, age, color, and physical condition.
- Inspect, maintain, and repair equipment, machinery, buildings, pens, yards, and fences.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- BCL Landview Systems WinCrop
- Farm Works Software Trac
- Lancaster DHIA PCDART
- Valley Agricultural Software DairyCOMP 305
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Troubleshooting.
Common job titles: Cowboy, Farm Hand, Farrowing Worker, Herdsman, Livestock Handler, Milking Worker, Ranch Hand, Rancher, Vaccinator, Wrangler.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals make?
The national median annual wage for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals was $36,670 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $27,360 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $54,080. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals a growing career?
BLS projects employment of farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals to change -3.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 26,600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Alaska ($50,450), West Virginia ($48,460), Hawaii ($47,050). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.