Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Salary: $39,570 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 261,690 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse nationally earn a mean of $39,570. Projections imply about 0.8% annual growth; CA accounts for about 175,340 jobs in our geographic extract.
Key Statistics
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse: what the data shows
Common questions about farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse?
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 45-2092.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 261,690 workers.
What does a farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Performing General Physical Activities, Handling and Moving Objects, Getting Information, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Controlling Machines and Processes, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse make?
BLS national median annual wage: $35,690 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $39,570 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,979 |
| 25th percentile | $35,792 |
| Median (50th) | $36,821 |
| 75th percentile | $39,889 |
| 90th percentile | $47,043 |
What education do you need?
For Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, Operation and Control, Monitoring, Time Management, and knowledge areas including Biology, Food Production, Mechanical, Administration and Management. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.8% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 4.0%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 8.2%.
Current U.S. headcount: 261,690.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 261,690 | 19.9% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 260,150 | 19.8% |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 195,350 | 14.9% |
| Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry | 195,330 | 14.9% |
| Support Activities for Crop Production | 194,970 | 14.9% |
| Wholesale Trade | 21,260 | 1.6% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 74,250 | $79,940 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 50,350 | $223,210 |
| Nurse Midwives | 8,280 | $128,790 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 307,390 | $129,210 |
| Registered Nurses | 3,282,010 | $93,600 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse workforce.
Employment Over Time
261,690 Workforce in 2023
The Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$39,570 Average Wage
In 2023, Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse earned an average of $39,570.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Salary distribution for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Employment Growth Projections
0.8% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
728,390 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 4.0%
757,586 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 8.2%
This occupation is projected to grow at 0.8% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Wage Trends by Industry
8.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 175,340 employees, $38,440 avg wage
- FL: 9,640 employees, $31,550 avg wage
- WA: 7,280 employees, $40,310 avg wage
- OR: 6,980 employees, $36,170 avg wage
- AZ: 5,720 employees, $35,650 avg wage
- TX: 4,470 employees, $31,900 avg wage
- MI: 3,680 employees, $37,240 avg wage
- PA: 3,660 employees, $38,480 avg wage
- NJ: 3,460 employees, $39,790 avg wage
- NC: 2,980 employees, $34,100 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Bakersfield-Delano, CA: 34,210 employees, $35,880 avg wage
- Salinas, CA: 28,120 employees, $40,770 avg wage
- Fresno, CA: 27,680 employees, $36,710 avg wage
- Visalia, CA: 21,750 employees, $37,250 avg wage
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA: 11,720 employees, $39,340 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA: 4,990 employees, $38,270 avg wage
- Stockton-Lodi, CA: 4,810 employees, $38,410 avg wage
- Modesto, CA: 4,620 employees, $41,130 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA: 4,270 employees, $37,890 avg wage
- Merced, CA: 3,830 employees, $38,540 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Diversity
Demographic information on Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse in 2023 was 261,690 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse in 2023 were Business Administration, Health Sciences, Biology.
Common majors for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse workers.
Education level distribution for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Skills
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, Operation and Control, Monitoring.
Required skills for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse include Biology, Food Production, Mechanical, Administration and Management, Chemistry.
Knowledge areas required for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse include Trunk Strength, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Control Precision, Extent Flexibility, Manual Dexterity.
Required abilities for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
Daily Activities
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse spend their time on activities such as Performing General Physical Activities, Handling and Moving Objects, Getting Information, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.
Most important work activities for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse.
About
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
The average yearly wage for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse was $39,570 in 2023.
SOC Code
45-2092 - Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse reports an average salary of $39,570.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 261,690 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 0.8%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.