Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse: Job Description
Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.
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The Daily Work of Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Perform?
The core tasks performed by farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse include:
- Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.
- Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.
- Participate in the inspection, grading, sorting, storage, and post-harvest treatment of crops.
- Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them.
- Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.
- Harvest fruits and vegetables by hand.
- Set up and operate irrigation equipment.
- Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Agriculture Laborer
- Agriculture Worker
- Apple Picker
- Apple Thinner
- Apple Turner
- Asparagus Cutter
- Bale Sewer
- Baller
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 72,906 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -4.8% over the projection horizon.
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $31,937 |
| Hourly median | $15.35 |
| 10th percentile | $23,040 |
| 25th percentile | $27,489 |
| 75th percentile | $36,386 |
| 90th percentile | $40,835 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $44,760 |
| Nebraska | $43,980 |
| Maine | $43,870 |
| Montana | $41,840 |
| District of Columbia | $41,610 |
| Illinois | $40,400 |
| Massachusetts | $40,370 |
| New York | $39,370 |
| Minnesota | $38,900 |
| Colorado | $38,870 |
| Maryland | $38,170 |
| Indiana | $37,930 |
| New Jersey | $37,580 |
| Rhode Island | $37,200 |
| Washington | $37,090 |
| South Dakota | $36,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,940 |
| Missouri | $36,760 |
| Virginia | $36,750 |
| Michigan | $36,440 |
| Connecticut | $36,180 |
| Hawaii | $36,110 |
| Vermont | $35,860 |
| California | $35,770 |
| Alaska | $35,750 |
| Nevada | $35,540 |
| South Carolina | $35,230 |
| Oregon | $35,050 |
| Wisconsin | $34,880 |
| Arizona | $34,180 |
| Iowa | $33,950 |
| North Carolina | $33,690 |
| Kansas | $33,530 |
| Alabama | $33,280 |
| Oklahoma | $33,210 |
| Ohio | $33,200 |
| Utah | $33,200 |
| Idaho | $33,050 |
| Texas | $31,790 |
| Kentucky | $31,400 |
| North Dakota | $31,290 |
| New Hampshire | $31,230 |
| Arkansas | $31,220 |
| Tennessee | $31,200 |
| Mississippi | $30,670 |
| Louisiana | $30,170 |
| Delaware | $29,860 |
| Florida | $29,780 |
| New Mexico | $29,690 |
| West Virginia | $29,320 |
| Georgia | $28,990 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,460 |
Where Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Earn the Most
Earnings for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $38,582 | 1.1% | 0.23 |
| Middle Atlantic | $37,698 | 4.4% | 0.35 |
| Plains States | $36,756 | 1.9% | 0.28 |
| Great Lakes | $36,604 | 4.1% | 0.32 |
| Rocky Mountains | $36,513 | 2.3% | 0.81 |
| Far Western US | $35,794 | 72.5% | 5.38 |
| Southwest | $32,708 | 5.1% | 0.71 |
| Southeast | $31,160 | 8.1% | 0.41 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | ME | $46,450 | 70 |
| Bozeman, MT | MT | $45,590 | 170 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $44,680 | 3,680 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $44,150 | 980 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | MA | $44,100 | 50 |
| Bangor, ME | ME | $43,920 | 40 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $43,860 | 190 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $43,820 | 840 |
Which Industries Hire Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
The largest employers of farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 195,350 | $35,540 |
| Wholesale Trade | 21,260 | $36,200 |
| Retail Trade | 20,390 | $36,060 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8,110 | $36,940 |
| Manufacturing | 6,840 | $39,310 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2,670 | $40,080 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,330 | $35,660 |
| Educational Services | 1,190 | $37,800 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and 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)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How to Become Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
Entry-level farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse positions require less than a high school diploma 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)
- Soil and Plant Scientists (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Technicians (Supplemental)
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (Primary-Short)
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation (Primary-Short)
- Tree Trimmers and Pruners (Primary-Long)
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers (Supplemental)
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (Primary-Short)
References
This profile draws on 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: 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse).
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