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Crop Farming
Dole, Taylor Farms, Driscoll's
Agricultural Workers, All Other
These workers do the hands-on jobs that keep a farm, greenhouse, nursery, or other agricultural operation running day to day. The work can shift from planting and watering to harvesting, loading, and cleaning up, so the big tradeoff is simple entry and varied tasks versus physically hard, weather-dependent work that usually does not pay especially well.
Also known as Agricultural LaborerFarm WorkerField WorkerCrop WorkerGeneral Farm Worker
Median Salary
$40,390
Mean $45,780
U.S. Workforce
~5K
1.5K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+2.3%
10.1K to 10.3K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Agricultural Workers, All Other sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~5K workers, with a median annual pay of $40,390 and roughly 1.5K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 10.1 K in 2024 to 10.3K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with No formal educational credential, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Farm Hand and can progress toward Farm Manager. High-value skills usually include Tractors, ATVs & Farm Equipment Operation, Irrigation Systems & Water Management, and Manual Harvesting, Sorting & Grading, paired with soft skills such as Reliability, Physical Stamina, and Attention to Detail.
Core Responsibilities
- Plant seeds or seedlings, space them correctly, and cover them so they can grow well.
- Water crops, move hoses or drip lines, and check that irrigation systems are working.
- Pick fruits, vegetables, or other crops by hand or with simple tools, then sort out damaged or low-quality items.
- Load and move bins, crates, fertilizer, feed, tools, and other supplies around the worksite.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Plant seeds or seedlings, space them correctly, and cover them so they can grow well.
02 Water crops, move hoses or drip lines, and check that irrigation systems are working.
03 Pick fruits, vegetables, or other crops by hand or with simple tools, then sort out damaged or low-quality items.
04 Load and move bins, crates, fertilizer, feed, tools, and other supplies around the worksite.
05 Clean tractors, hoses, containers, and other equipment, and report problems that need a mechanic or supervisor.
06 Help with weeding, fertilizing, and pest control while following safety rules for chemicals and equipment.
Industries That Hire
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Greenhouse & Nursery
Costa Farms, Altman Plants, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
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Livestock & Poultry
Tyson Foods, Cargill, Pilgrim's Pride
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Food Production & Packing
Fresh Del Monte Produce, Del Monte Foods, B&G Foods
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Agricultural Equipment & Inputs
John Deere, Nutrien, Syngenta
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can often get started without a formal degree, and BLS says the usual training is short-term on-the-job training.
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There are still about 1.5K annual openings even though the occupation is small, with around 4,980 workers currently.
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The work is hands-on, so you can see the results of planting, harvesting, cleaning, or sorting right away.
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You can pick up useful skills across multiple areas, including equipment operation, irrigation, and crop handling.
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The job can suit people who prefer active outdoor work over desk work, and the tasks change with the season.
Challenges
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The pay is modest for the amount of physical effort: the median salary is $40,390 and the mean is $45,780.
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Growth is slow at 2.3% through 2034, so there is not much expansion in the number of jobs.
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The work is physically demanding and often depends on weather, mud, heat, cold, and long days during planting or harvest.
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Hours can be uneven and seasonal, which can mean early starts, weekend work, or sudden schedule changes when crops need attention.
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The career ladder can be narrow unless you move into supervision or specialized equipment work, and automation plus farm consolidation can reduce the need for some routine labor.
Career Progression
Farm Hand
0-1 years
$28K-$34K
Learns basic planting, harvesting, cleaning, and material-handling tasks under close supervision.
Agricultural Worker, All Other
1-3 years
$36K-$46K
Handles a mix of field, greenhouse, or farm tasks with limited supervision and needs to switch between jobs quickly.
Lead Farm Worker THIS ROLE
3-6 years
$47K-$58K
Helps direct a small crew, checks work quality, and handles more equipment and supply coordination.
Farm Operations Supervisor
6-10 years
$59K-$72K
Schedules workers, solves day-to-day problems, and keeps crop or livestock work moving on time.
Farm Manager
10+ years
$73K-$90K
Oversees staffing, budgets, planning, and production decisions for a larger operation.
Education Paths
No formal educational credential
BLS lists this as the typical entry point for the job, so many workers start with basic farm experience rather than a degree.
Short-term on-the-job training
BLS says workers usually learn the job through short-term on-the-job training, which is common in farm, greenhouse, and nursery settings.
High school diploma or GED
A high school diploma or GED can help with reading labels, following safety instructions, and moving into equipment or crew-lead roles.
Agriculture certificate or pesticide applicator credential
A non-degree credential can help with specialized work such as chemical handling, greenhouse production, or equipment-heavy operations.
Key Skills
Technical
Tractors, ATVs & Farm Equipment Operation 88%
Irrigation Systems & Water Management 84%
Manual Harvesting, Sorting & Grading 82%
Seed Planting, Transplanting & Field Preparation 76%
Pesticide Application & PPE Safety 73%
Basic Equipment Maintenance & Repairs 65%
Soft Skills
ReliabilityPhysical StaminaAttention to DetailTeamworkAdaptabilityTime Management Job Outlook and Trends
+2.3%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
1.5K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 10.1K to 10.3 K over the next decade, representing 2.3% growth. Around 1.5 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.