Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animalss 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 $39,260 ≈ $19/hr
National median salary $36,670
Total employment 32,810 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -5%
Decline
Annual openings 31,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 224,600 → 213,400 (-11,100)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Alaska$54,900
- West Virginia$50,340
- Vermont$48,190
- Washington$47,860
- Hawaii$47,690
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $54,900 | $50,450 | $26 | +39.8% | 40 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $50,340 | $48,460 | $24 | +28.2% | 40 |
| 3 | Vermont | $48,190 | $40,730 | $23 | +22.7% | 80 |
| 4 | Washington | $47,860 | $45,370 | $23 | +21.9% | 1,100 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $47,690 | $47,050 | $23 | +21.5% | 160 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $47,570 | $46,020 | $23 | +21.2% | 580 |
| 7 | Virginia | $44,530 | $38,670 | $21 | +13.4% | 630 |
| 8 | Maryland | $44,350 | $41,760 | $21 | +13% | 310 |
| 9 | Maine | $43,070 | $42,170 | $21 | +9.7% | 140 |
| 10 | California | $42,810 | $38,640 | $21 | +9% | 3,600 |
| 11 | Colorado | $42,810 | $39,740 | $21 | +9% | 1,270 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $42,780 | $38,960 | $21 | +9% | 250 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $42,500 | $38,280 | $20 | +8.3% | 270 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $42,080 | $39,520 | $20 | +7.2% | 130 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $41,300 | $38,000 | $20 | +5.2% | 100 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $41,080 | $40,320 | $20 | +4.6% | 130 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $40,820 | $38,750 | $20 | +4% | 910 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $40,730 | $37,220 | $20 | +3.7% | 570 |
| 19 | Idaho | $40,390 | $40,580 | $19 | +2.9% | 480 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $40,370 | $38,030 | $19 | +2.8% | 700 |
| 21 | Montana | $40,120 | $37,010 | $19 | +2.2% | 660 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $39,930 | $37,430 | $19 | +1.7% | 290 |
| 23 | Florida | $39,850 | $36,790 | $19 | +1.5% | 820 |
| 24 | Missouri | $39,040 | $32,950 | $19 | -0.6% | 1,310 |
| 25 | Kansas | $38,940 | $37,060 | $19 | -0.8% | 1,340 |
| 26 | New York | $38,810 | $34,860 | $19 | -1.1% | 530 |
| 27 | Iowa | $38,630 | $36,480 | $19 | -1.6% | 1,240 |
| 28 | Delaware | $37,920 | $36,940 | $18 | -3.4% | 90 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $37,910 | $35,140 | $18 | -3.4% | 90 |
| 30 | Oregon | $37,770 | $35,480 | $18 | -3.8% | 700 |
| 31 | Arizona | $37,660 | $35,160 | $18 | -4.1% | 650 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $37,520 | $36,400 | $18 | -4.4% | 330 |
| 33 | Alabama | $37,480 | $36,620 | $18 | -4.5% | 1,300 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $37,220 | $38,920 | $18 | -5.2% | 470 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $37,060 | $35,090 | $18 | -5.6% | 190 |
| 36 | Utah | $36,780 | $32,970 | $18 | -6.3% | 80 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $36,560 | $32,970 | $18 | -6.9% | 930 |
| 38 | Indiana | $36,420 | $37,530 | $18 | -7.2% | 420 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $36,200 | $33,720 | $17 | -7.8% | 450 |
| 40 | Texas | $35,960 | $33,920 | $17 | -8.4% | 3,750 |
| 41 | Illinois | $35,890 | $33,840 | $17 | -8.6% | 450 |
| 42 | Michigan | $35,690 | $32,660 | $17 | -9.1% | 750 |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $35,620 | $35,360 | $17 | -9.3% | 1,330 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $35,500 | $31,940 | $17 | -9.6% | 80 |
| 45 | Nevada | $35,400 | $31,700 | $17 | -9.8% | 210 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $35,130 | $33,670 | $17 | -10.5% | 420 |
| 47 | Ohio | $34,530 | $31,200 | $17 | -12% | 1,160 |
| 48 | Georgia | $33,460 | $28,410 | $16 | -14.8% | 690 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $32,960 | $29,340 | $16 | -16% | 460 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 211 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salinas, CA | $62,540 | $57,310 | 70 |
| 2 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $59,900 | $60,170 | 50 |
| 3 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $52,830 | $51,500 | 120 |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $50,100 | $55,330 | 290 |
| 5 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $49,990 | $44,170 | 70 |
| 6 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $48,930 | $48,670 | 60 |
| 7 | Richmond, VA | $48,880 | $51,280 | 40 |
| 8 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $48,870 | $46,530 | 70 |
| 9 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $47,950 | $47,510 | 320 |
| 10 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $47,720 | $45,020 | 60 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animalss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $64,850 | $66,260 | 260 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $64,850 | $66,260 | 260 |
| 3 | Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $50,530 | $52,990 | 230 |
| 4 | Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $50,530 | $52,990 | 230 |
| 5 | Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $49,640 | $53,290 | 100 |
| 6 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $49,630 | $51,640 | 1,500 |
| 7 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $49,630 | $51,640 | 1,500 |
| 8 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $48,010 | $49,780 | 1,840 |
| 9 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $47,840 | $48,740 | 900 |
| 10 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $46,870 | $47,540 | 1,140 |
| 11 | Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $46,830 | $49,560 | 120 |
| 12 | Elementary and Secondary Schools | $46,660 | $48,180 | 90 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals make in the U.S.?
The median farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals salary in the United States is $36,670 per year (mean $39,260), and about 80% earn between $27,360 and $54,080.
How much do farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals make per hour?
Roughly $19 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $39,260 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals at $54,900 per year (median $50,450).
What is the job outlook for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals?
Employment is projected to change -5% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 31,200 openings per year.