Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for farming, fishing, and forestry occupationss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $41,510 ≈ $20/hr
National median salary $36,630
Total employment 435,200 nationwide
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$65,360
- Alaska$53,390
- Louisiana$49,680
- Minnesota$49,390
- Vermont$49,290
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- New Mexico$36,490
- Arizona$37,430
- Florida$37,520
- Texas$38,520
- Nevada$38,640
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $65,360 | $70,990 | $31 | +57.5% | 120 |
| 2 | Alaska | $53,390 | $51,480 | $26 | +28.6% | 340 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $49,680 | $48,510 | $24 | +19.7% | 3,230 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $49,390 | $47,540 | $24 | +19% | 3,730 |
| 5 | Vermont | $49,290 | $46,760 | $24 | +18.7% | 530 |
| 6 | Maine | $48,780 | $45,860 | $23 | +17.5% | 1,710 |
| 7 | New York | $47,990 | $44,270 | $23 | +15.6% | 4,890 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $47,770 | $46,450 | $23 | +15.1% | 980 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $47,770 | $46,800 | $23 | +15.1% | 700 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $47,260 | $45,560 | $23 | +13.9% | 2,960 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $47,200 | $43,720 | $23 | +13.7% | 2,570 |
| 12 | Illinois | $46,660 | $44,120 | $22 | +12.4% | 6,480 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $46,420 | $43,560 | $22 | +11.8% | 1,440 |
| 14 | Montana | $46,220 | $43,740 | $22 | +11.3% | 2,210 |
| 15 | Colorado | $46,080 | $40,190 | $22 | +11% | 5,200 |
| 16 | Indiana | $46,030 | $45,050 | $22 | +10.9% | 3,160 |
| 17 | Iowa | $45,980 | $44,480 | $22 | +10.8% | 5,050 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $45,770 | $44,940 | $22 | +10.3% | 3,150 |
| 19 | Virginia | $44,910 | $41,000 | $22 | +8.2% | 4,800 |
| 20 | Washington | $44,880 | $40,330 | $22 | +8.1% | 21,740 |
| 21 | Maryland | $44,870 | $40,090 | $22 | +8.1% | 2,970 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $44,530 | $39,350 | $21 | +7.3% | 330 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $44,500 | $43,630 | $21 | +7.2% | 1,680 |
| 24 | Idaho | $44,490 | $37,820 | $21 | +7.2% | 5,960 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $44,250 | $37,640 | $21 | +6.6% | 730 |
| 26 | Ohio | $43,510 | $39,840 | $21 | +4.8% | 5,120 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $43,490 | $39,330 | $21 | +4.8% | 2,620 |
| 28 | Oregon | $43,450 | $37,060 | $21 | +4.7% | 12,370 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $43,210 | $38,940 | $21 | +4.1% | 3,240 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $43,030 | $42,170 | $21 | +3.7% | 4,990 |
| 31 | Alabama | $42,890 | $37,750 | $21 | +3.3% | 6,260 |
| 32 | Delaware | $42,840 | $39,850 | $21 | +3.2% | 870 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $42,490 | $38,930 | $20 | +2.4% | 7,750 |
| 34 | Michigan | $42,480 | $40,640 | $20 | +2.3% | 9,060 |
| 35 | Georgia | $42,330 | $37,220 | $20 | +2% | 8,970 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $42,260 | $37,770 | $20 | +1.8% | 6,940 |
| 37 | Missouri | $41,950 | $38,040 | $20 | +1.1% | 6,630 |
| 38 | Kansas | $41,640 | $39,300 | $20 | +0.3% | 3,670 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $40,890 | $37,510 | $20 | -1.5% | 4,300 |
| 40 | Utah | $40,810 | $41,290 | $20 | -1.7% | 1,240 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $40,710 | $36,780 | $20 | -1.9% | 5,290 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $40,630 | $37,000 | $20 | -2.1% | 950 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $40,280 | $38,920 | $19 | -3% | 750 |
| 44 | California | $39,990 | $35,890 | $19 | -3.7% | 207,800 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $39,730 | $36,220 | $19 | -4.3% | 2,600 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $39,070 | $37,140 | $19 | -5.9% | 4,180 |
| 47 | Nevada | $38,640 | $35,760 | $19 | -6.9% | 1,130 |
| 48 | Texas | $38,520 | $35,360 | $19 | -7.2% | 15,020 |
| 49 | Florida | $37,520 | $33,760 | $18 | -9.6% | 14,250 |
| 50 | Arizona | $37,430 | $35,250 | $18 | -9.8% | 9,480 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $36,490 | $34,020 | $18 | -12.1% | 3,040 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 498 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $66,850 | $65,120 | 410 |
| 2 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $62,400 | $62,050 | 150 |
| 3 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $61,430 | $60,580 | 1,060 |
| 4 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $58,510 | $58,960 | 1,180 |
| 5 | Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $58,440 | $55,680 | 850 |
| 6 | Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $57,960 | $53,470 | 220 |
| 7 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $56,290 | $60,140 | 230 |
| 8 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $53,930 | $51,360 | 350 |
| 9 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $52,920 | $53,550 | 150 |
| 10 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $52,830 | $53,310 | 130 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do farming, fishing, and forestry occupations make in the U.S.?
The median farming, fishing, and forestry occupations salary in the United States is $36,630 per year (mean $41,510), and about 80% earn between $31,760 and $58,220.
How much do farming, fishing, and forestry occupations make per hour?
Roughly $20 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $41,510 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays farming, fishing, and forestry occupations the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for farming, fishing, and forestry occupations at $65,360 per year (median $70,990).