Profession · Full profile

Farm Worker

Plant, cultivate, and harvest crops, care for plants, and pack produce on farms.

Average salary

$35,660

Salary range

$32,900 – $45,690

Training time

A few days to a month

Job market

Decline

2/10

Work-life balance

Demanding

4/10

Farm workers plant, cultivate, and harvest crops by hand or with equipment in fields, orchards, and greenhouses. They weed, prune, set up irrigation systems, apply fertilizers and pesticides, and grade produce for shipping. The role requires physical stamina in outdoor weather conditions. Pay and job figures cover farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse, the official group that includes farm workers. Most workers learn directly on the job from experienced crew members.

A workday

A day in the life

What does a workday really look like?

A standard workday focused on weeding, irrigation maintenance, and plant care during the growing season.

6:00 AM
Morning briefing
Meet with the crew leader to review daily tasks and safety instructions.
6:30 AM
Equipment inspection and tool preparation
Gather hand tools and inspect equipment before heading to the fields.
7:30 AM
Field weeding and plant thinning
Weed rows and thin young plants in the fields to ensure proper growth.
10:30 AM
Irrigation line maintenance
Inspect irrigation lines, clear clogs, and set up watering systems.
12:00 PM
Lunch break
Rest and eat lunch out of the midday heat.
12:30 PM
Pruning and plant care
Prune foliage and check crops for signs of damage or pests.
2:30 PM
Tool cleaning and daily wrap-up
Clean hand tools, store supplies, and report completed rows to the foreman.

Task breakdown

An early-start shift dedicated to picking, sorting, and packing produce during peak harvest.

5:30 AM
Crew check-in
Receive block assignments and harvest bins from the supervisor.
6:00 AM
Produce harvesting
Pick ripe crops by hand across assigned field sections before heat rises.
9:30 AM
Sorting and grading
Sort harvested crops and grade them according to farm quality standards.
11:30 AM
Midday rest break
Take a rest and hydrate during high temperature hours.
12:00 PM
Packing and container loading
Pack graded produce into crates and load them onto transport trailers.
2:00 PM
Field transport support
Operate tractors under supervision to transfer full crates to collection areas.
3:30 PM
End-of-shift logging
Log collected bin counts and secure field packing stations.

Salary data

What do you really earn?

Salary by experience, sector and region.

Minimum

$32,900

Average

$35,660

Maximum

$45,690

Salary by region

Region	Min	Avg.	Max
National	$32,900	$35,660	$45,690
California	$34,320	$35,580	$44,870
Washington	$35,080	$39,170	$44,720
Florida	$27,770	$30,640	$44,660
Arizona	$30,770	$35,080	$37,400
Oregon	$30,700	$34,070	$43,670

Typical benefits

Employer-provided housing

Available for some seasonal positions on participating farms.

Field transportation

Provided by some farms to transport workers directly to crop fields.

Overtime pay

Offered at some farms during intense harvesting and peak production weeks.

Paid training

Instruction and pesticide safety training covered on the job.

Pathways

Education pathways

Which paths lead to this profession?

On-the-job training

A few days to a month

On-the-job training on the farm

Most farm workers learn essential agricultural tasks directly from experienced crew members, receiving required safety training before working around pesticides.

Costs: Paid by the employer
Entry requirements: No formal education required

Certificate

Several months to 1 year

Agricultural or horticulture certificate

Certificate programs offered by community colleges teach advanced crop and soil practices that prove helpful for moving into supervisory positions.

Entry requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

Profile

Skills & personality

Is this a good fit for you?

Hard skills

Planting and harvesting techniquesKnowledge of planting, cultivating, and gathering crops by hand or using agricultural tools.
Pruning and plant careSkill in thinning, pruning, and weeding crops in fields, orchards, and greenhouses.
Operating tractors and farm equipmentAbility to operate farm machinery and tractors safely under supervision.
IrrigationCompetence in setting up, monitoring, and repairing field watering systems.
Produce sorting and gradingInspecting picked goods, classifying produce, and packing containers for shipment.
Pesticide safetyApplying fertilizers and chemicals according to federal Worker Protection Standard safety rules.

Soft skills

StaminaEndurance to handle physically demanding outdoor work over long shifts.
ReliabilityShowing up consistently for early morning start times and demanding harvest schedules.
TeamworkCoordinating closely with fellow crew members to meet daily crop targets.
Ability to work quicklyHarvesting, grading, and packing crops rapidly without compromising product quality.

Is this a good fit for you?

✓
ResilienceComfortable working outside in demanding physical conditions, including heat, cold, and rain.
✓
DiligenceAttentive to careful handling so delicate plants and fresh fruits are not bruised or damaged.
✓
AdaptabilityWilling to take on varying tasks, from weeding and pruning to packing and machine operation.
✓
Safety mindednessStrict about following safety regulations when working near tractors, dust, and pesticides.
✓
DependabilityCommitted to completing daily assignments during busy harvest seasons and weekend shifts.

Market

Job market & outlook

What does the market look like?

Openings per year

72,500

Trend

Declining

Growth

-2.4%

AI impact

4/10

Mechanical harvesters, drones and robotic pickers take over more planting and harvesting, while delicate crops, pruning and judging plant quality still need human workers.

Regional demand

California

High demand for agricultural workers across crop fields, orchards, and nurseries.

10/10

Oregon

High demand across diverse farms, vineyards, and agricultural cooperatives.

10/10

Washington

High demand for field laborers to support fruit orchards and regional crops.

10/10

Arizona

Moderate demand for agricultural hands in commercial farming operations.

6/10

Florida

Demand for crop laborers supporting seasonal harvesting and nursery work.

3/10

Growth

Career paths

Where can this profession take you?

Vertical growth

Farm worker
0-2 years
Performs hands-on planting, weeding, harvesting, and sorting under crew leaders.
Crew leader
2-5 years
Directs daily activities of small field teams and monitors harvesting pace.
Farm supervisor or foreman
5+ years
Oversees broad farm operations, coordinates crews, and enforces safety compliance.
Farm manager
Manages operational planning, production schedules, and overall farm resources.

Horizontal move

Landscaper
Applies outdoor plant care and grounds maintenance skills in residential or commercial settings.
View Landscaper
Equipment operator
Focuses on operating and maintaining tractors and heavy agricultural machinery.

Good to know

Practical info

Working hours: Full time during growing and harvest seasons, with long days and overtime at harvest, and many jobs are seasonal.
Remote work: Remote work is not possible because the work is done in fields, orchards and greenhouses.
Physical requirements: Very physical work that includes bending, kneeling, lifting and repetitive motions outdoors in heat, cold and rain, with exposure to dust and chemicals.
Typical employers: Crop farms, orchards and vineyards, greenhouses and nurseries, farm labor contractors, agricultural cooperatives.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What education is required to become a farm worker?

No formal education is required to start working as a farm worker. Most people learn necessary techniques on the job from experienced crew members within a few days to a month. Employers provide mandatory Worker Protection Standard pesticide safety training before laborers work around agricultural chemicals. Community colleges also offer certificates in agriculture or horticulture for those interested in supervisor roles.

What licenses or certifications do farm workers need?

Workers on farms using pesticides must complete Worker Protection Standard pesticide safety training as required by federal rules. This instruction ensures safe handling and awareness of farm chemicals. In addition, workers who apply restricted-use pesticides must earn a state pesticide applicator certification. General entry-level field workers do not require commercial licenses before beginning employment on crop farms.

What are the daily physical working conditions like?

The role involves very physical work outdoors in heat, cold, and rain. Farm workers spend long hours bending, kneeling, lifting heavy crates, and performing repetitive physical motions. Work environments feature regular exposure to outdoor dust, soil, and agricultural chemicals. Work often starts early in the morning, around 5:30 a.m. or 6 a.m., to avoid working during intense afternoon heat.

Is farm work typically full time or seasonal?

Farm work is full time during growing and harvest seasons, though many positions are strictly seasonal. Harvest periods bring long workdays, early mornings, and frequent weekend shifts to bring in crops. Because many jobs depend entirely on seasonal cycles, workers may experience gaps in income between harvesting periods unless they find alternative employment or work year-round inside greenhouses.

Can farm workers work remotely?

Remote work is not possible because all farm labor tasks must be completed on site. Farm workers perform physical duties outdoors in fields, among orchards and vineyards, or inside climate-controlled greenhouses and nurseries. They handle physical crops, run tractors, and operate packing equipment, none of which can be performed from a home office or remote setting.

How is automation affecting farm worker jobs?

Mechanical harvesters, robotic pickers, and drones increasingly handle automated planting and harvesting tasks across modern farms. However, technology cannot replace all agricultural labor. Delicate crops, detailed hand pruning, and subjective visual judgments regarding plant health and crop quality still require the direct attention and dexterity of human farm workers.

Explore further

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In depth

All about farm worker

The background, context and details.

What farm workers do

Farm workers carry out essential hands-on agricultural tasks across fields, orchards, and greenhouses. Daily duties include planting seeds, cultivating soil, thinning seedlings, and harvesting ripe crops either by hand or using specialized hand tools. Workers inspect produce for quality, sorting and grading items before packing them for transport. They also assist with property maintenance by setting up irrigation lines, removing weeds, and pruning fruit trees or vines. Under supervision, farm workers operate tractors and other machinery to support planting and field preparation.

Workplace environment and physical demands

Agricultural labor is very physical and takes place outdoors across varied weather conditions. Workers handle bending, kneeling, heavy lifting, and continuous repetitive movements in heat, cold, and rain. Work sites also expose laborers to dust, dirt, and agricultural chemicals. Workdays frequently start early in the morning, often to avoid peak afternoon heat. During peak growing and harvesting periods, shifts become long, with regular weekend work required to gather crops before they spoil.

Training and safety certifications

Most farm workers start without formal educational credentials and learn essential techniques directly on the job alongside experienced crews. Federal rules require Worker Protection Standard pesticide safety training for anyone working on farms where pesticides are applied. Workers applying restricted-use pesticides must earn a state pesticide applicator certification. For those seeking career advancement into crew leadership or foreman roles, community colleges provide certificates in agriculture or horticulture.

Employment outlook and industry trends

Employment opportunities exist through crop farms, orchards, nurseries, greenhouses, farm labor contractors, and agricultural cooperatives. Technology continues to influence field operations. Mechanical harvesters, robotic pickers, and drones increasingly manage automated planting and harvesting duties. However, delicate crops, selective pruning, and quality assessments still rely on skilled human labor.