Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals salary in the U.S.
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals in the U.S. earn a median of $36,670 a year ($17.63 an hour), based on BLS data for 32,810 workers.
Pay ranges from $27,360 for the lowest-paid 10% to $54,080 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $39,260, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,360 | $13.15 |
| 25th percentile | $31,020 | $14.91 |
| Median | $36,670 | $17.63 |
| 75th percentile | $45,700 | $21.97 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $54,080 | $26.00 |
| Average (mean) | $39,260 | $18.88 |
Half of farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,055.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,527.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,410.38 |
| Weekly | $705.19 |
| Hourly | $17.63 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $36,670 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $50,450 | 40 |
| West Virginia | $48,460 | 40 |
| Hawaii | $47,050 | 160 |
| Minnesota | $46,020 | 580 |
| Washington | $45,370 | 1,100 |
| Maine | $42,170 | 140 |
| Maryland | $41,760 | 310 |
| Vermont | $40,730 | 80 |
| Idaho | $40,580 | 480 |
| North Dakota | $40,320 | 130 |
| Colorado | $39,740 | 1,270 |
| New Hampshire | $39,520 | 130 |
| New Jersey | $38,960 | 250 |
| Wyoming | $38,920 | 470 |
| North Carolina | $38,750 | 910 |
| Virginia | $38,670 | 630 |
| California | $38,640 | 3,600 |
| Massachusetts | $38,280 | 270 |
| Kentucky | $38,030 | 700 |
| South Dakota | $38,000 | 100 |
| Indiana | $37,530 | 420 |
| Mississippi | $37,430 | 290 |
| Nebraska | $37,220 | 570 |
| Kansas | $37,060 | 1,340 |
| Montana | $37,010 | 660 |
| Delaware | $36,940 | 90 |
| Florida | $36,790 | 820 |
| Alabama | $36,620 | 1,300 |
| Iowa | $36,480 | 1,240 |
| New Mexico | $36,400 | 330 |
| Oregon | $35,480 | 700 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,360 | 1,330 |
| Arizona | $35,160 | 650 |
| Connecticut | $35,140 | 90 |
| South Carolina | $35,090 | 190 |
| New York | $34,860 | 530 |
| Texas | $33,920 | 3,750 |
| Illinois | $33,840 | 450 |
| Tennessee | $33,720 | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $33,670 | 420 |
| Utah | $32,970 | 80 |
| Wisconsin | $32,970 | 930 |
| Missouri | $32,950 | 1,310 |
| Michigan | $32,660 | 750 |
| Louisiana | $31,940 | 80 |
| Nevada | $31,700 | 210 |
| Ohio | $31,200 | 1,160 |
| Arkansas | $29,340 | 460 |
| Georgia | $28,410 | 690 |
Best-paying metro areas for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | $62,540 | 70 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $59,900 | 50 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $50,100 | 290 |
| Richmond, VA | $48,880 | 40 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $48,870 | 70 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $47,950 | 320 |
| Topeka, KS | $47,490 | 50 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $47,430 | 50 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $46,860 | 50 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $46,580 | 40 |
| Boulder, CO | $46,260 | 60 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $46,130 | 90 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $45,970 | 100 |
| Montgomery, AL | $45,700 | 80 |
| Boise City, ID | $45,670 | 120 |
Metro areas with the most farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 610 | $37,720 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 600 | $35,030 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 470 | $35,710 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 460 | $35,850 |
| Lancaster, PA | 430 | $36,670 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 420 | $38,350 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 410 | $44,930 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 380 | $44,300 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 370 | $42,910 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 350 | $38,610 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 340 | $42,590 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 330 | $39,330 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 320 | $47,950 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 290 | $50,100 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 280 | $36,640 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $35,660 | $17.15 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operator | $41,730 | $20.06 |
| Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | $35,730 | $17.18 |
| Agricultural Inspector | $49,940 | $24.01 |
| Agricultural Workers, All Other | $39,850 | $19.16 |
| Animal Breeder | $51,130 | $24.58 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $59,320 | $28.52 |
| Logging Equipment Operator | $49,740 | $23.91 |
| Forest and Conservation Workers | $43,680 | $21.00 |
| Faller | $52,100 | $25.05 |
| Log Graders and Scalers | $46,330 | $22.27 |
| Logging Workers, All Other | $50,840 | $24.44 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 45-2093. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals make in the U.S.?
The median salary for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals in the U.S. is $36,670 a year, or $17.63 an hour. Pay ranges from $27,360 for the lowest-paid 10% to $54,080 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals in the U.S. earn at least $54,080 a year. The top 25% earn $45,700 or more.
What is the starting pay for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $27,360 a year, and a quarter of farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals earn $31,020 or less.
How many farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals work in the U.S.?
About 32,810 farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.