Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers: Career Overview
Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. May hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation. May engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities.
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The Daily Work of Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers include:
- Collect and record growth, production, and environmental data.
- Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants for sale to trade or retail customers, for display or exhibition, or for research.
- Direct and monitor trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation, and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques.
- Direct and monitor the transfer of mature fish to lakes, ponds, streams, or commercial tanks.
- Determine how to allocate resources and to respond to unanticipated problems, such as insect infestation, drought, and fire.
- Determine plant growing conditions, such as greenhouses, hydroponics, or natural settings, and set planting and care schedules.
- Devise and participate in activities to improve fish hatching and growth rates, and to prevent disease in hatcheries.
- Position and regulate plant irrigation systems, and program environmental and irrigation control computers.
What Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers Need to Know
Top farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Accredited Farm Manager (AFM)
- Activation Manager
- Agricultural Crop Farm Manager
- Agricultural Manager
- Agriculture Farmer
- Agriculture Manager
- Agronomy Manager
- Agronomy Operations Manager
How Many Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers Are There?
The U.S. employs around 201,722 farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +14.7% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $84,680 |
| Hourly median | $40.71 |
| 10th percentile | $50,703 |
| 25th percentile | $67,692 |
| 75th percentile | $101,669 |
| 90th percentile | $118,658 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $107,780 |
| Maine | $104,000 |
| Iowa | $100,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,440 |
| Florida | $94,990 |
| Wisconsin | $94,100 |
| Montana | $92,760 |
| Illinois | $90,370 |
| Washington | $89,450 |
| Maryland | $88,770 |
| Oregon | $88,620 |
| Massachusetts | $88,290 |
| Minnesota | $85,060 |
| Michigan | $83,990 |
| Virginia | $79,770 |
| North Carolina | $79,690 |
| Kansas | $79,280 |
| New York | $78,130 |
| Missouri | $76,280 |
| Nebraska | $76,200 |
| New Jersey | $73,900 |
| Texas | $72,220 |
| Indiana | $68,610 |
| Kentucky | $67,930 |
| Hawaii | $66,870 |
| Oklahoma | $64,500 |
| Ohio | $63,150 |
| West Virginia | $56,200 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $103,272 | 40.1% | 1.96 |
| Rocky Mountains | $92,760 | 0.7% | 1.69 |
| New England | $88,290 | 1.0% | 0.28 |
| Southeast | $86,630 | 18.2% | 0.98 |
| Plains States | $86,275 | 11.5% | 2.08 |
| Middle Atlantic | $82,858 | 4.5% | 0.50 |
| Southwest | $70,952 | 16.7% | 1.17 |
| Great Lakes | $69,490 | 7.2% | 0.72 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | CA | $124,170 | 70 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $123,380 | 50 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $122,820 | 90 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $121,950 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $119,700 | 40 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $112,690 | 80 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | CA | $111,260 | 70 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $110,990 | 40 |
Which Industries Hire Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
Most farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2,560 | $94,170 |
| Wholesale Trade | 520 | $100,480 |
| Manufacturing | 420 | $97,970 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 360 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 350 | $137,910 |
| Educational Services | 330 | $76,010 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 240 | $85,600 |
| Retail Trade | 170 | $80,970 |
Below are examples of industries where farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers work:
Tools and Technology
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Atlassian Confluence (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How to Become Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Production Managers (Supplemental)
- Biofuels Production Managers (Primary-Long)
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products (Primary-Long)
- Farm Labor Contractors (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Animal Scientists (Supplemental)
- Food Scientists and Technologists (Primary-Long)
- Soil and Plant Scientists (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers typically earn programs in:
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
33 programs across 6 majors
- Animal Science
- Agricultural Economics
- Agricultural Production
- Plant Sciences
- Horticulture
- Food Science Technology
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-9013.00 (Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers).
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