Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Career Profile
Attend to live farm, ranch, open range or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, rabbits, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Attend to animals produced for animal products, such as meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, and honey. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, grazing, milking, castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May maintain records on animals; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; assist in birth deliveries; and administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides as appropriate. May clean and maintain animal housing areas. Includes workers who shear wool from sheep and collect eggs in hatcheries.
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The Daily Work of Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals Do?
Typical responsibilities of farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals span:
- Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
- Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.
- Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
- Provide medical treatment, such as administering medications and vaccinations, or arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment.
- Mark livestock to identify ownership and grade, using brands, tags, paint, or tattoos.
- Drive trucks, tractors, and other equipment to distribute feed to animals.
- Segregate animals according to weight, age, color, and physical condition.
- Inspect, maintain, and repair equipment, machinery, buildings, pens, yards, and fences.
What Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals Need to Know
Top farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most central to 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:
- Agricultural Worker
- Animal Care Taker
- Animal Feeder
- Animal Herder
- Animal Husbandry Worker
- Animal Keeper
- Aquaculture Worker
- Aquatic Laborer
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 235,787 farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -1.5% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $35,854 |
| Hourly median | $17.24 |
| 10th percentile | $21,049 |
| 25th percentile | $28,452 |
| 75th percentile | $43,256 |
| 90th percentile | $50,658 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,990 |
| Alaska | $48,440 |
| Vermont | $47,230 |
| Washington | $43,540 |
| Minnesota | $42,650 |
| Utah | $42,120 |
| Louisiana | $41,720 |
| Idaho | $41,360 |
| Maine | $41,320 |
| Colorado | $41,230 |
| New York | $40,750 |
| North Dakota | $40,560 |
| New Jersey | $39,140 |
| Wyoming | $38,920 |
| South Dakota | $38,580 |
| Indiana | $38,120 |
| Massachusetts | $37,970 |
| Arizona | $37,470 |
| Mississippi | $37,440 |
| Nebraska | $37,440 |
| Virginia | $37,340 |
| Montana | $37,110 |
| Kansas | $36,940 |
| Delaware | $36,800 |
| Wisconsin | $36,100 |
| New Hampshire | $36,020 |
| Connecticut | $35,640 |
| Nevada | $35,480 |
| Maryland | $35,390 |
| Oregon | $35,360 |
| California | $35,310 |
| North Carolina | $35,230 |
| Alabama | $35,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,040 |
| Florida | $34,960 |
| Iowa | $34,740 |
| Illinois | $34,680 |
| Missouri | $34,400 |
| Tennessee | $34,350 |
| Kentucky | $33,850 |
| Texas | $33,050 |
| Michigan | $33,030 |
| South Carolina | $32,820 |
| Georgia | $32,810 |
| Oklahoma | $32,670 |
| New Mexico | $32,320 |
| West Virginia | $31,980 |
| Ohio | $30,890 |
| Arkansas | $28,410 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountains | $40,161 | 9.0% | 3.42 |
| New England | $38,855 | 2.4% | 0.72 |
| Far Western US | $36,668 | 23.3% | 1.51 |
| Middle Atlantic | $36,434 | 7.1% | 0.73 |
| Plains States | $36,416 | 15.9% | 2.92 |
| Southeast | $34,756 | 17.6% | 1.21 |
| Great Lakes | $34,205 | 9.1% | 0.90 |
| Southwest | $33,375 | 15.5% | 1.28 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $53,950 | 50 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $53,190 | 40 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | IA | $51,840 | 40 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | ME | $49,860 | 30 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | TN | $48,680 | 30 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $47,850 | 80 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $47,440 | 320 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $46,990 |
Which Industries Hire Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
Most farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12,680 | $35,990 |
| Wholesale Trade | 6,910 | $34,610 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 2,910 | $34,130 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2,240 | $36,640 |
| Manufacturing | 2,170 | $40,000 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,360 | $37,340 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 1,220 | $36,680 |
| Construction | 1,000 | $37,720 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Standing
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals positions require a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers (Supplemental)
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products (Supplemental)
- Animal Scientists (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation (Supplemental)
- Animal Caretakers (Primary-Long)
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers (Primary-Long)
- Animal Breeders (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Aspiring farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals typically earn programs in:
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
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: 45-2093.00 (Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals).
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