11 Series · SOC 11-9013
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $89,900
- Median / year
- $160,020
- Top 10% earn
- -1.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 6,500
- US workers
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers earn a median of $89,900 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $89,900, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $54,320 (10th percentile) to $160,020 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 6,500 US workers. Nebraska pays the most ($111,460), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers earn a median of $89,900, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 78% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Management, it ranks #29 of 37 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 1.3% by 2033.
- $89,900
- Median annual wage
- Top 22%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #29 of 37
- in Management
- 2.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Nebraska at $111,460. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers (SOC 11-9013) pays a national median of $89,900 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $54,320 at the 10th percentile to $160,020 at the 90th, with a mean of $99,820 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 6,500 Americans work in this occupation across 30 reporting states and 45 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -1.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 85,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent, with 5 years or more of prior experience generally required. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 24 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Nebraska pays the highest state median at $111,460, which is +24% above the national figure. The top metro is Napa, CA at $158,660 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$89,900
per year
Median Hourly
$43.22/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$99,820
average
Employment
6,500
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$89,900 Top 22% higher than 78% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 11-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 11-series occupations with growth data, Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers sits on the slower-growing side at -1.3% growth and $89,900 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-1.3%
Declining
Annual Openings
85,500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience
5 years or more
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
24/100K
Injury Rate
2/100
Danger Index
20/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Prepare reports required by state and federal laws.
- ▸ Inspect facilities and equipment for signs of disrepair, and perform necessary maintenance work.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$54,320
25th Percentile
$66,300
Median
$89,900
75th Percentile
$118,860
90th Percentile
$160,020
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 30 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $111,460 | +24% above national |
| 2 | Montana | $110,250 | +23% above national |
| 3 | California | $109,140 | +21% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $103,240 | +15% above national |
| 5 | Kansas | $102,490 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Illinois | $99,440 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Georgia | $95,900 | +7% above national |
| 8 | Mississippi | $95,210 | +6% above national |
| 9 | New York | $89,370 | 1% below national |
| 10 | Florida | $87,080 | 3% below national |
| 11 | New Jersey | $86,380 | 4% below national |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $86,320 | 4% below national |
| 13 | Texas | $85,990 | 4% below national |
| 14 | Indiana | $83,100 | 8% below national |
| 15 | Michigan | $82,620 | 8% below national |
| 16 | Oregon | $81,560 | 9% below national |
| 17 | Idaho | $81,010 | 10% below national |
| 18 | North Carolina | $80,540 | 10% below national |
| 19 | Iowa | $77,930 | 13% below national |
| 20 | Missouri | $77,650 | 14% below national |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $76,040 | 15% below national |
| 22 | Kentucky | $74,640 | 17% below national |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $69,050 | 23% below national |
| 24 | Hawaii | $68,750 | 24% below national |
| 25 | Maryland | $67,600 | 25% below national |
| 26 | Virginia | $66,780 | 26% below national |
| 27 | Ohio | $65,990 | 27% below national |
| 28 | Minnesota | $65,900 | 27% below national |
| 29 | Arkansas | $63,920 | 29% below national |
| 30 | West Virginia | $62,740 | 30% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 45 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napa, CA | $158,660 | +76% above national |
| 2 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $142,560 | +59% above national |
| 3 | Yakima, WA | $126,170 | +40% above national |
| 4 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $125,070 | +39% above national |
| 5 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $123,340 | +37% above national |
| 6 | Salinas, CA | $122,630 | +36% above national |
| 7 | Omaha, NE-IA | $120,570 | +34% above national |
| 8 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $111,470 | +24% above national |
| 9 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $110,840 | +23% above national |
| 10 | Modesto, CA | $109,630 | +22% above national |
| 11 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $109,140 | +21% above national |
| 12 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $108,310 | +20% above national |
| 13 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $108,290 | +20% above national |
| 14 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $107,990 | +20% above national |
| 15 | Fresno, CA | $104,600 | +16% above national |
| 16 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $103,420 | +15% above national |
| 17 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $103,260 | +15% above national |
| 18 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $101,990 | +13% above national |
| 19 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $101,610 | +13% above national |
| 20 | Asheville, NC | $100,610 | +12% above national |
| 21 | El Centro, CA | $98,630 | +10% above national |
| 22 | Visalia, CA | $98,040 | +9% above national |
| 23 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $97,880 | +9% above national |
| 24 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $96,480 | +7% above national |
| 25 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $92,800 | +3% above national |
| 26 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $91,530 | +2% above national |
| 27 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $90,890 | +1% above national |
| 28 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $88,840 | 1% below national |
| 29 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $87,850 | 2% below national |
| 30 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $86,580 | 4% below national |
| 31 | Boise City, ID | $86,530 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $86,180 | 4% below national |
| 33 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $85,570 | 5% below national |
| 34 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $83,760 | 7% below national |
| 35 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,550 | 10% below national |
| 36 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $79,900 | 11% below national |
| 37 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $79,040 | 12% below national |
| 38 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $78,820 | 12% below national |
| 39 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $77,000 | 14% below national |
| 40 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $76,990 | 14% below national |
| 41 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $74,640 | 17% below national |
| 42 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $73,190 | 19% below national |
| 43 | Salem, OR | $70,920 | 21% below national |
| 44 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $68,750 | 24% below national |
| 45 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $57,320 | 36% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 11 (management) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers make? ▼
What state pays Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers? ▼
Is Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers a good career? ▼
How does Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $118,860/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Nebraska leads at $111,460/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.